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Norris, C.M. (2015). The complete guide to stretching. London ; New York: Bloomsbury Sport, An Imprint Of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Mcdougall, C. (2016). Born to run : a hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Schuler, L. and Alwyn Cosgrove (2006). The new rules of lifting : six basic moves for maximum muscle. New York: Avery.

Brown, C. (2011). Yoga Bible..

Brukner, P., & Khan, K. (2012). Clinical sports medicine (4th ed.). Sydney, Australia: McGraw-Hill.

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One area where I have focused on improving my dance practice is in the realm of flexibility training. Flexibility is an important aspect of dance, as it allows dancers to execute a wider range of movements and can help to prevent injuries such as muscle strains and sprains. However, it is also important to approach flexibility training with caution and to use safe techniques to avoid overstretching and damaging the muscles and joints. I have chosen to focus on my hamstrings because I feel it is my biggest weakness. I think that working on and improving this is important because it has played a big part in injuries that I have suffered in the past and “Stretching your hamstrings regularly can improve your range of motion and reduce the risk of muscle strain and other injuries during physical activity."  (Norris, 2015). I also have not been able to train effectively in certain classes because of my hamstrings being too weak and tight. This in turn has caused lower back and hip flexor issues. "The benefits of stretching go far beyond just improving flexibility. It can also reduce muscle soreness, improve athletic performance, and reduce the risk of injury.” (Mcdougall, 2016). There are many ways in which my training will level up and become safer because of this focused mobility training. I will be looking at my range of motion and how I will be able to take my movement further within my freestyle. Also, it will help in strict training environments such as a Ballet or a Jazz class. "Flexibility is an important part of overall fitness, and stretching can help improve your range of motion, reduce muscle tension, and reduce the risk of injury.” (Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove, 2006) As of right now I feel quite restricted in the movements I make when dancing or stretching in either of these settings because of the tightness in my lower back and hamstrings which makes me very cautious and unable to be truly free. Another area I particularly struggle in is my locking and breaking classes. This is again because of my lack of strength and flexibility in my hamstrings. This comes into play when I am doing such moves as a high kick or a jazz split in locking. Both moves put a heavy strain on my hamstrings and are very difficult to execute in my current condition. This is skyrocketing my risk of getting an injury and hindering my ability to perform at my highest level. When it comes to breaking my practice has also been made more difficult because of these areas. There are certain moves such as a thread or a kickout which I am unable to execute properly because of the lack of ability I have to be able to touch my toes whilst having my legs straightened. This sometimes causes me to put added pressure on my lower back when reaching for the foot which in turn effects my posture and makes the move look incorrect and sloppy.

The final reason I chose this area to work on is because of the transferrable skills it brings not only into my dance practice but also other areas of my life.  "Limited hamstring flexibility has been associated with increased muscle strain and overload during activities such as running and jumping" (Brukner & Khan, 2012).

https://youtu.be/QIiPhIJhIK8

https://youtube.com/shorts/T7lq78cMlyI

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I have implemented several techniques, including static stretching, dynamic stretching, and PNF stretching. Static stretching involves holding a stretch for a period of time, typically 20-30 seconds, in order to gradually increase the range of motion in a particular muscle group. Dynamic stretching involves actively moving through a range of motion, often using momentum to increase the stretch. PNF stretching, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, involves contracting the muscle being stretched before relaxing and allowing the stretch to deepen. The first stretch I will be using will be the forward fold. The reason I chose this stretch is because of a study I researched that examined the effects of the forward fold stretch on hamstring flexibility called "The effect of static stretching on passive muscle tension and relaxation time" by Li et al. (2006). This study recruited a sample of 24 healthy participants who were randomly assigned to either a stretching group or a control group. The stretching group performed a series of static stretches, including the forward fold stretch, for a total of 30 seconds per stretch, three times per week for eight weeks. The control group did not perform any stretches. The results of the study showed that the stretching group experienced significant improvements in passive muscle tension and relaxation time in the hamstrings compared to the control group. Specifically, the stretching group had a 14% reduction in passive muscle tension and a 25% increase in relaxation time in the hamstrings, indicating that the forward fold stretch was effective in increasing hamstring flexibility. The way in which I will be implementing this method will be a daily routine of 20 minutes in this position and other variations of this position in the mornings when I wake up and 20 minutes again at night before going to sleep. The Second method I will be using will be the downward dog position. "This classic pose stretches the back and legs, strengthens the arms and shoulders, and can improve posture and balance." (Brown, 2011). This is a slight variation of the forward fold but takes a more direct approach at strengthening the upper body and the legs. This will engage my core and focus directly on extending the range of motion with the hamstrings as this is a dynamic stretch instead of a static exercise.

Week 1: I have started to implement the stretches and strength training into my routine for 7 days now and it has become a daily practice. So far, I am not seeing any drastic improvements or differences within my dance training or classes.

Week 2: I am beginning to see slight improvements in my forward fold stretch as I am getting closer to reaching my toes and I am feeling more comfortable being in the stretch for longer periods of time.

Week 3: This week I again have noticed my ability to stay in the positions for longer and with more ease and less strain. This in turn is progressing my form and helping me hit the target areas more often and directly.

Week 4: This week I have noticed increased strength in both my legs and my core. This has made the downward dog position start to become second nature to me and easier to execute. Although my flexibility is still not where I would like it to be the improvements are starting to become noticeable.

https://youtube.com/shorts/JSRxYhmdwQo

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One of the key debates surrounding injury prevention in dance is the role of proper warm-up and cool-down techniques. While some argue that these practices are unnecessary or even detrimental to performance, there is growing evidence that suggests they are crucial for reducing the risk of injury. Proper warm-up and cool-down routines can help to increase blood flow to the muscles, loosen joints, and reduce muscle fatigue, all of which can help to prevent common dance injuries such as strains, sprains, and muscle tears. As a dancer, I have found that incorporating a thorough warm-up and cool-down routine into my practice has helped me to avoid injury and maintain my physical health. I have now been doing these stretches/exercises for 9 weeks consistently. So far, I have seen a lot of improvement in different areas. For example, the first area I noticed myself getting physically stronger was in my core. This was because of the long holds in the downward dog position. This has helped me take away some of the strain I was feeling when I was put in certain positions, and it has helped take a little bit of pressure off my hamstrings. This was especially noticeable when trying to execute certain positions in classes for example a thread in breaking.  The second thing I noticed was my hamstrings becoming slightly more flexible. Although the improvement is small now it has still massively helped both when trying to execute certain steps in classes e.g., the high kick in locking but also when stretching at the beginning and end of classes. This has also taken some of the strain away from my lower back reducing my risk of getting an injury. Mentally on the course I have noticed constant improvement in confidence in the classes where I first felt quite uncomfortable. This is because of the improvement in my ability to execute certain positions and movements. Emotionally it has been quite intense as sharing the space with people for most of the day is new to me and learning to control my emotions and not be affected by other people’s moods or actions has been challenging. However, I have seen massive improvement in this area through the past few months as I learn to be more emotionally intelligent and controlling of my responses to situations. Finally, another important aspect of my dance health and wellbeing is nutrition. As dancers, it is essential that we fuel our bodies with the right nutrients to maintain energy levels and support muscle growth and repair. This includes getting enough protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, as well as staying hydrated. In addition to supporting physical health, good nutrition can also help to improve mental and emotional wellbeing, which makes it an essential component of my training regimen. Through this journey I have learned the importance of paying attention to my nutrition and making sure that I am fuelling my body with the right nutrients to support my dance practice.

https://youtu.be/nKFsCWvXHj8