Crooked Necks

Posts Tagged ‘body’

For those of us who aren’t familiar with all the styles of dance tights available, or who are novice dancers who want to know the difference, let’s briefly break down the types of garments dancers usually wear.

First, there are different styles of tights or leg wear – leg warmers, Capri pants, leggings, leotards, unitards, and bodysuits, to name a few.

Legwarmers are acrylic knit socks, sort of like sweaters for legs that dancers wear for extra warmth while dancing. They usually sit just below the knee and have stirrup slots at the toe to fit easily over a pair of dance tights and ballet shoes.

The length of material for tights sometimes determines what they are called. Capri pants are similar to full tights only they end at mid-calf, for a little more freedom of movement in warmer rooms. Leggings are also similar to fully footed tights, only their material ends at the ankle, leaving the foot free.

Likewise, there are longer, one-piece garments like tank top or long-sleeve unitards that give a unified shape and a very clean look for the sake of simplicity. For younger students of dance, clothing suppliers offer “biketards” that extend from the shoulders to the thighs.

A locking DVD can be an exciting purchase – for many people this event will highlight the beginning of their locking education. So I’ve decided to compile a list of my top 12 tips when selecting a locking dance DVD for learning purposes:

1. Search for a DVD that will help you learn how you are using your body as you dance, not just do the moves. You want to dance with feeling, not just be a man made robot capable of pulling off a few moves.

2. Aim to get hold of a DVD that will teach you how to be funky when you do the moves. It’s all about the funk, whatever you do in locking has got to be funky and it’s a big part of the dance.

3. See if you can get samples of the instructor’s teaching style to make sure that it suits you. Teachers have different ways of explaining things and you are bound to find some that you are more comfortable learning from than others.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a sacred martial art that has been studied and practiced for many decades now. It revolutionized martial arts as we know it today due to the fact that it enabled a much smaller man to incapacitate and defeat a larger opponent, a feat though to be nearly impossible by conventional standards at the time of the styles creation. Using leverage and the joints in the body against each other, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, better known as BJJ, when utilized properly, can allow a small man to take down and defend himself against much stronger people, thus becoming a worldwide sensation upon discovery.

One of the most famous chokes is the guillotine choke, aptly named as it causes severe pressure on the neck of the assailant/opponent (although it shouldn’t decapitate the opponent if applied correctly). The choke itself can be utilized in 2 separate ways, both rendering the opponent unconscious if applied for long enough periods of time. One of the methods is a tracheal choke, compressing the trachea and preventing oxygen flow to the lungs, and the other blocks blood flow to the brain, both resulting in an unconscious opponent.

The human body is vulnerable to all kinds of injuries. There are more than 600 muscles in your body waiting to be strained. At least 206 bones are waiting to be broken. And then there are tendons and ligaments waiting to be pulled or torn. Considering all that, it’s no surprise that dancers are prone to all types of injuries.

Children that take lessons at kids dance studios have to guard against injuries. A good instructor will do whatever it takes to protect children from injury. However, accidents do happen. There are two injuries that young dancers experience quite often.

Ankle Sprains

A sprained ankle is a common mishap. In fact, it’s probably the most common mishap that dancers face. An ankle that has been sprained in the past is more likely to be sprained again. It’s easy to get an ankle injury. Performing a step wrong or landing incorrectly after a leap are common invitations to ankle damage.

A child may not realize their ankle is injured when it first occurs. But pain when walking is the first sign. There may also be swelling. In severe cases, the child might not be able to put any weight on the ankle at all.

There are many exercises out there that can help you jump higher, but are there ways to maintain this? There are indeed many ways that you can learn in order to maintain your jumping. No matter what kind of sport you play, being able to jump higher than your opponents is a tremendous advantage. By utilizing a few simple tips, you are sure to be performing at a much higher level than ever before and then you will also reap the benefits all your hard work has brought you.

The first step, and probably the most important, is to properly warm up before you perform any kind of physical activity whatsoever. Warming up can consist of just a few little effortless stretches or running in place. This greatly reduces any risk of injury you might have possibly obtained, which could damage your progress severely. There is plenty of evidence out there to support this. Not properly warming up can also affect your game. You may not run as fast or jump as high as you normally could. So please take the time to warm up. As mentioned already, stretching is another way you can jump higher. This is very similar to not warming up. Stretching your muscles properly causes them to contract and work better than a tight muscle. As always, you reduce your risk of sustaining an injury. A lot of people searching for ways to jump higher will probably notice how much their vertical jump has improved just by stretching and warming up.