The Healthy Performer (14) (Injuries in the studio)

Strains & Sprains:

• A strain is when a ligament is stretched or torn, whilst a sprain is when a muscle or tendon is stretched or torn. Strains or sprains can occur through a sudden trauma (such as a fall or blow) or through over-use. For example, neck strain can occur when choreography requires excessive head movement and performers do not warm up or call down properly. 
• Strains and sprains should be treated using the "RICE" treatment: rest, ice, compression, elevation. Performers should rest by not doing the activity that caused them the injury. Ice should be applied to the area for 20 minutes at a time several times a day (though the ice should not be directly on the skin). An elastic compression bandage can be worn to prevent additional swelling or blood loss. Also to reduce swelling, the area that is injured should be lifted above the level of the performer's heart whilst they are resting.
• To prevent strains and sprains, performers should ensure they have done a thorough physical (and vocal) warm up. An effective physical warm up contains four sections: pulse-raiser (e.g. jogging), joint mobility (e.g. circular movements of the ankle), core strength (e.g. planks) and flexibility (e.g. lunges).

Cuts & Flesh Wounds:

• Cuts and other flesh wounds can occur when there are trip hazards in the studio or when performers are wearing unsuitable wear for physical work. Trip hazards could include cables from CD players or lighting - if a performer trips over they could fall, which could result in friction burns or cuts or bruises. Unsuitable clothing includes jewellery (as the clasps on bracelets could cause deep scratches; long earrings can be ripped out easily) and false / long nails (especially during close group work like lifts, having long nails can result in yourself or other people being scratched).
• Cuts should be cleaned, as to lower the risk of infection. Cuts should also be covered to stop the bleeding and to prevent anything getting in to the wound. Friction burns (or scrapes) should be cleaned to make sure there is no dirt in the wound (so that the new skin doesn't grow over the top of dirt) and stop the bleeding. For bruises, there are creams available to "bring them out" such as "Arnica cream". 
• To prevent cuts and flesh wounds, ensure that the studio is free of hazards (such as trailing cables, broken mirrors and spilt fluids) and that you are wearing appropriate clothing for movement.

Broken Bones:

• Broken bones can occur during falls - being dropped in a lift can result in broken bones. Heavy objects falling on the performer could also result in broken bones (such as lights that are not securely attached, or heavy props/sets/flats falling over). 
• Broken bones are diagnosed through the use of an X-ray and are treated by resting and by having a cast put on the area (e.g. if you break your ankle, you will have a cast from your foot up to your calf). 
• To prevent bones being broken, you should ensure that your studio if hazard free and that there are "spotters" when trying out lifts and that it is being well supervised.

The Healthy Performer (13) (Programme Evaluation)

Overall I think my programme was rather successful as I managed to meet my goals in the time period I set myself. One of my goals was to become slim enough to fit into the costume (leotard and skirt) that I was given for my "Skinny Love" contemporary dance, in time for the dance shows. When I first tried it on, I struggled to pull the leotard up over my hips - although I could just about fit in the costume, it was very tight and restricted my breathing and movement. However, by becoming slimmer I could fit into the costume comfortably. Another one of my goals was to become physically fitter to improve my stamina. My stamina did improve in time for my dance show as I managed to do the matinee show without getting too physically tired before doing the second show in the evening. My final goal was to become more flexible for the "Skinny Love" dance to get my legs higher on the kicks to make the dance look more impressive and also so I can perform these moves with more ease.

The general programme went well (especially the sit ups) as I did manage to become thinner. I know that I achieved this as I could fit into my "Skinny Love" costume and by taking measurements throughout the programme meant I could track my progress and see how I improved across the three weeks. The flexibility section was very effective as I can now get my legs higher on kicks, have improved my splits and have better extension. To see my improvements at the end of the programme, I took pictures on the first and last day of my programme to see by what extent my flexibility had improved.

I feel a big difference having completed my programme. As I crafted my programme so it would fit into my everyday life, I have now carried on with it as it has become a part of my daily routine. I find my contemporary dances and ballet a lot easier now as I can lift my legs higher and with more ease. I can also hold positions (e.g. arabesque's and attitudes) a lot longer as my balance has improved as I have improved my core strength. I also find singing and projection a lot easier now as my diaphragm is now stronger. My confidence has also improved now, in terms of what costumes I wear, as I can fit into smaller sizes and know that I can improve myself further (as I have improved since the start of my programme).

If I were to begin this unit again, I would have added jogging/running sessions in to improve my stamina further. This would have been useful for long runs of shows and for my dancing. I would have also improved my diet to fit alongside my programme as a healthier and organised diet would complement my programme and allow me to progress further and faster.

To ensure that I implemented safe practice when doing my programme I made sure that I had the correct alignment when doing the sit ups and planks. Before dancing I ensured that I was thoroughly warmed up and the studio was free of hazards. When singing, I ensured that I warmed up and I supported all of my notes.

The Healthy Performer (12) (Self-assessment Record)

I designed my programme to improve my flexibility, core strength and to make me more toned. I decided to record my measurements to track my progress on my route to getting thinner and I took photographs to see my improvement in terms of flexibility. I recorded my measurements every monday of the three week programme - I did four sets of measurements in the end: my starting measurements, the beginning of the second week, the beginning of the third week and my final result.

First week:

I found this week okay. I kept my motivation up as it was the start of my programme and I was looking forward to the changes I was going to make. The programme fit quite well into my lifestyle and was achievable. I ached a little bit as I wasn't use to putting so much demand on my core so I was grateful for the days where I had less sit ups on no planks. I found the planks quite challenging, therefore I needed to do more exercises for my core (for example, side balance crunches).

Second week:

In this week my motivation dropped a little bit and I had a busy week so found it difficult to fit everything in. As I had begun to walk to school and back every day, I decided to skip the leg raisers as they worked my legs as well as my core, and I felt that I needed to focus on my core as my legs are already quite strong.

Third week:

This week my motivation had improved again as I knew it was my last week to make additional improvements. I have become more flexible and have become thinner. My core strength has slightly improved, but I could have included different types of core exercises to see which ones benefit me the most.

The Healthy Performer (11) (Programme Explanation)

The image on the left shows the first week of my programme. On this page I have also explained what the "arms" and "flexibility" sections include. The image on the right shows the second and third week of my programme. I needed to increase the number of sit-ups, the length of the planks and the length of the flexibility sections to improve myself, otherwise I would find the programme too easy. If I had just kept the programme the same, I would begin to find the exercises easy, so by increasing the difficulty, I was constantly working harder and improvements would become more visible sooner. To ensure I was applying safe practice in my flexibility sections, I had to ensure I had done a warm up before undergoing my stretches and check that my alignment was correct during the stretched themselves. To apply safe practice to the planks, I had to ensure my elbows were directly under my shoulders and my back was straight - this was to reduce risk of injury to my back. Before doing any dance, I ensured the studio was hazard free and warmed up to reduce risk of injury.

The Healthy Performer (10) (Article - "What do you eat?")

The picture shows the magazine article I made about healthy eating. I included misconceptions people have about eating for a busy day - as people use this as an excuse to eat more sugary foods. I also included what to avoid in order to have a healthy diet and what makes up a balanced diet. I made a table to explain different minerals and vitamins and what foods they are found in. Furthermore, I wrote down tips for a healthy diet and an example of a healthy diet day, as well as the importance of hydration.

The Healthy Performer (9) (Leaflet - "What's in the body?")

On my leaflet, I decided to break the information down into three sections: joints, muscles and bones. I decided to do this as they are the three main structures that primarily allow the body to move.

On my joint page, I gave a general point about joints (the importance of them) and three examples of joints that I think are most important to dancers (hips, ankles and shoulders). I also decided to write about when people crack their joints, as many people argue over whether you should or not. I found this section quite interesting as I click my own joints and often get told by my mum that I shouldn't as it will cause arthritis.

On my muscles page I wrote about the dancers core, arms, legs, and hips & gluteal muscles. I put the information and diagram of the core at the top of the page as it is extremely important to dancers. I then put the information on arms and the information on legs next to each other as they are both limbs. I then put the hips and gluteal muscles at the bottom as they are the foundation of turnout .

At the top of my bones page, I wrote a general paragraph describing what the bones do. I did this because not many people know that the bones are used as storage as well, and they may find this quite interesting. I then wrote about the spine and the pelvis as these two structures are very important in dance, as well as everyday living. At the bottom I wrote a small section on the general health of dancers, and the effect that malnourishment can have on the bones.

The Healthy Performer (8) (Poster - Know your own body)

As a performer, it is extremely important to keep ourselves fit and healthy. When performing, we depend on our muscles and joints to enable us to have a successful performance. Our brains are very important to us as well so it is important to keep well hydrated. For triple-threats, we have to remember the choreography (and the technique for each move), lyrics, melodies and harmonies and character motivation and interactions - so we rely on our brains! Depending on what type of performer you are, different parts of your body become more important than others:

Singers:

• Strong abdominal muscles allow singers to support. Support gives performers a means of controlling their sound.
• Large lung capacity enables longer notes to be held and ensures you won't run out of breath. Breathing exercises will help with this. A strong diaphragm enables the lungs to expand more.
• Back muscles (latissimus dorsi) aid singers in belting. By using their diaphragm, abdominals and back muscles less pressure is put on the voice and so straining is reduced. 
• Although singers have to contract a lot of muscles when singing, it is very important that they don't tense their trapezius or sternocleidomastoid, as this puts pressure on the voice and causes strain.

Dancers:

• All of our joints are very important as dancers, especially our knees, hips and elbows.
• Abdominals are needed for core support. Core support helps with balance and enables dancers to hold positions for longer. It also helps with posture.
• Strong quadriceps and hamstrings are very useful. The more loose they are the more flexible the dancer. 
• Strong gluteus maximus - this is essential for ballet dancers who are going on pointe as, when tensed, it aids balance and keeps them from falling off of their pointe. 
• Strong biceps, triceps and abdominals are extremely important for male dancers as they tend to be the ones who lift other dancers. 

Actors:

• Ensure that joints are not damaged so movement isn't restricted, as to not be limited in roles. 
• Strong latissimus dorsi and abdominals to help with a good strong posture. 
• Strong biceps, triceps and abdominals in case lifts are needed (e.g. in physical theatre). 
• Strong intercostal muscles to allow the rib cage to expand more to increase lung capacity, allowing an actor to project their voice further.
• Actors will use their saddle joints in their thumbs to work with smaller hand-held props.

The Lungs:

• The windpipe (trachea) branches into two airways (bronchi), which "feed" the lungs.
• Your left lung is smaller than your right lung, as there is less space for your left lung because it has to share space with your heart.
• Covering your lungs are two thin layers of tissue (pleura). As you breathe, these membranes slide over each other to allow the lungs to expand and contract.
• Inside the lungs there are approximately 300 million tiny air sacs, called alveoli. They have very tiny thin walls and are criss-crossed with the finest of blood vessels called capillaries.
• Your lungs are protected by your rib cage. Between your ribs are inter-costal muscles with allows the rib cage to expand allowing the lung capacity to increase. 
• Our lungs have to work harder when we are exercising as to regulate our breathing and to keep our blood oxygenated.

The Heart:

• Your heart is protected by your rib cage. It is one of the most important organs in the human body. It continuously pumps blood around our body through blood vessels. 
• Veins carry blood towards the heart, whilst arteries carry the blood away. 
• The heart beats about 100'000 times a day (40 million times a year and about three billion times in a lifetime). 
• The heart is a cardiac muscle so it works without us having to think about it.
• The beating sound that the heart makes is the clap of valve leaflets opening and closing.
• The heart is made us of four chambers: the left atrium, the left ventricle, the right atrium and the right ventricle.
• Each minute your heart pumps 1.5 gallons of blood.
• Having a healthy diet, managing stress and doing plenty of exercise will help you maintain a healthy heart.
• Dancers need to have a strong, healthy heart so blood pumps around their body faster so oxygen-rich blood gets to their muscles faster.

The Healthy Performer (7) (Programme)

This is the programme I have now incorporated into my lifestyle. I crafted this programme so it fits in with what I do, rather than me having to change everything I do around to fit to the programme; this therefore means that I am more likely to stick to the programme. To make this programme I began by drawing the grid with the days and filling it the exercise I already do (dance on wednesday and saturday, and singing on tuesday, saturday and sunday). Afterwards, I thought about what I want to improve and then worked out what exercises I would need to do in order to achieve my goals. I want to become physically fitter, thinner and more flexible. Dancing will help me become fitter, and so will singing (as I have to control my breathing, and therefore will be increasing my lung capacity, as well as strengthening my back muscles that are used for support and posture). To become thinner I am trying to become more toned, so will be doing exercises like planks, sit ups and leg raises. To improve my flexibility I shall do more stretches - I will do the warm ups that I do at my theatre school (Razzamataz Theatre School - or "Razz" as it is shortened to on my programme) - these stretches include triangle stretches, butterfly stretches and deep lunges.

I have a black book that I have written my measurements in, which I will update every monday - the purpose of this book is to keep track of my progress. I will also be making notes in this book: have I completed what was set on my programme / did I do more than what I had planned on my programme? This programme was originally intended for three weeks, however, I had to start this a week late due to a trip to New York. I will work with this programme for the two weeks, however I intend to keep this programme up until the end of sixth form. At the end of these two weeks, I will review my programme and make alterations to it to make it more challenging (e.g. increase the number of sit ups, or increase how long I hold the planks for), so I am still benefitting from it as much as I can.

The Healthy Performer (6) (Practicals)

Interval Training

Interval training is physical training consisting of alternative periods of high-intensity and low-intensity training. These periods are split up by rest/relief periods. Some experts believe that aerobic interval training is beneficial as it allows you to burn more calories in a shorter period of time. Moreover, due to the short breaks and that the difficulty level changes makes the whole style of exercise seem less monotonous. Interval training allows the heart to work at its CV rate, though the periods of rest are long enough for the heart rate to drop down to its fat-burning rate, but not long enough to drop down to resting heart rate (thus meaning that you are getting physically fitter as well as burning a lot of calories).

Circuit Training
Circuit training is a form of resistance training involving only high-intensity aerobics. One "circuit" is one full completion of all of the activities in the programme. Unlike interval training, there are no rest periods between exercises, and instead you must move from exercise to exercise as quickly as possible. Circuits can either be specific, working in one area (e.g. core, legs or upper body), or they can be broad and work on various parts of the body. The first circuit we did in this lesson consisted on pads and gloves work (for 3 minutes then swap with your partner), squats (3 minutes), step ups (3 minutes), skipping (6 minutes). The second circuit we did focussed on our core: leg raises (1 minute), ball pass sit-ups (2 minutes), ab twists (2 minutes). I personally prefer interval training than circuit training, as we get to have short breaks during interval training (but we still get physical benefits during this break as our heart rate is at its fat-burning level) and therefore it seems less difficult and monotonous. However, due to the lack of breaks in circuit training, I feel like I get more out of the training (although this is not necessarily the case).

The Healthy Performer (5) (Circulatory & Respiratory & Nervous Systems)

Circulatory System

• The circulatory system functions in the delivery of oxygen, nutrient molecules and hormones. It also functions in the removal of carbon dioxide, ammonia and other metabolic wastes.
• The three components of the circulatory system are the heart, blood vessels and the blood itself.
• The heart beats approximately 100'00 times a day, and the beating sound we hear is the clap of valve leaflets opening and closing.
• The heart is a cardiac muscle as it never gets fatigued, meaning it can continue working without ever getting tired. It is protected by the ribcage. It acts as a pump, pushing blood all around the body. It is separated into two sides (by the septum) as to ensure oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood don't mix. Blood only flows one way due to valves. 
• There are three types of blood vessels: arteries (carries de-oxygenated blood to the lungs), veins (carries oxygenated blood to the heart and the rest of the body) and capillaries (one cell thick - transfer site of oxygen and other nutrients from the bloodstream to other tissues).
• De-oxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs (via the pulmonary artery), where the blood becomes oxygenated, and then the blood is returned to the heart (via the pulmonary vein).
• The circulatory system is essential for getting blood to different parts of the body; ensuring you have good circulation means you shouldn't become numb in certain areas. Having full feeling means you can feel what you are doing and so can correct and perfect your movements.
• Knowing about this system can help a performer in training as they would be aware of their heartbeat and how to improve their overall fitness (by improving the strength of their heart)

Respiratory System

• The human respiratory system is a series of organs responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide.
• As we breathe in, air enters our nasal cavity (where the temperature and humidity is regulated by the sinuses). The trachea then filters the air. The diaphragm lowers and the intercostal muscles contract to allow the ribcage to expand, allowing the lung capacity to increase. As we breathe out, the ribcage contracts and the diaphragm forms a dome shape again, causing the lung capacity to decrease, to squeeze more air out of the lungs.
• Carbon dioxide is expelled by breathing, where we break down glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water. Water is lost through sweat and urine.
• A large lung capacity means you would have good breathe control and a strong diaphragm enables you to support your voice effectively. Knowing about this system would make performers conscious of their lungs and diaphragm and their importance - understanding their importance may encourage them to try and use them more effectively.

Nervous System

• "The network of nerve cells and fibres which transmits nerve impulses between parts of the body".
• Stimulus --> receptor --> sensory neurone --> relay neurone --> motor neurone --> effector --> response.
• The nervous system enables you to respond to different events. For example, if you saw in your peripheral vision that another dancer was too close to you and was going to kick you, you could move out of their way.
• Knowing about the nervous system would make performers conscious of their bodies and they could learn about how to look after their bodies.

The Healthy Performer (4) (Skeletal and Muscular systems)

SKELETAL SYSTEM:

• The five major functions of the skeletal system are as follows: support, protection, movement, production of blood cells and storage of ions.
• The skeleton is split into two main sections: axial (skull, ribs, spine) and appendicular (shoulder girdles, arms, legs, pelvic girdle)
• We have 206 bones in our bodies.
• Bone are connected together by ligaments, and muscles are connected to bones by tendons.
• There are four types of bone: long (femur), short (carpals of the wrist), flat (sternum) and irregular (sacrum).
• There are four types of bone cells: osteogenic (bone growth), osteoblasts (build bones), osteoclasts (destroy bones) and osteocytes (holds bones together).
• Joints: bony (bones merge together as you get older), synovial (joints surrounded by liquid), fibrous (fibres join the bones) and cartilaginous (cartilage joins the bones). Hinge joints (e.g. elbows) move in one direction, saddle joints (thumb) can move in two directions, and ball and socket joints can move in all directions (hips and shoulders). 

MUSCULAR SYSTEM:

•  The purposes of the muscular system are movement, and to maintain posture and body position. Voluntary muscles are muscles that we can control to perform tasks like walking, whilst involuntary muscles are for the beating of your heart and for digestion. All muscles work in groups to undergo the tasks that you set them.
• There are five types of muscles: fusiform (thicker in the middle and thinner at the ends - biceps), parallel (thighs), convergent (fan shaped - pectorals), pennate (feather shaped - quadriceps) and circular (orbicularis oris).
• Antagonist and agonist muscles often work in pairs. As one muscle relaxes the other one contracts (e.g. the triceps relax so the biceps can contract, so you can lift your arm).

The Healthy Performer (3) (Flexibility/Ballet class)

In this lesson I was asked to take a flexibility/ballet class (as I am the only one in the class who does ballet). Initially the boys laughed at the thought of ballet, but they soon realised how demanding ballet is and what it requires of your body.

I began this lesson with a thorough warm up to increase our heart rates so blood was pumped around our bodies quicker and to reduce the risk of pulling a muscle. The main part of my warm up was joint mobility (e.g. shoulder rolls and instep stretches) as ballet and flexibility exercises rely on having lose joints.

In the flexibility part of my lesson I began with our legs. We did a variety of different stretches for our legs (such as lunges, touching toes and splits), arms and backs (such as back bends and table tops). As well as doing a variety of different stretches, I taught the class some exercises to tone and strengthen our arms without using weights (doing different exercises with arms fully extended and not putting them down or bending our arms).

After the flexibility lesson I moved on to a ballet lesson. I began this with pliés to improve alignment and promote good posture. To do a correct plié, your knees should be over your toes rather than your knees going inwards. Your bottom should also be tucked underneath you and your back should be straight. After pliés, we moved on to pirouettes. At this point, the boys realised how challenging ballet is. I taught them how to prepare a classical pirouette (begin in first position, then arms and feet in third and plié, extend and point to second with arms in second and then pull up and place leg in a 90 degree retiré) and then what you need to do the full pirouette (spotting with the head, arms to whip from third to first position, knee to push you round, and a strong relevé). By doing pirouettes, they learned how important posture is. We then moved on to leaps and corner work (i.e. kicks). The corner work required flexibility (to get their legs up higher), alignment (to ensure the kicks were in the right place), posture (to ensure they kept their backs up) and core strength (to ensure they were in control).

I then did a cool down to decrease our heart rates back down, and to reduce the possible build-up of lactic acid. This lesson was beneficial to me as I would like to become more flexible to improve my dancing which will open up more opportunities in choreography as well as being able to perform more demanding movements with ease. This class has hopefully helped Toby as he is looking in to doing physical theatre later on at university, so this lesson hopefully helped him realise how he can push his body further. I hope the others have taken something from this lesson and it has just basically opened their eyes to what their bodies can achieve if they keep working towards it.

The Healthy Performer (2) (Healthy eating)

Today's lesson was spent discussing what makes a healthy diet, but more specifically a healthy diet for performers. Performers use up a lot of energy and have very long days, so need to eat foods that are going to fuel them for their long and busy days. Men should consume approximately 2500 calories a day, whilst women need about 2000 calories a day.

What to do:

• Eat food containing slow-release carbohydrates (anything wholemeal), as they release energy over a longer period of time compared to normal carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, white pasta).
• Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water throughout the day to make up for the water you lose through sweat and to keep your organs hydrated and working properly. 
• Consume a lot of protein (found in meats, especially chicken)! Protein helps your body repair cells and make new ones.
• Graze! As performers, we should eat small portions but more often to spread the release of carbohydrates and nutrients. This would also ensure we wouldn't be performing on a full stomach (which could lead to indigestion and feeling heavy) but still have enough energy to get through the performance.

What to avoid:

• Saturated fats. Your body takes longer to break this type of fat down.
• Too much salt. We need to have some salt in our diets (to control our fluid balance), but not too much as this can increase your blood pressure, which increases your risk of heart disease. 
• Sugar. We obviously need a bit of sugar to have a balanced diet but not too much. Sugars are found in sweets and chocolate, but also found in fruits. However, sugar is converted into energy, but too much sugar could result in high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.  

Minerals:
--- Calcium -- needed for healthy bones and teeth - milk / yoghurt / soybeans
--- Chloride -- needed to produce stomach acid - lettuce / celery / tomatoes
--- Iron -- needed to form red blood cells - nuts / spinach / dark chocolate
--- Magnesium -- needed to make protein - dried fruits / seeds / fish
--- Potassium -- needed for muscle contraction - mushrooms / potatoes / bananas
--- Sodium -- needed for balancing bodily fluids - tables salt / cheese / cereals

Vitamins:
--- Vitamin A -- helps form and maintain healthy skin and teeth - dried apricots / liver / fish
--- Vitamin B1 -- helps convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose) - beans / peas
--- Vitamin B2 -- helps with vision - mushrooms / cereals / fish
--- Vitamin B6 -- controls levels of amino homocysteine acid in the blood - eggs / poultry
--- Vitamin B12 -- part of enzyme needed for making new cells - poultry / seafood

--- Vitamin C -- aids in iron absorption and good for immune system - fruits / vegetables

The Healthy Performer (1) (Introduction)

This lesson was our first lesson of our new unit: The Healthy Performer. We spent this lesson in the school's weights gym, and learnt about all of the different equipment there - how to use it and what parts of the body it works. We used the gym equipment to mainly work our arms and also our chests as well. We also did exercises on the floor with medicine balls to strengthen our cores and our arms as well. Our squat exercises with the bar would strengthen our legs and our backs. Below is the first draft of my programme to get fitter and improve what I want to:






The weights would work out different muscles depending on what exercises I chose to do. However, though I may be aiming to improve my arms, for example, whilst doing weights, I would also be working my chest and partially my legs too. The running programme would improve my stamina and my lung capacity. The flexibility programme would obviously improve the elasticity of my muscles and overtime increase my endurance too. Ballet improves your core, flexibility, balance, stamina, alignment and posture. Boxercise would help burn fat and increase our heart rates, and therefore our overall fitness levels.