How to Take Care of Your Body as a Dancer in College
Dancing is a very physically demanding sport and to avoid the risk of getting sick or injured, you must make sure you take care of your body. Your body is your instrument and you don’t want it to break! Here are some healthy ways a college student can take care of their body as a dancer, while also being on a college campus.
1. Eat Enough Nutrients
With dancing, you are almost always moving and doing a lot of physical activity. To make sure your body stays healthy and strong, you want to be sure you are consuming enough calories. With class and rehearsals, a dancer wants to replenish the nutrients they lost throughout the day.
Some good foods to look at are complex carbs such as bread, rice and pasta. In addition, protein from foods like tofu and poultry help repair frequently used muscle tissue. You want to make sure you get all the nutrients possible so eating a variety of foods every day is important. Five servings of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein are recommended. However, do whatever you feel is best for your body and diet.
2. Drink Water
This is something that is not only important in Arizona, but for every dancer out there. While dancing, you will lose fluid, no matter how long you are practicing or performing. You should continuously drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Did you know that in one class, a dancer can lose up to 2 liters of fluid per hour?
Drinking water is the easiest way to make sure your body is hydrated and not at risk. Go grab your cute water bottle, decorate it with some stickers and make sure to drink often throughout the day, refilling when needed. Soda and coffee do not count towards the daily intake of water.
3. Make Sure You Sleep
Sleep can be something foreign to most college students, but it truly is important to maintaining one’s physical and mental health. Sleeps help your memory, energy levels and concentration. Having a good night’s rest means you’ll be at peak performance for your class or competition!
Try to get about seven-to-eight hours of sleep a night and to fall asleep before midnight, so your body can reach REM sleep.
4. Get out of the Dance Studio
While dancing and practicing are important, it is also vital to get out and have a little fun. Go to a basketball game with your roommates or an event on campus. Head over to GCBC and grab a coffee or have dinner with friends. You will no doubt be busy with dancing, but at least once a week take a breather. You don’t want to spend your whole college career nestled in a studio. You want to enjoy campus life and embrace being a Lope. It not only will give you relief physically, but help you mentally.
5. Listen to Your Body
Your passion for dance may overwhelm any pain or sickness that could prevent you from dancing. However, you should always listen to your body and what it is telling you. If not, you can risk getting worse and jeopardizing your career altogether.
Taking care of yourself is the utmost important thing when it comes to dancing.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in dance, learn more about GCU’s BA in Dance or BA in Dance Education programs within the College of Fine Arts and Production, check out our website or click the Request More Information button on this page.