Posts Tagged ‘Suzanne Martin’

Here’s how to tame the pain

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Got an aching back? You’re not alone. It’s estimated that 80 percent of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives, and why wouldn’t dancers be included? They endure long hours standing in classes and even longer hours delegating, directing rehearsals, and doing grunt work during performance crunch times. Most teachers have reveled in their back flexibility, perfect pull-up, and posture, but how long can those nobly acquired attributes hold up? Here are some tips to help tame those aches and pains.

Relievers
One of my favorite dance books—it has gone in and out of publication since 1937—is Mabel Todd’s The Thinking Body. Todd invented something called “constructive rest” for dancers. Clinically, I find this is a great exercise for the back in general. Todd claimed that dancers overuse the hip flexors and jump around all day in asymmetrical positions, which can torque the pelvis and back.

Try this for an end-of-day reliever. Lie on the floor with your legs elevated at a 90-degree angle at both the hips and the knees. Then tie the knees together with a bathrobe belt or yoga/stretch strap. Just getting into this position for 10 minutes lets gravity release the muscles and straightens out the pelvis and spine.

Heat, or what we call “neutral warmth,” can be a yummy treat for the back at the end of the day. Just a bit of warmth, not too hot, is enough. For an at-home spa experience, try heating your jammies in the dryer before putting them on at night. For a special treat, try lying in constructive rest with a heated hand towel folded flat beneath your waist. If your back is seriously tweaked or inflamed, then treat it with the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) formula instead.

Motion relievers include sacral circles and knee rocks. Lie on your back and lift your knees up over your hips. Hold onto your knees and make a circular motion, as if you were tracing the rim of a saucer with the back of your pelvis. If you have soreness on only one side of the back, try rocking the folded knees gently toward the side opposite the discomfort.

Doing daily duty
It’s important to nip back discomfort in the bud whenever possible. The rationale is that the back has deep structures that have a high threshold for discomfort because the spine is a big structure like a tree trunk that can endure lots of stress and strain. The downside is that when the pain threshold is achieved, it can take hours for the ache to subside. That’s why preventive steps are so important. You’ll have to summon up a little discipline to turn this exercise drill into an automatic routine, but you’ll become addicted before you know it. Try this series of three maneuvers when taking a bathroom break or getting up from your desk.

First, roll your shoulders up and back 10 times. (Don’t repeat in the other direction because most of us already round our shoulders into a slump really well.) Be sure to feel like you’re moving the collarbone up and off the rib cage, the primary purpose of the roll. Next, make a fist with each hand and press them into your low back while you also roll the fists upward, making a rolling, arching motion. Imagine you’re trying to knead bread dough upward toward your head. Do this about five times, starting from the lowest point at your pelvis and ending up around where you feel your ribs. This motion literally moves the soft disc material back into proper position. Then, reach one hand up straight toward the ceiling and the other down by the side of your thigh. Find your form. Lift the groin muscles toward the head and squeeze your ribs together in front, while also squeezing the shoulder blades together. Really pull the hands away from each other, one up, one down. Breathe three times and repeat to the other side.

One great daily barre exercise is the daily double (squat and arch). Face the barre, placing your toes to meet the wall. Lean back and straighten your arms. Then tuck your chin to your chest and round your back as you squat, bringing your hips toward your heels. Exhale and press your feet down (toe, ball, heel) and tuck your pelvis under to start rolling up the spine, and end with an arch while you’re leaning away from the barre. Tense your abdominals, then gently lift your head and tuck your chin into your chest to start reversing the arch. Look at the wall in front of you and repeat two more times.

If your back is regularly sore by the end of a long teaching day, consider wearing split-sole, padded jazz shoes.

Another great daily exercise is done while seated. Sit forward toward the edge of your chair, with feet about hip width apart, or a small second in parallel. Turn to the left and hold the back or seat of the chair with your left hand. Take your right hand, place it on the outer side of your left thigh, and pull with the left hand to intensify the back rotation. Go easy. Turn your nose to the left. Now, turn your eyes to the right (yes, the right) and breathe three times. Then, without moving your head, look toward the left and breathe three times. Untwist back to the forward facing position and repeat to the other side. This twist is actually more effective if you first rotate toward the easier direction of rotation and then do your harder side. One set of rotations will do.

Good vibrations
Another method for relieving pain is vibration. Physical therapists use a technique called TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation), in which electrodes are used to send pulsing stimulations into bodily tissue. TENS diverts the brain away from unpleasant sensations.

In lieu of TENS, you can do your own vibrations. One of my favorite exercises is meant to imitate a happy dog—the one whose leg moves when you rub his tummy. I do this one every morning. Lie on your back and press your back into the floor. Bend one knee and place the sole of the foot on the floor, and then lift the other leg with the foot sole flat toward the ceiling. Tightly vibrate the lifted leg by pushing the heel repeatedly toward the ceiling. (This takes practice.) Then do the other leg. Follow this exercise with the flops: Reach both feet and hands upward and loosely shake them in an easy motion for eight counts. Next, relax your limbs and let the hands and feet flop downward for two counts (this involves bending of the shoulders, elbows, and wrists, and optimally the hips, knees, and ankles as well) and then reach to the ceiling for two counts (flop, flop, and stretch; flop, flop, and stretch). Repeat this once more. Feels good!

Bracing power
Another useful technique is bracing. Any joint—and your back has many—loves bracing when it’s feeling tired and cranky. If your back is regularly sore by the end of a long teaching day, consider wearing split-sole, padded jazz shoes. You’ll be surprised how extra padding in the shoes can help an aching back. Also, check whether your legs are getting enough support. Wearing Supplex tights, or even double tights, or a Spandex unitard can brace you in from the waist down. Sometimes outerwear such as bike shorts can help under a skirt if the very low part of your back (where the pelvis starts) tends to get sore.

End-of-the-day attention also can pay off. Try wearing a generic back brace, available at most drug stores, during the ride home—or when you get there. Even elastic ankle braces, the generic kind that you slip on like a sock with the toes and heel exposed, can provide back relief. It’s surprising how bracing the ankles—bolstering the foundation—can give stability to the sacroiliac joints at the back of the pelvis. If your back is really cranky, consider the intermittent use of Kinesio tape in an X pattern on the low back.

Take control of your back. By applying relievers, giving daily attention, making use of simple techniques, and lessening back stress through bracing, you, too, can enjoy a long-lasting, functional back. And when the inevitable strain does happen, you can have confidence that you have tools to transition out of it.

I have faith in you.

What you say, and how you say it, are as important as what you do

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Having a nice day? As teachers and studio owners, you’ve probably noticed that the quality of your day has a lot to do with the people you deal with. Dance education means lots of face-to-face interaction, and that means running the gauntlet of myriad personalities and their varying emotional states. When customer satisfaction is a necessary goal for survival—as it is for anyone involved in teaching dance—it’s important to work toward positive outcomes in both business and casual interactions.

It’s easy to forget that clients and employees often have their own agendas, which might be different from your own. All of us can learn from Mahatma Gandhi, the premier model of self-control in extremely difficult human relations. In one story I heard, when Gandhi was anticipating potential violence with soldiers as he held fast to his civil disobedience, he said he trusted that the soldiers would behave as what they were—soldiers. He didn’t expect them to act or behave any differently than as they were trained to do: to follow orders and provide military defense when instructed. True story or not, it’s a good example of the kind of thinking you should strive for.

If you don’t think like Gandhi—in other words, if you trust that people will behave in a way that they probably won’t—you’re setting yourself up for problems. Unrealistic expectations can lead to faulty communication. Remember the famous quote by cartoonist Walt Kelly, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Make sure that you’re not contributing to communication problems by expecting others to behave or think as you do, or as you think they should.

Communication should be a two-way street, but it’s often one-way instead, with more twists and turns than San Francisco’s famed Lombard Street. To help you recognize verbal volleys, take control of your words, and dodge and dart your way to having a nice day, here are some tips inspired by Oakland-based communications consultant Sharon Strand Ellison’s Taking the War Out of Our Words: The Art of Powerful Non-Defensive Communication.

Power of words
Words contain power, packaged as questions and statements. To shed some light on how convoluted communications affect us, let’s start with the simple question. Or is it so simple?

Questions
Questions can be loaded with hidden meanings, containing either intentional or not-so-intentional adversarial statements. Consider two seemingly benign questions. First, one for students: “Do you want to be a professional dancer?” Spoken in different ways in different contexts, the meanings could range from “You need to work harder” (showing irritation or unmet expectations) to a non-loaded inquiry about future plans: “Are you considering dance as a career?” Add tone of voice, body language, and qualifiers like “always,” “ever,” and “never,” and the question’s meanings become even more layered and judgmental.

Now, one from a parent: “When will Susie perform [insert coveted role]?” The meaning could range from a simple request for a chronological date to a not-so-veiled expectation that Susie should be promoted, and soon.

The most volatile questions come with multiple choices that offer no appropriate answer or are self-incriminating. I know someone who was asked in a job interview whether he would prefer to kill someone with a knife or a gun. The poor guy was so taken aback that he completely blew the interview. (Oddly enough, the interview team didn’t understand what the problem was.) Before asking such a question, think about how you would feel if you were offered only compromised answers to choose from.

“Why” questions, a common form from children, often make us feel like we’re being interrogated. Students, employees, and inquiring parents might have innocent intentions but are not always tactful. Some zingers from children: “Why don’t you wear less makeup?” and “Why are you so fat?” Even in the face of such outrageousness, think before you answer. It’s easy to laugh off a child’s lack of social skills, but when dealing with adolescents and adults, use the three-second-wait rule. That brief delay helps you avoid knee-jerk replies that may come off as defensive, sarcastic, or judgmental.

Make sure that you’re not contributing to communication problems by expecting others to behave or think as you do, or as you think they should.

Adults might not understand that they are overstepping boundaries by asking questions that are none of their concern (why the school is run the way it is, for example) or that are distracting. Two questions I’ve gotten are “Why do you work so hard?” and “Why are your eyes so dark?” These questions are particularly annoying when I’m giving a client extra time and attention. A momentary lapse of decorum on my part could mean losing the client—and even worse, my response could zip along the gossip hotline and cause ill feelings with many people.

Ellison advocates replacing “why” questions with “what” questions whenever possible. Instead of “Why don’t you pick up your children on time?” try asking, “What’s stopping you from picking up Susie on time? She was upset the last few times you were late. How can we work together to resolve this?”

Statements
Now consider the other primary mode of common speech, the statement. Statements seem straightforward, and that’s the problem. Statements define authority, but they can mislead as well.

Definitions of authority
Start observing three things: how others use inclusive pronouns, state their opinions as facts, and speak in generalizations. Analyzing these practices will show you how to exert authority with conscious skill.

Inclusive pronouns such as “we,” “you,” and “they” can suggest superiority; they distance the recipient. Saying, “We plié with the ankles first, then open the hips,” comes across as fact, whether it’s accurate or not.

Start taking note of how many people speak in generalizations, which can instantly turn opinions into “truth” (like “Everybody’s doing it, Mom”). The same thing happens when you use absolute verbs (“is,” “are”) to pass judgment (“Ballet dancers are dumb” or “Men aren’t flexible”). “They say” is a prime example of unsubstantiated authority (who are “they”?), as are unqualified percentages (10 percent of people think/do whatever) and the popular “Studies show [insert desired ‘fact’].” A simple “What do you mean?” can counter such empty statements.

Negative statements can be tough to counter. Try responding with a “why” question when someone says, “It won’t work,” or “I can’t do it.” But use one that rephrases the question in a positive way. Responses like “Why do you say it won’t work?” or “Why do you say you can’t do it?” suggest that a positive outcome is possible.

Although this kind of response allows negative people to be heard, they might not want to give more information. Ellison advocates allowing them to refuse to respond. Think about your own experiences. Coercing information out of someone can feel like theft or a violation.

Statements as predictions
Statements can become predictions, which hypothesize about a potential outcome. Parents often use predictions with their children; for example, “If you don’t stop by the time I count to three, you won’t get dessert.” However, beware the fake warning. Nothing undermines your authority like making a prediction you won’t carry out. If those parents give their children dessert even though the undesirable behavior continues, they lose credibility as authority figures. Even small children know the score on that one.

According to Ellison, predictions can be protective, foretelling, or neutral. They are protective when you give cautionary instructions, such as telling students to sew their elastics on their shoes (because using safety pins or staples would be harmful). Foretelling can be judgmental, as in “If you wear that, you’ll be on the worst-dressed list.” The best choice is a neutral prediction.

Being neutral means predicting only how you will respond to the potential choices the other person could make. You will offer two alternatives and you must clarify each choice in order to avoid having people make assumptions. For instance, if you tell a hysterical parent, “If you continue shouting at me, I will have to walk away,” and you stop there, the parent could assume that the conversation is over and there can be no positive resolution. However, adding an alternative, such as “If you stop shouting, then I will do my best to listen and find a solution,” offers a chance of a win–win resolution.

Accountability
Acknowledging your own verbal accountability—for how your words come out and how they’re received—is important in maintaining a non-defensive posture, even if the person you’re in conflict with refuses to do so. Remember that excellence is born in doing the right thing. And doing the right thing doesn’t necessarily mean it will feel good in the short term.

It will take practice to remain neutral in your questions, statements, and predictions. Start to notice your interactions, and then take your cue from Gandhi and take a non-defensive stance.

I have faith in you.

Swollen, aching legs and feet are an occupational hazard—but here’s how to cope

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

It’s one thing all dance teachers have in common: standing for mega-hours. I remember talking to a friend who had stopped teaching dance; she said the best thing about it was that her feet didn’t hurt anymore. And when I sympathized with a dancer caught in ridiculous traffic, a similar thing happened: She said she was so grateful just to be sitting down. Sound familiar?

Why do dancers’ feet and legs hurt so much? It’s true that most dance injuries occur in the feet and legs, but on a day-to-day basis, apart from actual injury, the cause of the discomfort is simple: overuse. Teaching is hard work. To have longevity in the field, your feet have to be constantly restored, daily. Here are some tips to help you turn your standing hours into happy hours.

Footwear
Take a close look at your footwear. Can tape, toe spacers, or ball-of-the-foot gel pads help you? It’s amazing how many great new products are available now that were not around only 10 years ago. Some of them, like Scholl’s products, are available in drugstores; others can be found in dance-specialty (Discount Dance Supply, Bunheads Dance Accessories) and foot-specialty (FootSmart, Hapad, Inc.) catalogs and websites.

What you wear in your shoes can definitely help you survive long hours on the dance floor. Most dancers get pretty savvy about all the helpers and inserts that can make huge biomechanical differences in their feet and ankles—but as teachers, it’s easy to forget that yours need the same care. It’s well worth the effort to find out what works, both in the studio and on the street. For instance, I double-padded the carpet in my Pilates studio, and I wear elastic ankle braces when doing lengthy standing work. I also wear Kinesio bunion tape when taking ballet class now.

Foot care
Routine maintenance can strengthen the feet and ankles. Have you transitioned into a managerial role, or into teaching from performing? Most dancers have shaped their feet as a rite of passage, aiming for flexibility and the status symbol of a beautiful foot. But once they move into teaching, often they don’t realize that though the shape and the skill are still there, the strength might not be. My transition from teaching 12 classes per week to sitting in physical therapy school and ultimately working clinically was more drastic than I expected. It was a big shock to find out how much day-to-day teaching had strengthened my feet and ankles and how quickly that strength was lost.

Exercise tools
Several quick and dirty tools can make a serious difference in day-to-day foot comfort. Number one is the tennis ball. Just rolling the foot firmly over the ball in the morning or before you teach can activate the four layers of muscles in the sole of the foot and begin to stretch the strappy connective tissue, the plantar fascia.

Next, get a Thera-Band. I keep one attached to the foot of my bed and religiously perform three exercises on each foot. Another helpful tool is a wobble board. I use the Rock Ankle Exercise Board, available from optp.com. (See “Exercises” for how to use both tools.)

Restorative practices
Feet appreciate having the toes stretched apart. Something as simple as placing one of those toe gizmos for keeping the toes apart when applying nail polish can provide a great end-of-day stretch.

Leg swelling is an often overlooked problem. Typical complaints include a feeling of heaviness and/or aching. I notice in my clinical practice that women tend to suffer more from swelling, likely due to monthly hormonal fluctuations and the natural flexibility they have in the pelvic and leg region for childbirth. Add to that a dancer’s flexible body and you’ve got a favorable scenario for more-than-usual leg swelling.

Most dancers get pretty savvy about all the helpers and inserts that can make huge biomechanical differences in their feet and ankles—but as teachers, it’s easy to forget that yours need the same care.

From exercise physiology, we know that blood travels from the trunk to the limbs during strenuous exercise and can pool there if not redirected. Do your socks leave a line on the shin? Check the amount of swelling in your lower legs by pressing the pad of your index finger into the soft tissue about 3 inches above the anklebone. Press front, sides, and back. Is there an imprint? If the finger indentation persists more than 5 seconds, it may be worth a doctor’s visit to determine whether a circulation problem exists.

How to tackle the problem of swelling depends on its severity. Compressive stockings and knee-highs are available from hosiery companies like Hanes. Compressive stockings can be immensely helpful during long flights, which often bring on quite a bit of leg swelling. New mothers will find that wearing bike pants, girdles, or slimming undies from companies like Spanx will lessen postpartum swelling and pelvic pain. Check out ballet tights that have Supplex added, which can provide helpful compression during class.

An end-of-day restoration can be particularly useful. A simple practice is elevating the legs above the heart. Lie down, place the legs on two bed pillows so that the knees are supported, and shake them vigorously with a vibrating motion to start moving the fluid out of the legs. A more aggressive and extremely beneficial practice is to do contrast baths before elevating the legs.

You’ll need two tall containers (try plastic trashcans) because the water needs to go up to at least mid-calf in order to have the desired effect. Place ½ cup Epsom salts in one and fill to mid-calf level with warm (not hot) water. What’s most important is the contrast between the two temperatures, not the absolutes of hot and cold. Pour cold tap water with perhaps only 5 ice cubes in the other. (I know a dancer who lost sensation in her skin by over-chilling her legs in ice water.) Place your feet and lower legs in the warm container, then in the cool one, for 10 minutes each. Repeat the cycle once (ending with the cool container) for a total of a 40-minute soak. Then, for optimal results, rub the lower legs and feet with a liniment or homeopathic salve such as Traumeel or arnica cream before elevating them above heart level for 20 minutes. Try this after your longest day and your legs will love you forever.

Payoff
Yes, it takes effort, but good leg and foot care will never let you down. The benefits are less irritability, more endurance and patience, and actually enjoying your days and nights in the field you love.

I have faith in you.

Exercises

Thera-Band

1. Loop the band over the leg of a bed or heavy chair. Sit with your right leg perpendicular to the loop of the band. (This should be the leg that’s closest to the bed or chair.) Place the right foot into the loop, extending the band over the top half of the foot and toes (on the big toe side). Stretch against the band to make it taut. Remember the motto “Meet it, don’t beat it,” giving a nice amount of resistance without overdoing it.

2. Now make a windshield-wiper action with just the foot; hold your knee to prevent thigh motion.

3. Circle the foot 20 times in each direction, working against the resistance.

4. Stay seated in the same direction and perform the same three exercises with the band looped over the little toe side of the left foot. Then rearrange yourself by sitting with the left leg perpendicular to the loop and perform the same three exercises with the band centered on the left big toe and right little toe, respectively. It might seem like too much to do in one sitting, but once you get it down you can knock it out in 5 minutes.

Wobble board

1. Stand on the disc, centering your stance with your feet in parallel about 4 inches apart. Tip the disc forward and back about 10 times, making sure to move your whole body up and down rather than making the motion with the pelvis. (A mirror helps.)

2. Next, swivel the disc, touching the rim along the floor, making the motion by bending the knees—first one, then the other. Go about 10 times in each direction.

3. Stand on the center of the disc on one parallel foot with the other in parallel passé. Keeping the supporting knee straight, touch the rim of the disc to the floor front and back 10 times. Then circle the standing foot so that the disc makes small swivels again, 10 times each way. Repeat with the other leg.

Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s how to say no to others and yes to yourself.

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Everyone would agree that the year’s end is a difficult time. It usually involves frantic list making, wrapping up the fall season’s dance programs, and facing increased family and social commitments. And then there’s coming to terms with what did and did not happen in the business plan for the year. If that isn’t a recipe for hyperventilating and an impending sense of doom, I don’t know what is.

“Just say no” is a familiar mantra against drug use, yet how many of us are addicted to the adrenaline surge of deadlines and the endorphin rush of people-pleasing? As a businessperson, my goal has been to always give lagniappe to my clients. I learned this French concept from business owners in my native New Orleans. Lagniappe means “a little extra something.” That means giving your clients more service, more friendliness—to dote on them in a sincere manner. It’s a sure-fire win in business. But where does it stop? Here are some ideas on how to tend to business and still enjoy a rewarding holiday time. We’ll boil it down into boundaries and self-sabotage issues.

Boundaries
Boundaries typically fall into two categories: personal and work related. Unfortunately, in the arts world, where what I call “dual relationships” are common, these two often become intertwined. Dual relationships happen when we become friends with or emotionally attached to our employees, colleagues, and clients. We want to provide meals, rides, and chore relief for sick co-workers, or help with carpools and babysitting for special students.

The key here is to differentiate lagniappe from charity and responsibility so that a shift of dependence in others doesn’t become a burden to you. Learn to recognize potential conflicts of interest before the relationship starts. Know the limits of what you can realistically deliver, and if possible, make a written policy to avoid disappointing those who need your help as well as yourself. Email lists are helpful in keeping everyone posted about health news or when organizing an assistance network for a sick or heartbroken person. I admire the preschool rules I hear about from my clients, which fine parents for every minute they’re late to pick up a child. Preschools know boundaries.

Feeling guilty about not coming through for someone is like putting on boots of lead—sure to slow you down. Of course, in extreme circumstances, such as a death in the family or catastrophic illness, letting others into the loop can lessen your load enough that you can do those labors of love. For those non-catastrophic times, decide what your boundaries will be.

For instance, in my practice, I allow limited email and phone consultations outside of office times when necessary. However, sometimes a client doesn’t understand that I cannot be responsible for wakeup calls and hour-by-hour physical meltdown consultations. So I have a protocol: I often use practice advisors—friends and colleagues in similar private practice settings, or former clients who were mentors in my life and can offer me objective viewpoints—to decide how to approach clients who have unrealistic expectations of personalized medical care.

I encourage small business owners to use business advisors. They can lessen the frustration of dealing with needy clients and give a third-party perspective about what is feasible in terms of service. (A nonprofit, national organization that specializes in small business advising is SCORE—Service Corps of Retired Executives.) Sometimes just talking to an advisor can create a dynamic change that will then allow you to move into the next phase of untangling a mess.

Self-sabotage
Often the most misunderstood boundaries are the ones we hold with ourselves. We may prefer to follow the path of least resistance, avoiding unpleasant confrontations; consequently we do not set limits on what we will tolerate and take on. This behavior often leads to resentment because we fail to identify the true source of our distress. The perpetrators are not the “others” who force us to take on more and more responsibilities, but ourselves, when we refuse to set limits.

Often the most misunderstood boundaries are the ones we hold with ourselves. We may prefer to follow the path of least resistance; consequently we do not set limits on what we will tolerate.

And sometimes we are enthusiastic and exuberant, wanting to be everything to all people, which often leads to “time-debt.” Time-debting behavior is seen in people who constantly run late or don’t show up after making many promises to too many people. What starts as a promise turns into a series of disappointments. This is a potential career-limiting move, since others will move away from an unreliable you.

Both of these scenarios point to lack of understanding of how long things take to get done as well as the inability to acknowledge our own limits.

Solutions
Take heart—putting the reins on runaway overbooking doesn’t have to squelch your productivity and joie de vivre. I surprised even myself when I added writing books, producing DVDs, and earning a doctorate to my already busy life. But I did have to learn tricks. Learning the limits of self-discipline requires trial and error. No one is perfect, so give yourself a break.

Look in the mirror and repeat after me: “I can change only myself, not others.” But to change a behavior, first you have to identify it. This is the idea behind mindfulness. Spend a week—OK, four days since you’re pressed for time—noticing all the times you add to your to-do list without really being invested in those activities. The idea isn’t to promote the “I/me/mine” movement, it’s to fully engage in and commit to what we’re agreeing to do.

Being overwhelmed scatters us. It keeps us from focusing on what we need to do to achieve the success we seek. Getting a grip on overbooking behavior can mean the difference in coping in the short term and achieving our goals over the long term.

Once we’ve decided what is meaningful to us, prioritized our interest areas, examined our motives, and resolved to forgo the unnecessary, the question becomes “What’s stopping me?” In his recent book, Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits, Wayne Dyer offers ideas to help put less-than-useful behavior in perspective and plant the seed of change. He lists 18 excuses that keep us from doing all that we can for a fulfilling life.

One technique he recommends is to recite affirmations to yourself just before you go to sleep, allowing the brain to assimilate the desired effect during sleep. We are often overwhelmed by fears of not accomplishing everything we’d like to and frustrated when we can’t find time for the things that are important to us. Dyer recommends identifying your excuses and reversing them with a positive affirmation. Stir up as much feeling as you can muster for best effect.

Going a step farther is author Noah St. John, in Permission to Succeed. He believes that success is more naturally driven than failure because in nature success is crucial to ensure the continuation of the species. He says the brain responds better to questions than to statements (the usual format for affirmations) and that the brain is very good at negative self-talk (“Why am I so dumb?”). He advises “re-forming” the brain through positive self-talk in the form of “why” questions, which he calls “afformations.” He states that “Why?” is a motivating question to the brain, a command to seek an answer. His afformations concentrate on strengths, even if imagined, rather than deficits, using questions such as “Why am I so attractive?” or “Why am I presented with so many opportunities?”

Examining and working on your boundaries and practicing positive self-talk may take some practice, but why not start now? By January 1, 2010, you could be A Better You.

I have faith in you.

Want to improve your day? Make sure your nights are spent slumbering.

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Missing a little sleep? Well, think twice about doing that, if you can. As someone who travels frequently across both national and international time zones on business, I can attest to the mental and physical challenges of sleep disruption. And judging from the plethora of commercials for sleep medication on television and in magazines, sleep—or more important, insomnia—is a national concern.

Freud made sleep important in 1900 with The Interpretation of Dreams, which maintained that dreams reveal one’s motivations. When I took an abnormal psychology course, one of my favorite parts of it was recording my dreams. (The best one involved marrying Michael Jackson!) Oddly enough, sleep wasn’t considered essential for physiological health until the 1950s, when it was discovered that sleep was an active mental state, not a passive suspension-of-life one as theorized by the scientists of Freud’s time.

Types of sleep
Neuroscientists now know that the sleep–wake cycle is a part of normal physiology and progresses through life from the frequent sleep periods of an infant, to the twice-a-day pattern of a napping child, to the adult’s circadian cycle of one sleep period and one awake period.

Technically sleep includes several phases of deep non-REM (rapid eye movements) sleep and the lighter REM sleep. Non-REM sleep is characterized by a very heavy, still period during which the sleeper is hard to awaken. The lighter, almost hyperactive REM phases are what we see in dogs when they twitch and imitate running while snoozing.

Sleep deprivation
Although sleep has been well studied, its exact physiological mechanisms remain elusive. However, numerous studies cite the effects of deprivation, even though we still don’t know exactly how it works. Of particular interest to dancers is the effect of sleep deprivation on muscles, metabolism, and mental function.

Not only is a sleep-deprived person unlikely to have the energy needed to get through a week; in addition, sugar may be deposited in the fat stores too quickly, causing weight gain.

Deprivation tends to lead to problems with blood sugar regulation. There are several possible reasons for this. One is that without adequate sleep, your body fails to store carbohydrates in the muscles as sugar (called glycogen, which is the major form of energy that dancers use). Because muscle sugar tends to become depleted over consecutive days of exercise, further depletion caused by sleep deprivation poses a problem for dancers, who often dance six days a week. So not only is a sleep-deprived person unlikely to have the muscle energy needed to get through a week, in addition, sugar may be deposited in the fat stores too quickly, causing weight gain. Sleep deprivation can also lead to an oversupply of circulating blood sugar, which is a big problem for diabetics, who must pay critical attention to their blood sugar levels.

What’s the big deal?
It’s easy to recognize that staying up all night, or losing sleep due to working the swing shift, or moonlighting due to the recession could be hard on a person’s health. Yet many of us justify losing a bit of sleep every night, thinking those small losses couldn’t possibly add up to much. Winding down after night classes and late rehearsals is a particular problem for many in the dance and theater set.

A study involving driving looked at the scenario of losing one hour of sleep per night (in a typical eight-hour night) over many nights. Expected effects were seen on cognitive functions such as judgment, impulse control, attention, and visual acuity. The frightening thing was that the study’s subjects weren’t aware of these deficits.

It gets even worse: In other studies, in which even more sleep was deprived over a week, the subjects’ thinking ability became comparable to that of stroke patients. The most common point between a little lack of sleep and severe lack of sleep was that the subjects were unable to recognize the deficits. This is proof that if you want to be in charge and perform at your best, then you have to take charge of your sleep habits.

Taking charge
Here are some tips to make the most of your sleeping hours:

1. Watch your alcohol intake. Dancers often use a “painkiller” to wind down at night and to ease aching legs and back. While one glass of wine may help you nod off initially, it actually disrupts the sleep stages, causing you to linger in the non-deep stages and making you awaken before you’d like to. Instead, try an Epsom salts bath (about ¾ cup in a tub of warm water) and a warm, calming tea like chamomile to slow down the churning wheels of body and mental activity.
2. Do some aerobics. Nothing is better than oxygen. Getting cardio by walking, running, or biking about three times per week can aid sleep as long as you exercise at least 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. (Exercising too close to bedtime can disrupt sleep.) Dancers may be resistant to other forms of exercise or feel so tired at the end of the workday that more activity seems impossible. Remember that even 10 minutes done at several separate times of the day can count. Walk to the store or take the stairs—anything to get in more oxygen. Dancers use “spurt” energy instead of the aerobic type of metabolism marathon runners use. So it’s important for dancers to get aerobic exercise; the oxygen is a natural sleep aid.
3. Work on your stress level. For busy studio owners, this is easier said than done. Try forming a habit of journaling, meditating, praying, or any other form of internal concentration. It will take discipline to get started, but you’ll succeed in setting the behavior if you persist for 21 days. Even if you feel you can’t devote an actual sit-down time to stress defense, try self-talk. Take a tip from principal dancers, many of whom help themselves succeed through self-talk. Encourage yourself during the day as you find yourself feeling frustrated or starting to fade. Reassure yourself that you only have so much time until the end of class or whatever task you have to do. It works. That way, at the end of the day you don’t have to process all the little (or big) annoyances and frustrations that happen in a normal business day.
4. Create a bedroom sanctuary, a designated space for sleeping. Remove stimulating things like TVs and computers. Stereos are fine if you avoid loud, stimulating music; soft music can help produce that sanctuary feeling. And “white noise” (a low, static sound, like that of a fan) can help calm you.
5. Allow yourself a wind-down period of about 15 minutes before you want to go to sleep. Light reading is the trick; don’t try to absorb detailed technical material. And save the whodunnits and bodice-rippers for daytime. Getting so involved with a novel or movie that you can’t bear to put it down or turn it off could give you double eye bags in the morning.

A positive approach
Another interesting finding in sleep-deprivation studies is that people who were not satisfied with their sleep actually may have slept a full eight hours and not recognized it. So just getting yourself to stay in bed is a good discipline. A common mistake is to get up and read or do work when sleep is interrupted, which only reinforces the insomniac pattern.

A better approach is to soothe yourself, with self-talk and pleasant sensations, just as you would an infant. Remember, we have an evolutionary hindbrain, a low-level primitive brain, as part of our total makeup. Rub your hands on your bedding and notice the texture; tell yourself how pleasant the sensations are. Listen to your breathing. Tell yourself, “All is well,” because at that moment, chances are that you really are OK. You can train yourself to focus on pleasant rather than unpleasant stimuli, a skill often used by patients who suffer chronic pain.

You spent all that time training yourself in meticulous dance skills. Getting your sleep patterns under control may seem like a daunting task, but with a little knowledge and effort, you can sleep well. And a good night’s sleep can make daily life an enjoyable event.

I have faith in you.

Look beyond your talent to find wisdom

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Got talent? Of course you do! If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be in the position you are with a dance studio. Is it a blessing that allows you to soar above your peers, or a curse that blinds you to the need to follow through with vision and passion?

In defining talent in the dance world, we tend to think of the extremes. For example, when I taught dance in the San Francisco Bay Area, I had a 9-year-old student who, in her first class, not only demonstrated perfect second position pliés but could do a développé à la seconde on the first try, with turnout, above her shoulder height.

But what’s more interesting is what people do with their blessing or curse. Take the real case of a boy who could perform multiple pirouettes and cover a full stage with jetés en tournant by age 11. In spite of his promising talent, self-sabotaging behavior ended his rise to the ranks of a major professional company. Unable to understand the precarious nature of his gift, he acted out by mouthing off to his teachers and finally succumbed to emotional problems and drug addiction.

These extreme cases bring to mind the highs and lows of talent. Often, we learn what works and what does not only in hindsight, and over time. Yet one thing is certain: It takes more than talent to stay the course. It takes drive and initiative.

Taking tips from Talent Is Never Enough by John C. Maxwell, a minister who has written more than 50 books, can help us address not only how to stay in the game but how to thrive in it. The disparity between what talented people expect from life and what they actually get (its realities) provides the friction of a perfect stress storm. Let’s look at some of the basic truths Maxwell expresses and consider how they apply to dance teachers.

• Talented people often get frustrated with the mundane aspects of life such as paying bills and dealing with people; after all, focusing on their talent is so much more engaging.
• It’s not enough to have knowledge; it’s what you do with it that counts. That’s called “wisdom.” Wisdom involves prudent decision making.
• The biggest stress buster is acting with what Maxwell calls “wise thoughtfulness”: attempting to listen, allowing others to be heard, and yet allowing them to take the consequences of their actions, such as letting a student who waited too long to sign up for a class miss out on a performance.
• Successful talented people don’t act alone; they value interpersonal relationships. We don’t live in a vacuum and we need other people to help us carry out our visions, serve as receivers of our talents, and mirror our contributions (the fulfillment of our talent) to others. Taking the help and admiration of others for granted may work for a while, but following the one-way streets of self-centeredness can send us circling in an eternal vortex. Making the most of your talent means developing enough strength of character to last past being the flavor of the month.
• It’s important to find balance between the all-consuming, outward focus of using one’s talent and the inward focus needed for restoration. A busy life may not necessarily provide a productive life and can actually quell the development of a person’s full potential.

So what does all this mean to you?

Overcoming the mundane
Another helpful book, Your Own Worst Enemy, by psychologist Kenneth Christian, founder of the Maximum Potential Project, offers insight into how to reach the point of commitment, of not turning back on yourself and your goals. Christian asserts that gifted people often expect that they will breeze through an exceptional, almost magical life due to the ease and accolades they have grown accustomed to. As artistic souls, they may bristle at the thought of being ordinary or leading a structured life.

One of the pitfalls here is that boredom and lack of interest can create a tendency to skip the details that ultimately might lead to memorable work. Christian identifies the underlying problem as a fear of failure. Gifted people who realize their potential put themselves in the position of taking risks; they learn from trial and error, correcting themselves as they go. The price for avoiding details and taking the path of least resistance, he says, is a life of shallow activities and limited interests.

Finding wisdom
How do teachers and school owners demonstrate wisdom? With prudent decision making and by delivering messages without tarnishing their talent with bad manners. Being mindful not only of what you say but how you say it can create a make-it-or-break-it moment. The talented often forget that they do have choices in how they demonstrate their talent, which touches all areas of their lives.

Teaching and running a studio both involve many moments of interpersonal interaction—from registration days to the start of each class to year-end performances—which, when handled with wisdom, hopefully turn into years of ongoing relationships.

How many times have you seen talented people show, through their behavior, that they just don’t get it? Here’s one example: A studio owner friend of mine described a Pilates studio in which the instructor was militant, admonishing people (like my experienced friend) not to “cheat” by modifying a move. When the instructor asked my colleague why she thought the class was losing students, my friend cheerily answered, “Maybe you could try being friendly!” Ouch.

Wisdom means understanding that although you need to convey a message, it’s best to do it when you can add value to the relationship. Talented people are used to acting quickly and instinctively. In potentially confrontational situations, train yourself to take a couple of breaths or a few moments (or longer) before taking action. Reflecting before interacting can lead to a positive resolution instead of escalating tensions. Ask yourself: Will I be happy tomorrow with how I handled this situation?

Wise thoughtfulness
The wrong timing exacerbates difficult confrontations. Some confrontations call for privacy, an appropriate location. Taking into account the fatigue level of the person to be confronted and yourself can be a deal maker. On the other hand, thoughtfulness goes both ways. One responsibility of the talented is to be a good representative of what that talent gives you. If you constantly complain about how tired and busy and stressed out you are, why would someone want what you have?

We need each other to succeed. Take the example of a ballet studio owner whose senior ballet master wasn’t included in the studio transfer when she sold her business. He had had one personal drama after another, losing focus in his classes. Despite the man’s talent, the new studio owner wanted nothing to do with him. The ballet master needed the new owner’s acceptance to remain at his job, and he failed to get it.

Character formation
Character formation is critical to gifted people because it occurs through experiences over time, whereas their talent has probably been there all along. Will they have enough character, avoiding shady business or dubious shortcuts, to carry out the passion of their talent when life gets difficult? This goes along with acquiring a taste for the mundane details of life.

Carrying a vision to fruition means taking risks but correcting choices along the way, as well as developing a lifestyle that ensures lasting success. The paradox for the talented is that focusing on only the giving aspect of their talent may leave little time for the restorative necessities of life. They may try to avoid burnout by using drugs or alcohol—but that’s a choice; it’s not inevitable. Even the best thoroughbred has to be groomed and fed and rested.

Balancing inward and outward focuses
The introspective activities of thinking, reflecting, and meditating take time. Wise choices often come to us in times of introspection, and those choices play a big part in making a happy, fulfilling life. The gifted may need their eyes opened with the help of professionals, such as mentors, a business advisory team, or a therapist. I find that answers and direction often come intuitively through meditation and journaling. During my Stanford Hospital internship, years before I began to write professionally, I followed my 40-minute commute with a cup of tea and 10 minutes of writing. Only then did I turn to my patient load for the day.

Deflecting stress with words
While the talented love an artistic challenge, too much stimulation and stress can turn smooth sailing into choppy seas. One trick to ease the burden is to pay attention to language that gives personal power and that reverses negative statements. For instance, try replacing “I would like to get it done today” with “I am doing it today.” Say it out loud and notice the change in the tension in your chest. It works for dealing with mundane tasks as well. Try saying, ‘There’s still time to . . .’ in place of ‘It’s too late to . . .’ and again notice that the altered intention gives a bit of ease. It may take practice, but deflecting stress by simply changing the words you use can be a powerful ally in getting through those long days.

Staying the course
Christian offers one final exercise for staying on track. Try adding it to your meditations or to that final five minutes in bed before you begin your day. For just a few minutes, focus. Imagine yourself gathering the materials and resources you need for that day, or for a particular project. Then see yourself in your mind’s eye as beginning the work and then going on to complete it. Create a self-fulfilling prophecy, and meet the potential of your talent.

I have faith in you.

Going beyond the abs for true inner strength

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

“Core? What is that?” I received this query from a French editor when she was translating my Better Back book into French. Today we have so much biomechanical research to answer that question.

It’s true that most dance injuries occur in the ankle and foot; however, overuse injuries are the hallmark of dance training, which is repetitive by nature. The biomechanical chain from the core downward is of crucial importance in helping dancers continue to dance. The top of this chain is, of course, the core.

Most people think the core consists of the abdominal muscles. But that’s only part of the story. The core is not only cylindrical (the abs) but also has a top and bottom. Think of this inner unit as Computer Central.

Training dancers in the concept and mechanics of the inner unit as Computer Central is the next wave in comprehensive career preparation. Core control separates the beginners from the advanced in terms of coordination and technical finesse; without it, limbs literally flail in partnering.

Parts of the inner unit
The inner unit has four elements. Located in the front are the deep abdominals (the transverse abs), which run from side to side, creating an abdominal “corset.”

Underneath a flat soft-tissue layer are the multifidi, each of which connects several vertebrae. These thin muscles, of varying lengths, stabilize the spine. These muscles work underneath the long, strappy muscles (the erectors) that run vertically down the back. The erectors stabilize the back in large orientation motions of the spine, such as the arch of arabesque.

At the top of the inner unit is the respiratory diaphragm, a circular muscle that moves up and down like a piston.

At the bottom is the pelvic floor, also called the pelvic diaphragm. It moves in a small, parachute-like motion, rounding up into the body to support the internal organs above.

Why inner-unit control matters
These four aspects of the inner unit must coordinate to protect and stabilize the low back and act as an anchor, or ballast, for the motions of the upper body. For my clients with scoliosis and especially for flexible women, teaching them to internally “hold” the center of gravity by coordinating the inner unit essentially gives them an insurance policy against severe low back injuries.

Boys and men have other reasons to pay attention to the precision of inner-unit use. They tend to have greater strength in general, laying on more muscle mass after the adolescent growth spurt. But this absolute strength can mask any deficits in the postural muscles. Also, boys who start dance late or progress into partnering before they’ve gained enough torso strength risk back problems.

Another key reason for control is that the inner unit must be stabilized in order for the psoas to properly work for leg elevation, e.g., développés. You just can’t get around it—the inner unit provides low-back protection, an anchor for upper-body and arm use, and a stable base from which the legs lift. Plus, it guides the knees and feet into optimal contact with the ground. The core does everything except cook your dinner.

Just like Joseph Pilates said in Return to Life, anything worth doing takes time to develop, so be patient in your pursuit of the consciously working core.

I have faith in you.

Visualize and Exercise

Finding the components of the inner unit in dance motion is the subject of much interest in dance medicine and physical therapy circles. Here are some tips to help you find them most effectively.

Visualize: Your center of gravity
Place one hand on your navel, then go 3 inches down and imagine going 3 inches inward. Place your other hand on your low back opposite the front hand. Your center of gravity is in this area. Feel your hands sandwiching this area. Bring your head weight over this area. Notice how the back relaxes when the center of gravity and head are aligned.

Exercise 1: Finding the inner unit
Transverse abdominals
Kneel on all fours in a tabletop position. Make a flat back, extending your head and tailbone in opposite directions. Keeping your back flat, lift your abdominals up toward the spine. To access the deepest abdominal muscle layer, visualize your abdominals as ‘smiling’ from hipbone to hipbone. Try pulling the muscles in and pushing them out without your breath initiating the action. Then pull them in and hold them while thinking of the diaphragm moving up toward your head and then down toward the tailbone four times.

Multifidi
Sit tall on the edge of a chair with a firm surface. Place your hands on your low back at the waist. Shift your ribs forward and feel the big, strappy erectors pop out. Then feel for the trough between the erectors and the spiky dinosaur bumps of the spine.

Now sit tall with your head and ribs in a vertical line over your pelvis (so you’re no longer shifted forward). Without changing the orientation of the back (no flexing or arching), feel like you’re pushing back against the muscles in the trough to tighten them. These are the multifidi. 

Pelvic floor
Think of the pelvic floor as diamond shaped, with the four points being the pubic bone in front, the tailbone in back, and the two sitz bones (ischial tuberosities) at the bottom. The diamond can be divided into two triangles, front and back.

Practice pulling up the muscles of the pelvic floor. Don’t grip them; instead imagine that an elevator is lifting them into your pelvis. Go easy.

Now squat in a wide second position, bracing your hands against your thighs. Practice lifting the muscles of the pelvic floor even though you are widening the bones of the pelvis into the squat. Stay there and breathe four times, working on keeping the pelvic floor muscles engaged in this wide position.

Respiratory diaphragm
Since the diaphragm is circular, let’s find it in several places. Place your hands on the front of the ribs. Now sniff briskly. The movement you feel in front is the action of the diaphragm. Now place your hands on the sides of the ribs. Inhale and see the sides of the rib cage expand; as you exhale, gently squeeze the rib cage.

Next, get a Thera-Band® and place it horizontally around your back below armpit level, making it tight enough to feel the tension (but not too tight). Breathe in and feel the rib cage expand and press against the band to the back. To fully fill the lungs when you inhale, think of filling two cones, one on either side of the body, from the base of the cone up to the tip, which reaches above the level of the collarbone.

Exercise 2: Straw exercise
(Imagine being sucked up through a straw. This is also a good one to do in a car while waiting in traffic.)

Sit on a surface that’s high enough to let your feet dangle above the floor. (In a car, simply keep your feet on the floor.) Slump down like a deflated accordion. Inhale, and as you exhale, gently pull your sitz bones together. Then press down on the sitz bones and feel an imaginary hand lift the skin of the low back so that you roll slightly forward. Elevate through the pelvic floor. Keep lifting the spine through the waist and lift the rib cage off the waist. Continue stretching up through the middle and upper back, thinking of going up through the rib cage. Then stretch the neck up like a giraffe’s neck.

Stay tall and inhale. Exhale and get taller; inhale and stay tall. Repeat. Exhale and get taller, then relax.

Visualize: Pelvic placement using the inner unit
Stand with your feet a few inches apart, toes facing forward in parallel. First feel the external muscles. Using the abdominals, tuck your pelvis, shortening the distance between the breastbone and the pubic bone. Then try tucking the pelvis by tightening the glutes (pulling the back of the pelvis down toward the thighs). Then arch the back by tightening the erectors, the big, strappy muscles of the back.

Now find a neutral pelvis with the hipbones lifted and the tailbone pointing down toward the floor. Experiment by moving the pelvis into a tuck and then into an arch only by changing the tightening of the pelvic floor. First tighten the front and notice the slight tuck. Then tighten the back and feel the slight arch. Train yourself to find a neutral pelvis and support the low back through the use of the deep muscles of the pelvic floor.

Exercise 3: Coordinating the inner unit
Take a tabletop position on your hands and knees with the knees 3 to 4 inches apart in parallel. Find a flat back. Reach behind you with the sitz bones so that the pelvis is neutral, without a tuck.

Feel the abdominals lift against the spine and an imaginary hand holding the low back flat, creating a sandwiching effect. Feel the width between the sitz bones as you lift the pelvic floor up toward the head without disturbing the orientation of the pelvis or back. Tuck the toes under. Inhale and exhale, then lift the knees about 2 inches off the floor. Stay there and breathe for four breath cycles, then lower the knees. Repeat.

Combine anatomy and imagery to make port de bras sing

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Nothing is more beautiful or exhilarating than a port de bras. I love the saying “The legs dance the music and the upper body sings the movement.” But getting to the point where your dancing sings is not always easy. Often the problems are obvious to teachers, but what a correction really means or where the work should be happening might not be so evident to students. This month we examine some tools to guide corrections related to the upper body, and in the next few columns we will sequentially dissect the lower body and that all-important turnout.

A port de bras reveals much about a dancer. Wooden arms are a giveaway for lack of dancing expertise, no matter what the style. In my opinion, achieving the detailed perfection we expect from advanced dancers is far harder in the arms than in the legs. Arms should développé just like the legs.

An entire region of the brain is devoted to the coordination of the eyes, head, and arms. In a class on motor control I learned that for every degree of range of motion, it’s likely that 19 muscles are in action. Some of those muscles function as stabilizers and some as movers of the action. But how do you coordinate all that?

It helps to think of the upper body as three parts: the head and neck, the ribcage and its spine, and the shoulder girdle. An amazing fact is that the shoulder girdle (the breastbone, shoulder blades, collarbones, and arms) free-float on the ribcage (see Observe in “Visualize, Observe, Exercise”). The girdle attaches to the rest of the skeleton only where the collarbones meet the breastbone (sternum) in the sternoclavicular joint. This joint, among the strongest in the body, holds so well that in falls, the collarbones tend to break before this joint will become dislocated.

Musculature Stabilizers
We can categorize the deep muscles of the upper body by observing the surface anatomy of the body.

First find the stabilizers, what I call the “upper core.” These muscles balance and control the head and neck and anchor the shoulder blades. They can be visualized in the ribcage: Look at the bottom of the sternum. See how the ribs create an inverted V? By squeezing this V together and deflating the ribs below the breasts, you can activate the upper core.

The diaphragm, oblique abdominal muscles, and intercostal (between the ribs) muscles create a foundation for head balance and arm use. The action of the diaphragm, the big, horizontal muscle that divides the upper and lower portions of the body, is easy to observe: Simply place a hand just below the breasts at the midline and sniff a few times.

Strengthening the upper core prevents sway back, a very common dancer posture.

Shoulder blades
Learning to anchor the shoulder blades into the ribcage provides the leverage needed for optimal control of the arms.

A common complaint among teachers is that when students raise their arms past horizontal, they lift their shoulders. The shoulder muscles that attach at the ribcage in the back of the armpit area (the teres major, teres minor, and serratus anterior) work to anchor and elevate the heavy arm. You can find them by lifting your arm a bit to the side and reaching under the arm to feel around at the tip of the shoulder blade. To enhance the feeling, lift and lower your shoulders. Learning to operate the arms from this area prevents the upper shoulders (the upper trapezius muscles) from dominating the movement. Plank exercises, especially when done on the forearms, promote strength in this area.

Chest
All dancers want to appear larger than life onstage, and a big part of presentation is being able to project. When dancers hear the commands “Open the chest” or “Bring your shoulders back,” they may either splay the ribs in front or pinch the shoulder blades together. Accomplished dancers know to use the middle and low trapezius muscles, which essentially “tack down” the shoulder blades against the ribcage, opening the chest and lifting the face toward the light. (A sunken chest tends to pull the face down, away from the light.) These muscles are difficult to see or feel unless they are well developed (see Exercise 3, “Visualize, Observe, Exercise”).

Triceps
Teachers often tell students not to let their elbows sag, which results in “chicken arms,” but they need to teach them to engage the triceps, the muscles on the back of the upper arm. A common triceps exercise in fitness training is the kickback. The upper arm is held parallel to the floor, and the elbow is bent and straightened while holding a weight in the hand.

The kickback is not enough for dancers, who need to engage the long head of the triceps that originates in the armpit; that’s what gives that floating-arms effect we like. Two Thera-Band exercises (see Exercises 1 and 2, “Visualize, Observe, Exercise”) promote the use of the triceps in dance. Doing these simple exercises before class can enhance sensation in the arms and boost coordination in combinations.

Alignment of the face and neck
If the upper-core foundation is intact, the head and neck will float on top of the shoulders. Teachers may give the command to not look down, which is good advice since the rest of the body will follow where the eyes go. Also, for optimal mechanics in turns and elevation in jumps, the weight of the head must be over the center of gravity in the pelvis.

Communication
What we say to students makes a big difference in how corrections are implemented; see “New Ways to Correct” for new approaches. Take these tips into the classroom and you and your students will be exhilarated and inspired by the improvements in their port de bras.

I have faith in you.

Visualize, Observe, Exercise

Visualize: Arms développé
Imagine starting from one imaginary back hip pocket and breathing out into the opposite armpit, like you’re filling a balloon with air. Imagine a golden ring passing around the upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, and then the palm. You’re sure to see a beautifully shaped and elevated arm.

Observe: Free-floating shoulder girdle

Shrug your shoulders up to your ears. See how the collarbones create an angle and feel how your shoulder blades slide up on the ribcage.

Exercise 1: Triceps
Hold a Thera-Band with both hands, roughly 10 inches apart, at your sternum, with the elbows pointing straight out to the sides. Straighten one elbow so that the hand goes out to the side and then return the hand to the chest, all while keeping the upper arm horizontal to the floor.

Exercise 2: Triceps
Hold the Thera-Band overhead (shoulders down!) with hands about 2 feet apart. Pull one end down and sideways toward the hip. You’ll feel the stretch in the elevated upper arm, pulling on the long head of the triceps.

Exercise 3: Trapezius
To strengthen the middle and low trapezius, lie on your abdomen and slowly move the arms from high fifth to second position and down to first. Concentrate on making a V with the point reaching down the middle of your low back as you move your arms from first to fifth while keeping the shoulder blades wide.

New Ways to Correct

1.  Old school: “Press the shoulders down.”  New school: “Lengthen the turtle’s neck out of the shell” and “Breathe out from the armpits.” Pressing the shoulders down may incite a painful grinding action of the shoulder girdle on the ribcage. What’s really needed is to hold the upper core and hold the arms from the armpits, not from the shoulders.

2. Old school: “Hold your ribs.” New school: Encourage students to engage the upper core this way: Place one hand below the breasts and the other on the sternum and gently pull the flesh in opposite directions. Then lift up by imagining that a pole that runs through the ears is moving toward the ceiling.

3. Old school: “Open the chest.” New school: “Widen the back” and “Breathe out into the arms.” Telling dancers to open the chest may lead them to pinch the shoulder blades together or splay the ribs in a sway back. Instead, students should use the back of the shoulders to anchor the arms.

4. Old school: “No chicken arms!” New school: Ask your students to fire up the triceps by lifting their elbows.  Tell them to imagine that the arms, in second position, create a ring around the back, with a sloping line extending from the shoulder through the elbow, wrist, hand, and fingers.

5. Old school: “Don’t grip your jaw.” New school: It takes practice not to grimace or tighten the jaw during difficult exercises. Challenge your students to part the lips as they dance; doing so softens the face and neck and unlocks the jaw. Take it to the next level by telling them to smile softly through the eyes. The image helps them relax and open the line of the head and neck.

6. Old school: “Don’t be so wooden!”  New school: Imagine that golden ring (see “Visualize”). In an adagio, tell the students to breathe out from the spine in opposite directions and reach the arms to second position starting from the armpits. Tell them to imagine that a drop of water is rolling in a smooth motion down the top of the arm to the third finger.

It’s mind over circumstance when times get rough

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Does art imitate life? The lively arts in America historically shadow the ebbs and flows of the economic life of the country, and those who practice them know all too well the pain of the current economic downturn.

How do we maintain our business and artistic visions in an economy that is predicted to slowly return to normal over the long haul? What we’re thinking and how we’re coping with economic fluctuations affect our well-being. We all know that diamonds are created under pressure. But what happens when the pressure doesn’t let up? Here are a few tips to help you turn that rough diamond into a true faceted jewel.

The power of thought
What we do and what we think on a daily basis are crucial in times of transition and crisis. Dr. Caroline Leaf, author of Who Switched Off My Brain? urges us to develop our thinking power. Artistic people are naturally curious; choreography and dance instruction require tremendous qualities of analysis and limitless amounts of creativity. But fear, the ultimate paralyzer, causes procrastination and poor decision-making, two undesirable behaviors for the artistically inclined self-employed.

Dr. Leaf offers a simple formula to quell anxiety and that overwhelmed feeling: Make a choice to ask questions, search for answers, and discuss the information that is being hurled from all directions. She explains that by disciplining our brains to focus and turning over ideas, we will deepen our thinking. Knee-jerk reactions come from the subconscious; higher thought functions require more processing.

This doesn’t mean you should hyperventilate with friends over the latest economic media blast. According to Leaf, this format is a license to give in to what you’re doing, actually slow down to focus on the reality of the situation, and depending on the issue, maybe even enjoy being in the moment by breaking the panic cycle and increasing the ability to cope. In this way, choice dictates our behaviors.

Obstacles to a positive attitude
Making conscious choices allows us to regain some or complete control of our circumstances. John Maxwell, author of The Difference Maker, reminds us that the one thing inside us that cannot be taken away is our choice of attitude. He calls attitude the “difference maker” because it can make or break a situation. He warns of the five obstacles to creating a positive attitude: discouragement, change, problems, fear, and failure.

This list is a great analogy to the practice of physical therapy. Clients often come in with an injury, a change, or a problem, which quickly disintegrates into discouragement, fear, and failure. Maxwell’s maxim for grappling with this common scenario warrants our attention across many professions and roles, from physical therapy, dance injuries, and body care to our status of employment or partnership.

Dealing with discouragement
Discouragement is often the number-one obstacle for my clients who have trouble recovering from an injury. Maxwell’s recommendations ring true for the physical world as well as daily life. He suggests finding the right perspective to get a grip on the situation. Hanging out with the right people and looking at the whole picture can be lifesavers in pulling out from the grips of discouragement. I love his story of the famous Colonel Harland Sanders, whose restaurant business suffered due to a freeway change. Sanders was driven to change his entire world, to look larger, and eventually founded Kentucky Fried Chicken (now called KFC), an American icon.

How many dancers have come back from what seemed an insurmountable injury? You too must have some stories of success that got you where you are today, complete with unpredictable twists of fate.

The effect of our decisions
Maxwell describes how the decisions we make, especially in times of crisis, can impact our outlook. Doing the right thing may not always be easy, but having to back up, make excuses, apologize, or experience guilt and resentment for inappropriate behavior saps our energy and positive outlook.

He suggests that the timing of decisions influences whether we will do the right thing. Making decisions to avert discomfort when things aren’t going well feeds fear and failure, the other obstacles to a positive attitude. He suggests a hill-and-valley model of decision making. It takes a great deal of clarity to get to the hilltop before making a decision, and yet many people forgo the perseverance period, the uncomfortable valley before the decision.

How do you know you’re on the hilltop of decision time? You will have more clarity about the situation and a feeling of moving toward something instead of running from it. The rationale for waiting for the right timing is that if others are involved, you’ll leave them on better terms, without burning bridges. Also, using positive instead of negative data will ensure a desirable pattern of moving from hill to hill instead of from valley to valley.

Coping day to day
What to do on a day-to-day basis? San Francisco Bay Area psychotherapists have some concrete suggestions. At the top of the list are exercise, rest, and eating healthful foods. This is great advice because we all know that when crisis and drama begin to happen, shifting into high gear can mean jettisoning the excess baggage of day-to-day stresses (like forgoing doctors’ appointments and canceling gym memberships). This strategy might work for a day or so, but in the long term it’s a surefire setup for failure.

Next on the list is talking to people. Again, good advice, but remember Maxwell’s recommendation to seek out positive company. The joke is that if you run with the dogs, soon you start barking like them too.

The next suggestion may come as a surprise: volunteer. I remember a client, a human resources manager and a great positive role model, who once asked what to do with people who are overwhelmed. The answer is to give them another thing to do! Helping others is an amazing antidote to navel-gazing at our own problems. Again, another analogy in physical therapy is that a major way to interrupt a pain cycle in the body is to distract attention away from it. Reaching out to others breaks the cycle of discouragement by encouraging others, offering personal contact, and relieving the pain of our own problems, even if temporarily.

Making the best of things
Although none of us choose to experience crises, they can also mean opportunity. We may have to discipline ourselves to find the silver lining, but with tools, and technique, and training, just like in dance class, we can do darn near anything.

I have faith in you.

Tips on Coping

• Focus your thoughts: Ask, answer, and discuss.
• Work on your attitude.
• Seek out positive contacts and get a broader perspective.
• Time decisions to your best advantage, not to your comfort level.
• Exercise, rest, and eat well.
• Look around to see who needs your help.

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Got sunlight? Of course. Well, maybe—depending upon the season, how far you are from the equator, and how much sunblock is in your moisturizer. We all know that a little sunlight can make us feel better, and most of us know that it’s a source of Vitamin D. Yet how many dancers do you see with a George Hamilton tan that’s not painted on? In my studio experience I’ve seen many a pasty face; even in Miami Beach, Phoenix, or San Diego, beaucoups hours of teaching, rehearsing and performing can keep even the most devoted sun-child indoors. And what about the ozone-layer scare? Most dancers with experience (read: age) tend to wear sunscreen not just for melanoma prevention but also out of vanity. We all want to stay wrinkle free as long as possible.

Why does Vitamin D matter? For starters, it plays an important role in bone density, especially in women. The American College of Sports Medicine and the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science have made groundbreaking statements about the incidence of amenorrhea, osteoporosis, and stress fractures in female athletes and dancers. It is now well known that dancers, especially the young, need to eat enough calories to sustain the energy level necessary to excel in dance and avoid the risk of imminent stress fractures and down-the-line osteoporosis that often accompanies low blood levels of estrogen. Now we have one more important piece in the well-dancer/strong-bone puzzle—Vitamin D—thanks to recent research spearheaded by Dr. Michael Holick and others at Boston University School of Medicine.

What is a vitamin, anyway?
Technically, a vitamin is a catalyst for necessary chemical reactions that make our cells and tissues function well. “Vitamin D” is a nickname because now we know that it is actually a full-blown hormone, a chemical messenger with functions that go beyond the all-important role of bone manufacture.

Sources of Vitamin D
Most people now know something about the so-called “sunshine vitamin.” The traditional belief was that we get enough Vitamin D from sunlight. But after health officials discovered Vitamin D deficiency’s link to bone problems in sun-deprived slum dwellers in Warsaw and London in the late 1800s and early 1900s, D began its roughly 100-year history as a food additive into such products as milk and juice. Severe deficiency creates undeveloped bones in children (rickets) and fractures in adults (osteomalacia).

According to Holick, in about 1930 U.S. government regulations slackened the requirements regarding Vitamin D as an additive; the problem was solved. But was it? Frightening research from Dr. Holick tells us it likely is not. His recent studies on human blood levels at various latitudes, the true amount available in milk and juices, blood-level findings across skin color, and the amount of sunshine that actually passes through glass are reason enough to pay attention.

Holick’s argument for Vitamin D supplementation to avoid deficiency is profound. The farther you are from the equator, the less D you absorb. Plus, you need a large amount of leg, arm, and facial skin exposure, for about 15 minutes 4 times a week, to get the minimum. The amount found in juices and milk often varies from the stated packaging. Dark skin colors and the filtration effect of glass block the beta ray exposure necessary for Vitamin D production.

Dancers at risk
Both baby ballerinas and seasoned masters appear to be at risk for a double whammy of shaky bone health. Young dancers run the risk of low estrogen levels and body weight having a negative impact on bone production and density; add the factors of geographic location, skin color, and limited exposure to the outdoors to create a tricky skeletal situation. Older dancers share those geographic, skin, and cultural issues, and those who are post-menopausal have a recipe for fracture if they don’t take preventative measures. In younger dancers, think stress fractures; in older dancers, think hip replacement. Add the fortunately going-out-of-style cultural behavior of smoking and/or consuming sodas to either demographic, and you’ve got a surefire recipe for disaster.

What if you don’t care about bone health? Isn’t that an abstract idea? Don’t those problems happen to other people? Not really. All dancers can relate to muscles. Muscles equal technique; muscles dictate control. Muscles determine how you look onstage and whether you have the strength to execute an entire variation. Yet the real zinger is that muscles can only be as strong as the bones they pull on. Soft, hollow bones mean little muscle strength. In the flexible body type of the typical dancer (called hypermobility), muscle strength translates into less joint pain, fewer sprains, and generally less body pain. And to have strong muscles you need strong bones.

How much is enough?
Are all dancers doomed? The good news is that Holick’s research caused other researchers to jump on the Vitamin D bandwagon, and they have some concrete recommendations. The recommended daily allowance has been bumped up to 1,000IU from its previous levels of 400IU for children over age 4 and 600IU for postmenopausal women. Another recommendation is to have your blood level of D2-OH measured; a minimum value of 40 ensures the bone strength necessary for good muscle tone.

An adequate amount of Vitamin D, along with the recommended daily allowance of 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium for adolescent dancers and post-menopausal dancers, respectively, is crucial to bone deposition. There is now evidence of Vitamin D’s influence on other important physiological functions that have an impact on cancer risk and immune disorders. That means that everyone, especially those watching their caloric intake, needs a multivitamin supplement for basic nutrition.

An often-asked question is how to get it naturally in food sources. The obvious ones are D-fortified milk and juices. Unfortunately Vitamin D occurs best in cod liver oil, not a favorite food for most of us. That’s why supplementation makes sense. Look for the D3 form in supplements and heed the 1,000IU level for a daily dose.

The farther you are from the equator, the less Vitamin D you absorb. Plus, you need a large amount of leg, arm, and facial skin exposure, for about 15 minutes 4 times a week, to get the minimum.

Still not convinced?
Dr. David Feldman of Stanford University School of Medicine’s endocrinology division tells us that Vitamin D is now recognized to have expanded activity beyond its traditional role in prevention of osteoporosis, rickets, and osteomalacia. Recent evidence points to its role in the prevention of autoimmune diseases such as fibromyalgia (considered a muscle endurance problem in physical therapy), and the development of certain cancers.

Feldman correlates distance from the equator with the incidence of breast, colon, and prostate cancers. This is good information for boomers, and especially to those of us in Northern California. Adding some D to the diet could decrease the usual cancer risk associated with our lack of sunlight and advancing age. Vitamin D promotes natural cell death, a problem with self-perpetuating cancer cells, and blocks the blood supply development needed by growing cancer cells.

What’s the bottom line?
Wear your sunblock when enjoying outdoor activities, but do try to get 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure several times per week. Get your blood level checked so that you know your baseline. Take the recommended daily supplement to ensure a good blood level. Be sure to take calcium; D doesn’t work alone. All dancers should take 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day, coupling it with magnesium for maximum absorption.

The take-home message is that we all want to keep dancing, and we have enough information to know how. A strong infrastructure, our skeleton, is our insurance to keep dancing into the sunset.

I have faith in you.

Food tips for a hectic lifestyle

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Staying healthy while being in a studio all day and eating on the run is one enormous challenge. And wouldn’t it be great to go beyond maintenance by achieving optimal health?

People who live the performing-arts life prolong their youth by being so active in their 20s and 30s. Yet what an effect it has on the body. Dancers who start at age 8 or 10 and pursue a teaching or performance career have packed in a lot of mileage by age 30. And just think about 40- and 50-somethings! So if you’re going to go into the sunset in your dancing shoes, how can you stay the course?

Any worthwhile project requires R&D, research and development. Knowledge is powerful. But a little knowledge plus the plethora of trendy eating diets, articles, and supplements can be dizzying. Thinking simply, life boils down to three physical requirements: water, food, and rest. How do you regulate, and enhance, all three while multitasking?

When it comes to being on the go, strategy pays off. One of the biggest pitfalls for even the most dedicated health nut is being caught off guard. Plan, plan, and plan some more, so that you not only have nutrients and water within your grasp but also time for rest. Let’s look at water and food. Being nourished and hydrated are two great ways to boost your energy level and keep up with a busy lifestyle.

All-essential water
Drinking plenty of water is one of best ways to stay afloat. Your body is 75 percent water; losing as little as 2 percent of that can cause foggy thinking. Physical performance starts to decline. Slowness can be dangerous when you need to be mentally alert: driving, crossing the street, bicycling. Slurring words impairs your ability to command authority and confidence. Slowed reactions make preparing a class, organizing, and doing analytical tasks take longer than necessary.

To make sure you get enough water in your busy day, drink one tall glass in the morning and one before bed. Have another glass if you get up during the night. In general the advice is to drink eight glasses per day, although the new thinking is that consuming water-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables contributes to this amount.

Try keeping a pitcher of water available with sliced lemons or strawberries in it for an extra lure. When traveling, fill your own big bottle or buy one after you pass security at the airport. We often mistake thirst for hunger, so next time you feel a hunger pang, reach for a water bottle before heading to the fridge.

Dancers lose a significant amount of water when performing under the lights, and they feel it in their legs. But it doesn’t happen only onstage—that heavy-leg feeling you sometimes get from teaching and rehearsing means you’re getting dehydrated. Another way to stay hydrated is to take Epsom salts baths. Mix about a half-cup of salts in a warm bath to hydrate and soothe muscles. They’re especially helpful after a flight.

We often mistake thirst for hunger, so next time you feel a hunger pang, reach for a water bottle before heading to the fridge. 

Hydrate and energize
Another quick energy/hydration tip for morning jumpstarts, afternoon lows, and jet lag is Emergen-C®. A combination of vitamins and minerals available in health food, drug, and grocery stores, each packet has 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin C. The Joint Health formula includes glucosamine, recommended for dancers because it may protect joint cartilage.

Emergen-C’s carbonated formula fizzes up in water, which gives it a quicker entry into the gut. (That’s why champagne gets you high so much more quickly than wine.) The minerals potassium and magnesium replenish electrolytes, which are essential to recovery after exercise. If you can refrigerate it, try adding it to a homemade carrot juice smoothie. The carrot juice stabilizes blood sugar and the fruit gives a quick jolt of energy.

Meals
What about solid food on the go? Again, it breaks down to three categories: home packaging, pre-packaging, and restaurant food. With food, there’s truth to the adage that if you want anything done right, you have to do it yourself.

Strategy pays off when you crave a meal. As I mentioned in the January issue, preparing food—chicken, salmon, or tofu for protein, plus veggies and a dressing—in containers for the upcoming week will ensure lean, healthful meals. Taking a salad with you is easy. Combine the salad and eat it with green tea, which contains antioxidants and is a safe metabolic accelerator (weight-loss agent). It also has caffeine for a boost of energy. If you can’t mix the ingredients on site, fix a single-serving salad in the morning and take it with you. Try cottage cheese, fruit (strawberries, papaya, avocado), walnuts, and low-fat crackers for a quick, easy-to-digest lunch.

Energy bars
What about the darling of pre-packaged food, the energy bar? There are a staggering 900-plus bars on the market, ranging widely in nutrient content, ingredient quality, and calories. Select a bar that has protein, carbohydrate, and fat in a ratio of, respectively, about 40/40/20. It should be high in fiber and low in saturated fat, with no trans-fat. A bar with 200 to 300 calories can substitute for a meal, especially when combined with a glass of dairy or soy milk and a piece of fruit.

But should bars make up most of your meals? Registered dietician Nancy Clark, in private practice at the Boston area’s Healthworks Fitness Center, has plenty to say about energy bars: Look for quality bars made from whole foods such as fruits, nuts, and fiber. Analyze the name—some bars may be dessert substitutes rather than healthful, compact nutrition. Remember, by law the first ingredient listed is the most plentiful.

Choose a bar that is as unprocessed as a processed food can be. My favorite does have a dessert name: “Cherry Pie” from Larabar. However, this brand is all fruit and nuts, with no added sugars, fillers, supplements, or flavorings. They are gluten- and dairy-free and kosher to boot. Even the most discerning vegan (but not those with peanut allergies) can partake of these raw bars. Clif® is another high-quality brand that is organic and trans-fat free, although it’s higher in fat content than others.

Another pre-packaged fast food I cannot live without is oat cakes (often confused with hockey pucks). I carry them on trips for an inexpensive breakfast or quick meal when stranded at airports. Listed as having 2 points in the WeightWatchers® system, they might be sweet for some tastes.

Variety: key to good nutrition
Clark cautions that eating bars on the run is one thing and good, wholesome nutrition is another. She advocates consuming 20 to 30 different foods per week. Variety ensures that we get the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimal functioning. And don’t forget those five portions of fresh fruit or vegetables each day.

Eating a variety of foods also ensures that we don’t develop allergies over time to cultural favorites like wheat. Counting on energy bars to regulate your caloric intake will get you into a nutritional rut, and eating them in lieu of desserts or whole foods will take away the skill of portion control when navigating social events and emotional highs and lows.

The restaurant trap
One surefire way to double your weight is to eat every meal in a restaurant; think the freshman 20, or as my relatives in New Orleans say, the Katrina 40. When you’re traveling, or even just busy, it makes sense to eat out—but restaurant fare can pack in all kinds of hidden calories, saturated fats, and other enemies of healthy eaters. Restaurants have improved their listing of heart-healthy meals, but they may add calories, salt, and sugar to enhance flavor. Another difficult ingredient is MSG, which provides flavor but can cause headaches and water retention.

The best strategy when dining out is to not eat all the bread on the table. Instead, order a bowl of soup—the warm liquid feels good in the stomach and the volume helps you feel full. Avoid cream soups unless you’ve really got to have that chowder on a wintry day. For entrees, choose grilled meat or fish and vegetables over combination foods such as lasagna, cream dishes such as fettucine alfredo, or even pizza.

What to eat when
The order in which you eat makes a difference in literally trimming the fat. Eat meat and veggies before baked potatoes, rice, and french fries. The starches are the fillers of nutrition, depending upon your caloric needs. If you are a farmer, or an endurance athlete like Lance Armstrong, you should eat pancakes, bread, eggs, bacon, and grits for breakfast—easily a 1,000-calorie meal.

Yet for most people, filling up on starches prevents you from eating the foods with the most nutritional value, such as fresh vegetables for vitamins and roughage, protein for building muscle and bone, and minerals. Another mind-blowing fact, according to performance researcher Dr. Clyde Wilson, is that the liver can metabolize only small amounts of food at a given time. The rest gets stored away for future use—read: fat.

Vitamin D
Next month’s column will focus on the crucial role of Vitamin D for a strong musculoskeletal system and in helping our bodies cope with cancer risk and autoimmune disorders. So stay tuned for more on Vitamin ‘D’ancing!

I have faith in you.

Quick Tips for Healthy Eating

• Keep hydrated. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and again before bed. Aim for eight glasses a day. Make water more enticing by adding sliced lemons or strawberries. Try Emergen-C for an energy and nutrition boost.
• Use energy bars sparingly, and choose those with a 40/40/20 ratio of protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Opt for the least-processed bars on the market, such as Larabar and Clif bars. Oat cakes are another good option.
• Prepare healthy meals ahead of time to grab and go: Proteins (salmon, chicken, tofu, cottage cheese), nuts, veggies, and fruits make good salads and snacks.
• In restaurants, choose lean meats, soups, and veggies. Eat the protein and vegetables first to avoid filling up on carbohydrates like bread and potatoes.
• Take a good-quality multivitamin that includes 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin D.

Strategizing to make stress a manageable part of your life

By Suzanne Martin, PT, DPT

Stress is a fact of life. We can’t live with it when it gets overwhelming, and we can’t live without it because it motivates us to stage the next big project. I tell my clients to go for the “athlete recipe”: alternate stress with relief, stress with relief. 

Finding ways to modulate stress is crucial. Too much unrestored stress (stress that’s not countered with relief) leads to chronic headaches, high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers, even loss of fertility. Many physicians believe that most major illnesses derive from unaddressed chronic stress. Note the words “unrestored” and “unaddressed.” The idea is not to get rid of stress but to learn strategies to cope with it, balance it, and keep it at bay.

In the December 2008 issue we discussed how to identify unproductive thought patterns that can blow stress out of proportion. This time we will reach for coping mechanisms that help to balance the inevitable stress in our lives. Let’s look at three categories: avoiding, reducing, and relieving stress.

Avoiding stress
Avoiding stress can be as simple as training yourself to get up at least 15 minutes earlier each morning. For me, it’s a sacred time when exercise, meditation, and reading set up the day. Another strategy is to prepare for the next day as much as possible by preparing coffee pots, clothes, and lunches the night before. On Sundays I often fill refrigerator containers with fruit, nuts, cottage cheese, and salmon so that I can quickly throw lunches together.

Many physicians believe that most major illnesses derive from unaddressed chronic stress.

One hidden stressor is wearing clothes that don’t fit or feel good. It’s better to chuck or donate pinching shoes and clothes with itchy materials and creeping waistbands. It’s surprising how a few user-friendly “uniforms” can take the stress out of a morning.
 
Rearranging your commute times by just 30 minutes at either the beginning or end of the day can mean avoiding traffic snarls and so decrease your frustration. 

Most people keep their calendars on handheld devices these days; if you don’t, use a planner. Never rely only on memory, because when the multitasking inevitably starts, some important appointment is sure to be forgotten. Having a central wall calendar to coordinate family appointments ensures that everybody knows where everyone else is. Use color-coded highlighters to keep track of people or recurring events.
 
Setting appointments a little ahead of time can be helpful in getting clients to show up and not waste your time. Let people know your time frame and ask them to arrive 10 minutes beforehand. Ending a conversation with a frank “I have to let you go now,” or “That’s all the time I have for today” is clear and respectful and keeps appointments on schedule. Giving a 10-minute warning of “Do you have any other concerns?” is gracious and keeps you both on track.
 
Practical matters can be less stress filled if attacked proactively. Simple things like scheduling routine maintenance on washers, cars, and heaters can keep you out of emergency mode. Making duplicate keys and exchanging them with a trusted friend can be a lifesaver at times. Buy essentials in bulk and keep an emergency stash of toilet paper, tampons, and toothpaste on hand; only dip into the supply when necessary so you’re never caught off-guard. Have multiples of frequently needed items; for example, I keep lipsticks upstairs, downstairs, and in my purse. Most important, make copies of all legal papers, such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, insurance policies, and car or house ownership records and keep the originals in a safe deposit or fireproof box. Do get that crucial durable power of attorney and living will notarized and stored.
 
And last, the biggest stress avoidance tactic is never to shop for clothes with critical teenagers, skinny friends, or anybody who is a perfect size 0.

Reducing stress
The art of reducing stress means going with the flow and detaching from the stress-inducing person or situation. As comedian Bill Cosby says, “You can turn around painful situations with humor; if you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.”

Waiting in line at the doctor’s office or bank can try even the best of us. Counting your blessings instead of the minutes is a great way to keep things in perspective. Take several deep breaths and treat the waiting period like your own personal break instead of stewing about going nowhere. When waiting on the phone, multitask by reading emails or organizing your calendar.
 
What about those long-winded phone calls or coffee appointments with a friend who needs a sympathetic ear? Keeping engaged but detached is a self-preserving tactic to ensure that the crisis—and the stress—doesn’t get transferred over to you. Use a paraphrasing conversational technique (rephrase what she’s just told you) to show your friend that you hear her and you care. As she gives gory details of her husband’s infidelity, tell her it sounds like it must have hurt her badly. If you keep gently reinforcing what she says, she’ll feel understood. Of course, what your friend really needs is to empower herself, not just take other people’s advice.

One great way to foster self-preservation and keep other people’s problems at bay is a nightly Epsom salts bath (1/2 cup Epsom salts in a warm bath for at least 5 minutes). A therapist client of mine suggested it to me since I work so intimately with others; it’s a technique to discharge other people’s energy from me. As dance teachers, you too take on a lot of energy from others, so give it a try. Whether this technique is New Age hooey or based in science doesn’t matter—it’s become my ritual of creating a physical and behavioral boundary, to let go of the day and restore and refresh my muscles and my spirit.

A final way to reduce stress is to lower your standards. Keeping in mind the rhetorical question “How important is it?” can’t be beat when selecting which battles to fight.

Relieving stress
Relieving stress requires lifestyle adjustments. Physical contact is the greatest stress buster of them all. I call my pets my “hairy stress relievers.” Stroking a pet, holding hands, hugs—they’re all good.
 
Exercise is a top-notch reliever and is of concern to many tired dance instructors. Cross training is the way to go so that you put your mind somewhere else besides the choreography and class plans. I’m a Pilates devotee, but I couldn’t live without early morning walks. Getting even 5 minutes of fresh air, a sometimes limited resource for studio inhabitants, can be immensely restorative. Swimming, yoga—you name it; but do it. 
 
Giving yourself a chance to get things off your chest is crucial. Think of all the hats you wear, and find an ear for every hat. I’ve gotten practice mentoring from two important colleagues, business mentoring from others, plus three health advocates for my various health needs. Find and nurture your team before you are in a crisis. Everyone needs counsel; even King Solomon said that a man is only as wise as his counsel.
 
Finding your health advocates ties in with structuring time for yourself away from your business. Scheduling local getaways and healthcare appointments such as massage and acupuncture, even months in advance, will help you pace yourself and provide psychological relief in knowing that help is on the way.
 
Last on the list of stress relievers is your nighttime routine. Sleep hygiene is essential to restoration. Creating a nighttime pattern of unwinding, as hard as it is after nighttime classes and rehearsals and performances, is a must. Sleep is a restoration of the oxidation that the body and brain have experienced during the day. The fourth stage of sleep, the REM cycle, is where most of the body’s and mind’s healing takes place.
 
Now you know how to avoid, reduce, and relieve stress. It may take a while to create your own version of this template. Get started, and have patience. I have faith in you. 

Stress-Management Tips

To avoid stress:

• Get up earlier.
• Organize your calendar.
• Arrive early for appointments.
• Anticipate others’ time-management issues.

To reduce stress:

• Go with the flow.
• Practice assertive conversation closers.
• Take warm baths with Epsom salts.
• Ask yourself: “How important is it?”

To relieve stress:

• Unwind.
• Get worries and frustrations off your chest.
• Exercise (something other than dance!).
• View the entire forest. Take off the blinders; you know what you are doing.

Mobilizing your brain to fight mental pain

By Suzanne Martin

When was the last time someone looked at you as if you were a bored housewife and said, “Well, at least you can work when you want to because you work for yourself”? When that happens to me, I resist the urge to kill, and in my best imitation of a syrupy Scarlett O’Hara, I smile sweetly and remember my company motto, “Smile and be polite.” Then I gently explain that when you work for yourself, every client is your boss and unfortunately, the hours are 24/7.

 As I write this, it’s Saturday at 7 p.m. After emailing advice and appointment confirmations, spending another half-hour leaving detailed voice messages on fees, directions, what to wear, what to expect (all of which is clearly spelled out on my website), I’m here to tell you that you can do it. After spending more than 25 years as an independent contractor in the field of teaching the art and science of dance, Pilates, and physical therapy, I’ve become an accidental expert.

After I graduated from PT school, gaining a second master’s degree and a doctorate, I hoped that I’d walk away from the dance world and settle into the gentle practice of healing. But soon I realized that dance had a grip on me that wouldn’t let go. In straddling the worlds of physical therapy, university teaching, and private practice, I’ve made an art of multitasking. I’ve also learned how real the stresses of teaching and entrepreneurship are, and now I’m here to pass on the information to you. This article is the first step in our shared journey toward increased wellness.

You, new and improved
What I’m talking about is not business information, although you need that too. I’m talking about something that’s more important—you. Very simply, no you, no business—end of story. Finding strategies to take care of yourself, and implementing them, is the only way you’ll survive.

Your mother wasn’t kidding when she said the dance life would be a hard one. Whether you’re a studio owner, a staff teacher, or a contractor who juggles multiple jobs, you face physical and emotional stresses every day. Step one is acceptance. Have you accepted your challenge, the one you probably didn’t fully understand when you chose a life in dance?

Acceptance is better than Prozac. For whatever reason, you chose this path, so it’s a good assumption that you’re good at it, or at least conscientious enough to learn what it takes to make it happen. So relax in that knowledge. Remember Shakespeare: “To thine own self be true,” even if you have to repeat it every day.

If you’re a school owner, essentially you’re a CEO. Did you know that CEOs typically schedule only about 50 percent of their workweek? The gaps allow time for unexpected daily crises, which inevitably crop up in any workweek. Borrowing that time-management concept, studio owners might be lulled into the idea that generally mornings can be used to organize and delegate. However, a big problem in the dance-school world is that it runs seasonally around peak performance times such as the winter holidays and the end of the academic year. What starts out as a well-oiled machine in September can quickly smell like burned oil come October. Certainly the schedule is relentless—but is it really the schedule that gives you the fingernails-across-the-chalkboard effect?

A new way of thinking
How do you prevent the daily grind from pulling you into the meat grinder? Put simply, by changing your way of thinking. It might not be so simple, but it’s a skill worth learning. The good news is that a behavior change that you can maintain for 21 to 28 days is likely one that will become permanent. Even better is the observation that one young pre-professional dance student made in one of my nutrition classes: He said that it might take 21 to 28 days to form a new habit, but a change of heart can be made in an instant.

Thanks to psychologist Albert Ellis and his theory of cognitive behavioral therapy, we have tools—our own thoughts—that can create that instantaneous change of heart or deflate our irritation levels. The first step is realizing the difference between your conscious and unconscious minds. Think of your conscious mind as a rider on the horse of the unconscious mind. It can recognize and identify feelings, but its primary role is to learn and give directions. Just as a well-trained horse can walk a familiar path without help from the reins, our gut responses are ruts in the ground that the horse has been trained to know and love.

Changing our gut responses from gut-wrenching experiences into productive interactions means identifying four not-so-productive thinking styles: “demandingness,” “I can’t stand it-ness,” “awfulizing,” and condemning/damning.

Demandingness
Getting overly upset indicates that you are demanding something. Basically it involves a belief that you are able—and intend—to run the universe. Running a studio does involve a confident decisiveness, but the fact is that, in all reality, you cannot control all people, places, and things. Demandingness is likely to happen when the outcome of an incident does not meet your expectations. Taking a hint from principal ballet dancers, self-talk promotes higher performance. In this instance, corrective self-talk states that the incident indeed should have happened because it actually did occur. Rate the event with 100 percent being the worst-case scenario. What’s an honest estimate of the damage? If it’s only x percent bad (and in all actuality you can stand x percent of grief), then you have deflated the situation.

“I can’t stand it-ness”
Can you really not stand it? It’s annoying, yes, but put that event scale to work. Simply verbalizing, “I can’t stand it,” imprints the idea that no solution, no relief is possible. Using the 1-to-10 pain scale (with 1 being no pain and 10 being “flopping off the table, give me morphine” pain), be honest now—what is the actual pain level?

“Awfulizing”
By learning to listen for words such as “terrible,” “horrible,” and “awful,” and using your event-rating scale, you can decide what has crossed the line of unacceptability and learn to recite the mantra “Nothing is terrible.” You cannot change a past mishap; perhaps it shouldn’t have happened, but it did. Decrease your stress level with a quick thought replacement of “I’d like it if . . .” or “It would be better if . . .” or “Next time I’ll . . .” Have patience; remember the 21-day habit-maker. It takes practice.

Condemning/damning
Next explore your self-esteem. One definition of self-esteem is tunnel vision plus dichotomous (black or white, good or bad, all or none) thinking. Our self-esteem becomes linked with how we think others perceive us (usually negatively). With tunnel vision, obviously, we look at only what is in front of us, who is “in our face.” It’s as if our horse suddenly has blinders. Dealing with many clients in close physical proximity makes this unproductive pattern all too easy to fall into, and it can take perseverance to correct.

Our passion for dance often encourages us to put on the horse’s blinders because we love the field and are enthusiastic about bringing others into the fold. But often this results in putting yourself down when students, parents, sponsors, board members, or promoters make their expectations or disappointments known (or you think that they are). But school directors and owners need “forest” eyes—they have to see more than the trees in front of them because there are many variables to coordinate, and their critics may not be aware of crucial factors that affect decisions.

Again, take a reality check. Be honest. Become a dispassionate judge in the trial of the committee accusing you of injustice. Does the sentence you are serving in your mind fit the severity of the crime of your accusers?

The zero effect
If you allow condemning/damning thinking to go on too long, you risk encountering the dreaded “zero effect.” The horse, your subconscious, is in charge of this line of thinking, which means that you believe you are a zero because someone doesn’t love you enough or treats you disrespectfully. And not only are you a zero now, but you’re doomed for life. Or if you’re not a zero now, you will be soon. And last but not least, you are bad, a zero, period, and deserve what gets dished out to you. Sound rational to you?

Accept the challenge
Identify those unproductive thought patterns, both in yourself and others. With detachment, a change of heart, and a 21-day goal, you can defuse the stressors in your life. You can do it. I have faith in you.

Next month we’ll explore more about how to learn to avoid, reduce, and alleviate stress by replacing negativity with positive tools.

Tips for De-Stressing

When you find your emotions escalating, stop and rate the true “awfulness” of the event. Where does it fall on a scale from 1 (best) to 100 (worst)? Chances are it’s something you can handle if you relabel it as “not so bad.”

Listen for negative words like “horrible,” “awful,” “terrible,” and replace them with thoughts that accept a less-than-perfect scenario. Then resolve to improve it next time. Use empowering thoughts like “Next time I’ll . . .” or “It would be better if . . .”

Have patience. It takes time to break old patterns of thought or behavior. Be kind to yourself while you’re working on developing new habits.

Have confidence. Don’t let those who see only the trees deflect you from your view of the entire forest. Take off the blinders; you know what you are doing.