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A HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONVERSATION FOR THE COLLEGIATE DANCE ARTIST feat. PROF. ROBIN KISH

Host: Robert Tsai, PT, DPT
Audio Recorded 5/6/2020
Published 5/7/2020

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How do I include health and wellness in my college decision?
How do I maintain a healthy mindset in a college dance program?
How can I best prepare myself so I am ready on Day One?

In this conversation, Rob speaks with Robin Kish, associate professor at Chapman University's Department of Dance in Orange, California. In our dialogue, Professor Kish offers her insight and perspectives from her experience as a university dance program professor, having mentored cohorts of dancers throughout the years.

We chat about the importance of a health and wellness mentality, behaviors we see as an educators and physical therapists in college students, and what things you should look for in a dance/performing arts program to ensure your health is taken into consideration.

✓ Know the programs' health and wellness resources - Athletic trainer? Physical therapist?

✓ Is there a relationship with surrounding PT clinics?

✓ What happens if you get injured? How are you helped to return to dance?

✓ Reach out to students to and ask about their experiences!

We hope this dialogue sparks some thoughtful conversations as you embark on your college or university dance career.

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GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS & GUIDELINES

"If a child is ready for participating in sporting activities, (generally age 7 or 8), then [they] are ready for some type of resistance training."

"...the act of resistance training in and of itself does not ensure that favorable changes... rather, individual effort combined with a well-designed training program ultimately will determine the adaptations that take place.

Young dancers with pre-existing conditions should also consult a medical professional prior to engaging in resistance training to determine appropriate levels of participation. "Youth with uncontrolled hypertension, seizure disorders, or a history of childhood cancer and chemotherapy should be withheld from participation until additional treatment or evaluation."

  1. Provide qualified instruction and close supervision
  2. Ensure exercise environment is safe and free of hazards
  3. Begin each session with a dynamic warm-up
  4. Practice all lifts without weights to make sure form and technique are correct. As techniques are mastered, weight can be slowly added.
  5. Work all major muscle groups including the core. Joint should be moved through a full range of motion.
  6. Warm up and cool down for at least 10 minutes
  7. Perform 2-3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions
  8. Train 2-3 times per week for 20-30 minutes
  9. Train for a minimum of 8 weeks
  10. Include aerobic training along with strength training.
References:
  1. Stracciolini A, et al. Resistance Training for Female Pediatric Dancers. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. 2016;20(2):64-71
  2. Legerlotz K, Marzilger R, Bohm S, et al. Physiological Adaptations following Resistance Training in Youth Athletes-A Narrative Review. Pediatr Exerc Sci 2016;28:501-20. 10.1123/pes.2016-0023
  3. Granacher U, Lesinski M, Büsch D, et al. Effects of Resistance Training in Youth Athletes on Muscular Fitness and Athletic Performance: A Conceptual Model for Long-Term Athlete Development. Front Physiol 2016;7:164.
  4. Miller MG, Cheatham CC, Patel ND. Resistance training for adolescents. Pediatr Clin North Am 2010;57:671-82.
  5. Faigenbaum, Avery D., and Gregory D. Myer. "Pediatric Resistance Training". Current Sports Medicine Reports, vol 9, no. 3, 2010, pp. 161-168.
  6. Zwolski, Christin et al. "Resistance Training In Youth: Laying The Foundation For Injury Prevention And Physical Literacy". Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach, vol 9, no. 5, 2017, pp. 436-443.
  7. MItchell, Siobhan. The Growing Dancer: Physiological Challenges. 2018, https://www.onedanceuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/One-Dance-UK-The-growing-dancer-Physiological-challenges-by-Siobhan-Mitchell.pdf.