Staying Strong Mid-Competition Season
It’s March and that means dancers are finding themselves deep into competition season, juggling performances, intense rehearsals, and travel. March is the perfect time to refocus—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s also a great time to ensure we are staying on track to maintain healthy habits, even in the thick of things.
Here are key strategies to help dancers thrive during this demanding time.
1. Staying Motivated Mid-Season: Physical and Mental Wellness Tips
The excitement of the season can wane as fatigue sets in. To maintain motivation:
- Set small, achievable goals for each week or event. Maybe it’s taking a convention class that’s out of your comfort zone, working to improve a specific skill, or even making a goal to do something NOT dance related!
- Reflect on your progress, celebrate successes, and identify areas for growth. Better yet, help celebrate your teammates successes or support them when they’re having a hard day.
- Incorporate variety into your routine outside of dance.
Mental wellness is just as important:
- Manage stress with mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, or short meditation sessions. Check out a couple of my personal favorites in this YouTube video!
- Staying connected with your dance community for support and encouragement can also boost morale.
- Develop mental strategies such as positive self-talk and goal-setting to stay motivated.
2. Injury Risk Reduction and Recovery During Competition Season
With the high demands of competition season, recovery becomes as crucial as rehearsals. Prioritize:
- Quality sleep to support overall recovery.
- This means keeping a consistent sleep schedule with regular times that you go to bed and wake up, prioritizing 8-10 hours of sleep whenever possible.
- Create a wind-down routine to help get ready for bed, which should include limited screen time at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Optomize your environment, keeping the room cool, dark, and quiet. Use earplugs or white noise, sleep masks, or blackout curtains if necessary. When traveling, pack a familiar item to make your space a little more homey, like a favorite pillow or blanket.
- Hydration to maintain optimal physical performance. Especially during competition and/or convention weekends, you’re dancing a lot, meaning sweating a lot. Do yourself a favor by staying on top of your water intake. Bring a refillable bottle, find places where you can reliably refill, and supplements with things like electrolytes or even Gatorade if needed.
Stay proactive with injury risk reduction strategies:
- Warm up thoroughly before every class and performance and cool down at the end.
- Listen to your body’s signals and address any discomfort early.
- Seek professional guidance promptly if an injury occurs, following a structured recovery plan to ensure a safe return to dance.
3. Rest Day After Competition
In the dance world, we are used to a “go, go, go” attitude, but that isn’t always the most supportive for our overall wellness. After a high-energy competition weekend, your body and mind need time to recover—not just a lighter dance class, but a true day off from intensive training. Research supports that scheduled rest days promote better performance, reduce injury risk, and support long-term growth in athletes, including dancers.
Why Take a Full Day Off?
- Physical Recovery: Intense rehearsals and performances create muscle fatigue and microtears that need time to heal. A full day off allows your body to repair, rebuild, and recharge.
- Mental Reset: Stepping away from the pressures of competition helps reduce mental fatigue, improves focus, and prevents burnout.
What Does an Active Recovery Day Look Like?
- Gentle Movement: Activities like walking, light stretching, yoga, or gentle mobility exercises can promote blood flow without adding stress to tired muscles.
- Supportive Practices: Foam rolling, self-massage, using compression compression, or even a casual swim or walk around the neighborhood can aid recovery.
- Prioritize Rest: Don’t underestimate the value of naps, quality sleep, and simply relaxing. r
- Recovery sessions: Some dance specialists may offer recovery sessions to help you with this, so speak with your physical therapist, personal trainer, or strength and conditioning coach to see how they can help.
Think of your recovery day as an investment in your dance journey. By giving your body and mind the rest they deserve, you’ll return to the studio stronger, more focused, and ready to perform at your best.
4. Cross-Training for Spring Conditioning
Cross-training isn’t just a buzzword; it’s essential for enhancing performance and reducing injury risks. We know that our bodies enjoy the variety, first of all. Secondly, when you’re dancing all of these extra hours, you need a different cross-training routine than you needed during the off season or the one that prepares you for things like spring and winter recitals.
Consider:
- Swimming or cycling for cardiovascular fitness.
- Resistance training to build muscle balance and strength.
- Choosing activities that complement, not compete with, your dance training.
Make sure that you’re working with your physical therapist, personal trainer, or strength and conditioning coach to make sure you have a great routine that suites your current needs and goals!
Embrace March Mindfulness
March is a great time to pause and reflect on your dance journey. Set small, achievable goals for the season. Practice gratitude for the progress you’ve made, and stay present during each class or performance. A mindful dancer is often a more confident and resilient one.
Stay motivated, healthy, and resilient this March to make the most of your competition season. Your future self will thank you!
