20 Minute Dancer’s Warm Up Routine For Busy People

Enjoy this 20-minute dancer’s warm-up routine for mobility of all joints and stretching.

The majority of us are either at work or preparing for winter festivities. While we think we are living an active lifestyle with shopping, playing in the snow, more shopping, cooking and baking, packing gifs, ice skating, singing hymns, etc., are we really taking care of our mental and physical health?

Keeping ourselves busy is not equivalent to living a healthy life. It’s just being busy without being productive. It does not push you toward growth of any kind. Your finances, physical health, mental capacity, relationships—everything remains the same when you are busy. And when things are stagnant and not improving, that simply means that things are in a declining stage.

There are different ways to keep ourselves fit and healthy. Also, fitness means different things to different people. For some busy people, dieting and fasting work very well. It requires a great deal of self-control. For others, who once participated actively in sports in school, exercise becomes the last option after completing work projects and family errands.

While we may not have time to build muscles or stick to a weight loss programme during the holiday season, there is another fun option of indulging in a dancer’s warm-up routine. You can do this routine as a solo person, as a couple, or you can choose to do it together as a family. Families who dance together are happier and healthier together. 

Disclaimer: All content in this post is for general health information only. Please consult a specialist physician before trying any new exercise, diet, or health advice. There are no affiliate links attached to this post. 

Why include a dancer’s warm up routine?

There are two things that are different in a dancer’s warm-up routine than other exercises. It includes doing every exercise to the rhythm or beats of your favourite music. And the second is conditioning and toning your muscles. Dancers don’t have bulging biceps or focus on having eight-pack abs. Dancers are also not concerned about weight loss and yet are thin. Dancers focus on conditioning and toning their bodies for their art form. Grooving to the music and toning your body are two reasons for busy people to try a dancer’s warm-up routine.

What is body conditioning and toning? 

While body conditioning and toning are broad terms in the fitness world, they involve a complete workout. It includes a combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises. It may look like it’s impossible to condition your body in 20 minutes, but in the long term, your body benefits a lot more from maintaining a habit of daily workouts for 20 minutes than from no exercise at all. Consistency is key when it comes to short-interval exercises. Besides, a dancer’s warm-up routine is designed for beginners, so when it comes to flexibility, the exercises are simple and basic.

“Tone refers to the ability of the muscles to reflexively contract. However, the word ‘tone’ has taken on a completely different meaning in the world of exercise and fitness. When talking about toning muscles in this capacity, it is typically referring to someone who has defined muscles and not a lot of fat.” 

A toned body means an athletic body. However, it is always good to remember that exercise is all about building healthy habits that result in a strong and lean body. Focus on consistency rather than counting calories. Have fun while building a habit, and your heart will also stay healthy.

Let’s get started with the 20 minutes dancer’s warm up routine

Prep for dancer’s warm up routine:

Wear clothes that are not too tight or too loose. Wear breathable and non-slippery shoes. Keep a bottle of water and a small towel beside you. Download a playlist or play your favourite music online while doing this warm-up routine.

The dancer’s warm-up routine starts from the top of the head to the feet. A dancer’s warm-up routine includes isolation exercises, which mean exercising one body part at a time. Isolation exercises also mean rotating your muscular joints to increase blood flow and mobility. You can do these exercises whenever you find time and before any heavy meal.

HEAD AND NECK EXERCISES

1st standing position – stand with legs wider than hips, toes pointing forward, hands on your hips. 

5 Neck rotations clockwise and anticlockwise on each side

5 Head stretches on all four sides – looking right, looking left, looking up, and looking down. 

6 Head swings which means making a U shape with your head moving from right to left. 

ARM AND SHOULDER EXERCISES 

10 reps moving both shoulders up and down in rhythm. 

10 reps both shoulders rotating forward and 10 reps both shoulders rotating backwards. 

You can add some dynamic groove by moving both shoulders rotating alternatively forward and backward. 

10 reps of swing and rotate both arms forward to backward and then reverse. 

10 reps of cheerleading arms which means strething both arms over your head and then swaying them from right to left and left to right. 

5 reps each stretching your arms to the right side and then 5 reps stretching arms on the left side. 

CHEST EXERCISES 

10 reps push your chest forward to expand your lungs and then backwards to curve and therefore stretch your spine. 

10 reps on each side moving your chest first on the right side and then on the left side. 

HIP EXERCISES 

10 times moving your hips on the right and the left sides alternatively. 

10 times moving your hips forward and then backwards alternatively. 

10 reps each of rotating your hips clockwise and then anticlockwise.

2nd standing position – keep your feet hip distance apart, toes pointing forward, arms stretched forward. 

10 reps of squats 

10 reps of oblique crunches on each side

LEG EXERCISES

3rd standing position: Legs together, toes pointing to the side making a V shape, hands on the hips. 

Keeping your knee to the side and feet pointed, lift your leg till the knee, and try to balance for 2 seconds and then bring it down to the starting position. 10 reps on each leg. 

Lift your right leg to the side as much as possible keeping your knees straight. 10 reps on each leg. 

4th standing position – stand in wider leg position, arms stretched forward, toes pointing sideways. 

10 reps of plie squats 

10 reps of side lunges on each side alternatively

FOOT EXERCISES

5th standing position: legs together, feet pointing forward, arms by your side. 

Start by simply walking on the spot with the beats of the music. 

From keeping your feet together, step with the right foot to the side and then back together. Now, do the same thing with the left foot. Step to the right and then, alternatively, to the left. You can also lift your knee slightly higher as you step out or in. Repeat 20 times on each side. 

STRETCHES FOR FLEXIBILITY

Basic lunges to the right and then left leg. 

Split stretch 

Wide leg hamstring stretch

Closed leg hamstring and spine stretch.

These are all basic warm-up exercises that every dancer does as a beginner. These are ideal exercises that will keep your body warm in a cold winter. Besides, it never feels like a party until you groove to your favourite music. So, dance and groove and stay healthy.

References

What Does ‘Toning’ Really Mean? November 14, 2016. 

https://fitness-nation.net/2016/11/14/what-does-toning-really-mean/