While the structure of a ballet class is designed to appropriately warm-up and prepare the body for more dynamic movements, progressing from supported exercises at the barre to dynamic jumps, ballet, like the science behind it, has evolved. As repertoire becomes more demanding, the stresses and strains imposed on the body intensify, making dancers vulnerable to more permanent pains should their preparation not sufficiently support their work. A key aspect of this preparation and the first pillar of injury prevention is warming up.

Why is Warming Up Important?
 

Not only does a dynamic warm-up increase body temperature and improve muscle elasticity (a fancy word for stretchiness) but it also promotes mental focus. In fact, dance-specific warm-ups where the dancer will work through a series of foundational movements they will expand on later in class, are key to enhancing the mind-muscle connection needed for strong and efficient movement. Other neurological benefits include improved joint proprioception and better motor unit recruitment which translates into faster muscle activation and enhanced stability in class.

Warming up and how you warm-up is therefore key to making the most out of your class and unlocking your personal best.

Prevention is Better than Cure

Despite the high proportion of injuries amongst dancers, injury prevention, also known as ‘prehab’ is often neglected by younger dancers. Whilst younger more mobile bodies tend to be able to cope better with stresses and strains, a combination of higher volume training and lower growth hormone levels means that maturer dancers are more susceptible to career-disrupting injuries.

However, this does not mean that injury prevention education should wait until the dancer reaches a vulnerability threshold. No — quite the opposite. Instead, by helping dancers establish a strong, science-backed warm-up routine from a young age, teachers play a crucial role in fostering healthy habits that will support both immediate enhancements and long-term progress.

The Ideal Warm-up 

Most scientific literature agrees that warm-ups should begin with a cardiovascular element to increase the heart rate and get the blood pumping around the body. This should be followed by some dynamic stretches to mobilise the tissues and lubricate the joints before moving on to sport-specific movements like pliés or tendus for dance.

The ideal warm-up can be broken down into 3 mains steps:  stamina, stretch, specifics.

PBT Focus Warm-ups

Recognising the importance of preparing the body correctly and efficiently, PBT has created targeted focus warm-ups for dancers of all ages and abilities. Our focus-warm ups are designed to engage both the brain and body, helping dancers connect with their muscles while deepening their awareness of their alignment. Up-beat musical accompaniments set the scene for a dynamic class, ensuring students feel energised and alert throughout the sequence.

PBT warm-ups focus on establishing and enhancing dance fundamentals including strength, stability and mobility, helping dancers improve their proprioception and mind-muscle connection using expertly designed equipment like the PBT Fusion Ball and ProBall. Each warm-up is guided by one of our brilliant instructors who provide supportive cues and visualisation techniques to promote precision, engagement and control.

At PBT, we are on a mission to foster a generation of healthy, strong, intelligent dancers and what better place to begin than at the start of the class with a focused warm-up.