How To Build Your Stamina For Mask-Mandated Dance Performances
Image source: Detroit Lions Cheerleaders Instagram
Even with massive vaccination efforts, some NFL (Detroit Lions and Saintsations) and NBA (GrizzGirls and ATL Dancers) pro cheer and dance teams still make it mandatory for their dancers to wear masks during auditions and live performances.
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The virus may still mutate into more dangerous variants. And some people aren’t fully vaccinated yet. Since pro cheerleading is already a physically demanding career, wearing masks can make it hard to breathe properly while dancing.
But we are a resilient bunch. So the best way to adapt is to increase our stamina and lung capacity. This strategy would allow us to dance with high efficiency while still being able to protect ourselves and everyone around us. Here’s how to build stamina, endurance, and improve lung power.
1. Wear a training mask during your workouts
Training masks don’t filter the air, but they can restrict the amount of oxygen you’ll inhale. Some people claim that training masks make your workout inefficient. But we beg to differ. Low oxygen supply during a workout would stress your body to the point that it starts to draw the important gas from all over your body such as fats.
Overall, training masks don’t just increase the number of calories and fats you’ll burn, it also makes your lungs and heart work harder, trains you to breathe deeper, harder, and your body becomes more efficient at using its oxygen supply.
2. Yoga with training masks
If you aren’t ready to push your body to its limits yet, start with light exercises such as yoga with a training mask. The poses and breathing patterns of yoga will challenge your lungs and muscles.
With regular yoga sessions, you become better at controlling your breathing patterns whether you’re in an active or resting state. This, in turn, makes you an effective dancer. It’s because you’ll be calmer in performing moves and have a higher threshold before you start to feel tired during a dance - even when wearing a surgical mask.
The Navasana, Sitting Wide-Legged Straddle, Child's Pose, Goddess, and Bridge are the best poses of yoga for increasing your stamina.
3. Swim and dive regularly
Swimming is a more active form of yoga. You follow a strict breathing pattern while gently moving to get from one side of the pool to the other. The things that make swimming the best activity to build your stamina and endurance is that it strengthens your body, works your heart and lungs without causing wear and tear on your muscles as running does.
Underwater diving is another thing. This activity trains your body to absorb more oxygen from every inhale without requiring your body to make a lot of movement. These aquatic recreational activities are also perfect for this season.
4. Cut back on alcohol and tobacco
We know that most women in the pro cheer community don’t smoke and drink. But to those who do, we recommend getting help with these bad habits. Alcohol consumption depletes our body’s zinc supplies and reduces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production leading to lower energy and endurance levels.
Smoking on the other hand pollutes your respiratory system with harmful chemicals which results in reduced oxygen intake and absorption.
In summary, increasing your stamina is about training your body to breathe harder, deeper, absorb more oxygen with every inhale, and use oxygen more efficiently. Include at least one of these activities in your pro cheer schedule.
Once you see the difference in your performance, move to more challenging activities to keep your routine interesting and push your body to its maximum potential. And by the time you’re asked to dance while wearing a mask, it will be a walk in the park for you.
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