Thread: Absolute beginners warm-up

When new students first walk in the door, many of them don't know right from left, have no sense of rhythm, and have never done a single dance move. So how do you warm up your very first few classes of a term with absolute beginners?

I'm trying to come up with a warm-up that's simple enough for them to do and get the benefits of their blood moving, but doesn't incorporate any dance moves they haven't yet learned, or tricky footwork. But at the same time I want it to have some bellydance flavour and not feel like an aerobics class!
Seriously, some of these ladies struggle to do a chasse with the right timing, or a grapevine step. I just don't seem able to make it simple enough. If it has to be slowed down a lot to explain it, then it doesn't work as a warm-up.

Any thoughts?

(PS there are other threads debating stretches in warm-up - let's not duplicate that here - I'm talking about an aerobic warm-up, ie that makes you warm and increases your heart rate.)

Hmm, here's my warmup sequence. I explain that some moves will be explained as we learn - but even those they don't yet know (such as shimmies) aren't likely to injure them before they learn. Of course, I repeat each move several times.

The get-the-blood-pumping segment:
- March on spot, moving arms up and floating down (floaty wrists)
- Bit of a low-impact jog, swinging arms
- Walk forward for 3 and tap foot, then same back; later add hip lift on the tap
- Brisk steps or jog 3 to R and lean with snakey arm; rpt L
- Loose hip shimmies; loose shoulder shimmies

Then rotating joints and limbering up:
- Stretch up, arms above head; stretch to side a bit; can add a knee bend and alternate sides
- Rotate shoulders; head side to side, up and down
- Lift and drop chest (practice keeping shoulders down)
- Bend knees and drop forward part-way; roll back up through spine
- Pelvic circles (most students can do a reasonable approximation)
- Big hip circles (ditto)
- Feet together, knee circles
- Rotate each ankle both ways
- Stretch calf, straight leg to back. Lift arms up to stretch torso. Can also do some shoulder stretches in this position.
- Flex one foot, straight leg, and reach down for a gentle stretch
- Catch foot behind (bent knee) for a gentle thigh stretch.

I sometimes add in some hip slides after the pelvic circles, perhaps some large and loose backwards figure 8's, letting the upper body move too.

Walking is really good. Big steps, little steps, low and high etc. Moving forward and backwards. Side skipping is also worth throwing in. (The grapevine will work after you have taught it and everyone has got it - that cross body stuff is too hard for many civilians as a warmup)

Don't forget the arms - nothing fancy but get them above the heart to increase the cv.

Then loose non-technical moves - wiggling rather than stretching - torso twist, shoulder rolls, hip circles etc.

I do my warm up with all belly dance movements. I'm teaching a belly dance class, not an aerobic class.

I use a slow chiftitelli for music. I have them start with some easy neck circles and shoulder circles. then I move onto shoulder rolls forwards and backwards, one shoulder at a time.

Then I have them do both shoulders at a time - a complete shoulder roll. They struggle with it at first but the eventually get it.

From there I move on to snake arms. One arm at a time at first. They can usually do one arm but trying to both arms is difficult but because it looks cool they really try to do it.

Then I move to the torso. Rib cage slides, circles. Chest lifts and drops.

Then abs. At first I start with them just pulling the abs in and holding then releasing. After a few classes I get more creative and eventually introduce the belly roll into the warm up.

Finally I end with the hips. At first just stretching the hips from side to side then ending with some easy hip circles.

All of this can be done standing in place and doesn't involve any fancy footwork.

I also start the class with walking in place and encouraging arm movements at the same time.

Next I have them do a hip twist starting medium tempo and working up to a twist shimmy. Then I have them shift weight from one leg to the other while twisting. (remind them to breath to avoid muscle cramping).

I do the "step touch" side to side next with "pretty" arm swinging. Then evolve it into a step twist. Take that walking forwards and backwards.

Sometimes I have them "bounce" their hip up and down for a while and switch sides.

Then we do alternating hip lifts/bumps that end up in a shimmy.

That usually gets everyone warmed up.

Originally Posted by norma

I do my warm up with all belly dance movements. I'm teaching a belly dance class, not an aerobic class.

... <snip> ...

All of this can be done standing in place and doesn't involve any fancy footwork.

Problem with just standing in place is it is not a warmup. Whether you teach belly dance or aerobics or hockey a warmup is a warmup is a warmup.

Everyone has a body and it needs preparation - heart rate needs to go up, blood pressure needs raising, blood needs to be directed to limbs, joints need to have increased lubrication, there are even brain changes required, etc etc. The quickest and most effective way is to get those big muscles in the legs doing the work for you. I have been in classes where an effective warmup was gentle follow the bouncing butt dance. But it requires a disciplined and aware teacher who sticks to safe moves and a class of experienced dancers who can follow automatically and safely. I don't think it is a good idea with raw beginners - hence the not so exciting travelling steps.

Originally Posted by norma

I use a slow chiftitelli for music. I have them start with some easy neck circles and shoulder circles. then I move onto shoulder rolls forwards and backwards, one shoulder at a time.

I have no issue with shoulder rolls - but neck circles have no place in any warmup - especially with beginners. Neck circles often work a single joint - the one that is already over used and potentially can cause damage. They can close down joints in cervical spine and impinge on the nerve structures and also cause excessive strain with in the disks in the neck.

Warming up the neck should stick to working a single plane - back (a little)/forward, tilting left/right, turning left/right.

Originally Posted by norma

From there I move on to snake arms. One arm at a time at first. They can usually do one arm but trying to both arms is difficult but because it looks cool they really try to do it.

Then I move to the torso. Rib cage slides, circles. Chest lifts and drops

This is safe - but that fine motor work is not actually a warmup. You need to first work gross movements - large arm movements, gentle torso twists etc.

To get going, my instructor has us "walk". At first just with ribs lifted and arms out and nice and doing the toe-heel thing to get people use to walking weird. Then she will step it up to a step touch, maybe throw in hip lift with the touch if people are catching on. Then a chasse. She doesn't demand that they do it 100% correct since this is just the warm up. Sometimes she throws in a little step, step step turn deal if people are really getting it. If the point is just to get warm, it is okay if they don't do it perfectly. They can learn that as they go. After about 5 mins or so we are usually fairly warm and ready for the stretching stuff.

Originally Posted by kashmir

Problem with just standing in place is it is not a warmup. Whether you teach belly dance or aerobics or hockey a warmup is a warmup is a warmup.

Everyone has a body and it needs preparation - heart rate needs to go up, blood pressure needs raising, blood needs to be directed to limbs, joints need to have increased lubrication, there are even brain changes required, etc etc. The quickest and most effective way is to get those big muscles in the legs doing the work for you. I have been in classes where an effective warmup was gentle follow the bouncing butt dance. But it requires a disciplined and aware teacher who sticks to safe moves and a class of experienced dancers who can follow automatically and safely. I don't think it is a good idea with raw beginners - hence the not so exciting travelling steps.


I have no issue with shoulder rolls - but neck circles have no place in any warmup - especially with beginners. Neck circles often work a single joint - the one that is already over used and potentially can cause damage. They can close down joints in cervical spine and impinge on the nerve structures and also cause excessive strain with in the disks in the neck.

Warming up the neck should stick to working a single plane - back (a little)/forward, tilting left/right, turning left/right.


This is safe - but that fine motor work is not actually a warmup. You need to first work gross movements - large arm movements, gentle torso twists etc.

Excuse me but this is a warm up. What I described is just how I start it. I move on to other movements. Such as large hip circles, hip drops, large loose shimmies. They are moving slowly at first to release tension as typically my classes start around 6. Just when people have gotten off of work and have had a long commute. I get them relaxed and easy first before moving on to larger moves and larger body body parts such as the arms, torso, hips legs.

Warming up the neck should stick to working a single plane - back (a little)/forward, tilting left/right, turning left/right.

That is exactly what I have them do when I first start out. But since I teach a 10 week class they do eventually progress to neck rolls.

I've been doing this a long time and I"ve never had an injured student. I'm keenly aware that everyone, especially beginners has limitations. I don't teach a one size fits all class. At the same time, I don't believe in wasting an hour class on moves that have nothing to do with belly dance. You try shimming in place for 5 minutes and see how warm you get!

Originally Posted by norma

I use a slow chiftitelli for music. I have them start with some easy neck circles and shoulder circles. then I move onto shoulder rolls forwards and backwards, one shoulder at a time.

Then I have them do both shoulders at a time - a complete shoulder roll. They struggle with it at first but the eventually get it.

From there I move on to snake arms. One arm at a time at first. They can usually do one arm but trying to both arms is difficult but because it looks cool they really try to do it.

Then I move to the torso. Rib cage slides, circles. Chest lifts and drops.

Then abs. At first I start with them just pulling the abs in and holding then releasing. After a few classes I get more creative and eventually introduce the belly roll into the warm up.

My classes start out similarly, except that beginners are seated -- either on the floor or in an armless chair. I have beginners seated because of the isolations in the rib and belly work; they are more likely to be able to actually move their upper bodies if their lower parts are fixed in space.

The main thing I stress is that these movements are not stretches; they are strictly meant to get the body parts moving and should, therefore, stop short of anything that feels like a stretch. Once we've taken care of getting the upper body moving, we take to the floor to work on posture and learn how to walk like a dancer (heel-to-toe); as the session progresses, we add more traveling steps, such as the chasse and what I call the "cha cha" step (1-2 cha-cha-cha / slow-slow-quick-quick-quick / 1-2-3-and-4).

In this way, we've done mostly dance movement from the get-go, I've already discussed how we have to learn to isolate body parts (seated for rib and belly work) and gotten the big muscles warmed up a bit.

At the end of class, or when we've been working on twisting motions for awhile, we will do a bit of safe "hanging" from the hips to release the back and shoulder. Feels great!

Deborah

Originally Posted by casbahdance

My classes start out similarly, except that beginners are seated -- either on the floor or in an armless chair. I have beginners seated because of the isolations in the rib and belly work; they are more likely to be able to actually move their upper bodies if their lower parts are fixed in space.

The main thing I stress is that these movements are not stretches; they are strictly meant to get the body parts moving and should, therefore, stop short of anything that feels like a stretch. Once we've taken care of getting the upper body moving, we take to the floor to work on posture and learn how to walk like a dancer (heel-to-toe); as the session progresses, we add more traveling steps, such as the chasse and what I call the "cha cha" step (1-2 cha-cha-cha / slow-slow-quick-quick-quick / 1-2-3-and-4).

In this way, we've done mostly dance movement from the get-go, I've already discussed how we have to learn to isolate body parts (seated for rib and belly work) and gotten the big muscles warmed up a bit.

At the end of class, or when we've been working on twisting motions for awhile, we will do a bit of safe "hanging" from the hips to release the back and shoulder. Feels great!

Deborah

The hanging from the hips is everyone's favorite part after a long hard class. A large hip circle with the legs wide open works wonders too. The lower back gets really tight when you do a lot of hip work. I want to add that I do start my class slowly with moves to get the human being relaxed from the stress of the day. This includes some gentle body moves and breathing/ab exercises. My "warm up" actually comprises the first half hour of my class where I progressively start to increase the intensity with a set of drills. The second half hour we get down to business with a basic choreo. It usually takes me 4-5 weeks to go through all the warm up drills before we hit the choreo. But every thing I do is a belly dance step/related. The exception is I do incorporate a few yoga stretches at the end of class.

Originally Posted by norma

Excuse me but this is a warm up. What I described is just how I start it. I move on to other movements. Such as large hip circles, hip drops, large loose shimmies. They are moving slowly at first to release tension as typically my classes start around 6. Just when people have gotten off of work and have had a long commute. I get them relaxed and easy first before moving on to larger moves and larger body body parts such as the arms, torso, hips legs.

While I agree a shimmy can be a great warmup it wasn't quite what you described in your original post. There are various aspects to a warm-up which includes getting the right headspace etc - but the key aspect is continuous movement using large muscle groups of sufficient intensity to increase the internal body temperature. This is an indicator that the muscles are ready to work efficiently, tissue has become more flxible, nerve transmission is increased and joints are fully lubricated.

Originally Posted by norma

Warming up the neck should stick to working a single plane - back (a little)/forward, tilting left/right, turning left/right.

That is exactly what I have them do when I first start out. But since I teach a 10 week class they do eventually progress to neck rolls.

Sorry, but no. Neck rolls are generally regarded as a move to avoid - unless you have a really good reason to use them. There is no reason in a beginner class to work on such a potentially dangerous move with no benefit to the student.

Originally Posted by kashmir

While I agree a shimmy can be a great warmup it wasn't quite what you described in your original post. There are various aspects to a warm-up which includes getting the right headspace etc - but the key aspect is continuous movement using large muscle groups of sufficient intensity to increase the internal body temperature. This is an indicator that the muscles are ready to work efficiently, tissue has become more flxible, nerve transmission is increased and joints are fully lubricated.


Sorry, but no. Neck rolls are generally regarded as a move to avoid - unless you have a really good reason to use them. There is no reason in a beginner class to work on such a potentially dangerous move with no benefit to the student.

Sorry, but since I'm banned from bhuz at work I have very limited time to attended to bhuz so I tend to post very quickly without attention to detail. I do have a full time job as an attorney so I can't spend my days posting long winded explanations. I confine that for the weekends when I can go crazy.

Perhaps you and I have a different definition of neck rolls? I've done many yoga workouts that do incorporate slow neck rolls as part of a warm up. Rod Stryker for instance is one of my favorites. My students find slow neck rolls a great way to relax after a commute and frankly it is one of their favorite movements before they get energized into more intense movements. I"m not talking ayoub type neck rolls or Linda Blair exercises. I'm talking about a gentle rolling about of the head to loosen up the neck. I can't in any way shape or form classify what I'm describing as a dangerous move as it is a very basic move. Even my chiropractor approves this move as a great way to release stress and stretch out the muscles in the neck and upper back.

For my absolute beginner warm up, I do start with a few moves that have a "workout" feel--the same moves I'd use to warm up before performance.

I start with some half-squats, with straight back, feet and knees angled out, and arms going up as we bend the knees and sit down slightly (gentle bend of the knee is important--it's not a deep bend), then we float the arms down as we stand up again. (Works large muscle groups in the legs and arms).
Next I have them keep the same foot position but reach the right hand up and overhead leaning left with a pointed left toe, then center and squat (sit) slightly, then reach up and over to the right side (with the left hand and left pointed toe). This gently works the obliques and the backs of the arms.

Then we twist and reach the right hand across the body toward the opposite wall (allowing the foot to twist) and then twist the other way, bending the knees slightly through the center and then reaching the left hand across.

Finally, we stand straight with feet together and "walk" in place with the beat (later with a hip swing or 3/4 shimmy) while floating arms up and down, before we go into a stretching sequence.

No grapevines, no left and right, they follow and reach the same way I do. It seems to work very well and it's simple, and I keep this part short, as I don't like those kind of classes where it's 20 minutes of yoga before anything interesting happens. I do about 3 minutes of big muscle group moves, then a few gentle stretches for another 3 minutes, and then we add on rib slides and such as people begin learning those things.

you know - i am going through a lot of my old videos and the Neena & Veena fat buring or basic moves videos have some good ideas.

To further push the movement portion - I used to teach stretching and my warm-up standing still. Well - long story short -- I pulled my oblique muscle.

I worked with a personal trainer who informed me the importance of getting the body warm and the heart rate pumping BEFORE you stretch.

My warm-up now involves a lot of movement and heart-pumping movements before any stretching is started...

Don't make my mistake. It was a LONG healing process!!!

I always start with balancing as a precursor to warm ups-we relax the knees to lower the center of gravity, and then practice feeling our weight in the feet as we gently lean side to side and front to back. I find that learning how gravity shifts as you move greatly increases the safety and effectiveness of the warm up portion of class. It also helps students learn the moves more quickly and confidently. I know this wasn't what you were asking about, but this is the one thing I have noticed that takes my students from feeling like "hopeless beginner" to "maybe this is possible beginner".
Nikki