any tricks for maintaining energy level? Also, question on a certain move...

yippee1999

yippee1999

Member
Hi all.

Two questions…

First off, seeing as I'm no longer a spring chicken, AND I'm borderline anemic, I need to see if there are ways to help maintain my energy level at dances. As we all know, salsa can be very INTENSE (maybe moreso for the women due to all the spins, etc.) I find that when I am at a dance, sometimes in the middle of dancing, I begin to feel so wiped out that I can't even enjoy the moment, and I'm almost looking at the guy like, "…is this almost over yet?", if only because I am SO exhausted.

I know one thing I need to do is be more diligent about keeping up with taking iron pills. Beyond that, any other tips/suggestions? I obviously drink lots of water while dancing, and never eat a heavy meal beforehand…. Are there any herbal remedies that might help with energy?

Second question is…. A few days ago a guy introduced me to a new move. During the middle of the dance, and while facing each other, he would give me a verbal signal…"ok, it's coming up….!", and then he would bend one knee and sorta move it towards me. I was then to "clutch" his knee by pressing my knees/lower thighs against his knee for support, and while holding hands, I was then to fall back, arching my back with my head hanging back, and then come right back up. It felt really "cool", and I imagine/hope it looked really cool too. But…. now a few days later, I find that my upper back/shoulders are very tight/sore. I suspect it may have been cuz of this move, which we ended up doing probably 8 times over the course of dancing over 3 nights. So…. does anyone know this move, and was there a better way for me to execute it in order to protect my neck/back? Or is this the type of move you should only do once in a while, and not 8 times in 3 nights?! :--)

Tx!
 
I often drink fruit juice (or on a bad day, pepsi for the caffeine, too) between dances to keep my blood sugar up. It helps. If fatigue is an overall problem, I've found vitamin D helps a lot.
 
I have a clip of the move I think you're describing.
It'll on youtube soon. But in the meantime I'll distribute through pms.
This is a bit acrobatic? You may be sore because you're not used to it.
Or maybe you need proper tuition in this move so to avoid bad habits that may injure you.
Look at people doing dips giving themselves whiplash or hurting their backs for example.
 
Thanks for the clip Devane, but no, that was not the move. My knees clutched his one knee the entire time. I simply arched my back and head back down toward the floor, and then straightened back up. My feet never left the floor. I did not do a backflip in midair as your clip showed.

Tx.
 
Regarding hydration and neglecting levels of other stuff: Years ago I got a funny unpleasant 'high' feeling from dancing at a local weekender. I had kept hydrated but wondered if the mineral loss was a problem. Now when doing days full of workshops I drink lots of isotonic stuff to keep salt levels up as well as hydration.
 
Regarding the first Q:

Is it that your blood sugar is crashing? Then some sort of energy drink like what Sweavo and waltzgirl suggested will probably help.

Also, as a Lead, if a song is wiping me out, I'll usually 'cheat' and put my partner into a T-stance. (yes, I know it's not helpful for you as a Follow) :wink:


Re: 2nd Q
Maybe you need to stretch those muscles in your upper body & neck before dancing? Also, how violently are you whipping your head back? It almost sounds like you're giving yourself a mild version of whiplash?
 
tj said:
Also, as a Lead, if a song is wiping me out, I'll usually 'cheat' and put my partner into a T-stance. (yes, I know it's not helpful for you as a Follow) :wink:
Click to expand...


As a follow, I sometimes like to reverse this move on a lead. If he tries to put me in a t-stance and I am exhausted, I might flip it on him. Most of the time, this works--they seem to find it amusing. On occasion, it doesn't, and the lead will "refuse" and retreat back to partnerwork.
When it works, it's great; a fun way to be playful, and you get a second to catch your breath. :)
 
TJ: I guess maybe it IS my blood sugar crashing? I really have no idea... I don't know much about blood sugar levels and what it all means. I know I've heard that term in relation to diabetics, but don't know how that affects non-diabetics.

As to that move I did, I'm really not sure how quickly I'm flipping my head back, but I suspect it probably is fast as I probably thought internally that the move would look best if I arched backwards, and then came right back up, within two beats...
 
Partner Perfect

It seems you've gotten a lot of energy information and I have a different take on the move you describe.

The first duty of the lead is to protect their partner. There are only two reasons a lead has to teach a follow a move on the social floor:

1) The lead is not performing properly or the follow would "get" it.

2) The move is beyond the follows current ability and/or comfort level.

It is never proper for a lead to show superiority on the social floor and a good lead would not teach you a move, particularly one that results in discomfort. This was taught along with dance where I began (Studio 33, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA). Unfortunately many teachers avoid teaching manners and floorcraft.
 
Dean... as to the follow doing that move with me, I'm not so sure it was a case of either. If a woman never saw that move before, I don't know how any lead could indicate that the follow is to clench his knee between hers, simply by sticking his bent knee towards her. Nor am I sure he could indicate that she is to then arch her back (and head) down towards the floor behind her. Sorta like a neck drop. I don't think a lead (even a really good one) could make a follower who's never done one or seen one, figure out what she's supposed to do there...

I may have been at fault here too, as I wanted to look good doing the move, and so I may have overdone it with the back arching and coming back to an upright position all within two beats... It would be nice to know if this is a "real" move, or just something the guy "invented"...
 
Blood sugar and also salts...don't forget the latter. I know that this summer I've taken some salt packets with me...then a couple times when I started having cramps got a snice suagary drink, tossed in a couple salt packets and stirred and drank. Fixed the problem...
 
Sagitta said:
Blood sugar and also salts...don't forget the latter. I know that this summer I've taken some salt packets with me...then a couple times when I started having cramps got a snice suagary drink, tossed in a couple salt packets and stirred and drank. Fixed the problem...
Click to expand...
Sodium only or did they contain potassium as well?

and123 said:
kinda sounds like "around the world".
Click to expand...
Oh, ok - now I think I know what we're talking about.
 
mayanempire said:
As a follow, I sometimes like to reverse this move on a lead. If he tries to put me in a t-stance and I am exhausted, I might flip it on him. Most of the time, this works--they seem to find it amusing. On occasion, it doesn't, and the lead will "refuse" and retreat back to partnerwork.
When it works, it's great; a fun way to be playful, and you get a second to catch your breath. :)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good idea! :)
 
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