One of the greatest joys of developing and teaching The Dailey Method is the knowledge that what our students learn and practice in class will help them to be stronger and healthier outside of the studio. Your Dailey Method practice will prevent injuries and allow you to participate in all of the things you love to do.
One of the most important ways in which The Dailey Method will benefit you in the long term is by improving your balance. Balance naturally degrades as we age due to loss of muscle and bone mass as well as deterioration in senses such as vision and proprioception. Falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults; each year one in every three adults 65 years and older falls!
Good news! Research shows that exercise programs that incorporate balance work can slow that degradation as we age. The Dailey Method helps maintain and improve balance throughout class in a number of ways:
– Core strengthening exercises improve balance and coordination by creating stability from the inside out.
– Exercises that strengthen the muscles that support the hips and pelvis are particularly important in improving balance.
– Single legged exercises challenge your balance with a less stable base of support. One more reason to love standing single leg lifts, single legged lunges, standing seat work, and stretches such as dancer’s pose, tree pose, and Dailey barre stretch!
Additionally, The Dailey Method’s strong focus on alignment and postural awareness helps to improve proprioception. Proprioception can be thought of as a sixth sense. It is your ability to sense where your body is in space. Your muscles, tendons and ligaments are constantly sending signals to your brain as you move. Your brain responds by sending signals back to your muscles telling them when and how much to contract and release to keep you balanced and to keep your movements smooth and coordinated.
And finally, The Dailey Method incorporates a large repertoire of multi-joint and multi-planar exercises. By working more than one joint and muscle group simultaneously and by moving your body in all planes, your brain and your muscles are challenged. You are strengthening your mind-muscle connection, resulting in better balance and more graceful and synchronized functional movements.
The final resting pose at the end of each Dailey Method class is just as important for balance as all the work you’ve done throughout the class. Final rest gives your nervous system the chance to integrate all the deep muscle work you’ve done. It allows your mind much needed quiet and stillness leaving you with improved clarity to take on the rest of your day. It allows your heart and soul the opportunity to express appreciation and gratitude to yourself for your dedication, your hard work, and your decision to lead a balanced life.
Here’s to finding more balance inside and outside the studio!
— Jill