Your primary focus in leading a BOOM MOVE class is safe, effective, and universally-accessible instruction. Here are some guidelines for creating the ideal physical environment for your participants:
Chronic Conditions
- Provide frequent reminders for breathing, hydration, perceived exertion, and posture.
- Consider how conditions and diseases should inform your intensity options.
- Participants with osteoporosis and heart disease need modifications to lessen impact and work at an appropriate heart rate.
- Arthritis and joint replacement patients should pay attention to the range of motion and avoid forcing stretches.
- Encourage participants to always follow physician’s directives for exercise.
Floor and Surrounding Area
- Ensure your studio floor is clean and free of debris.
- Clear all clothing, bags and other items from your exercise space.
- Provide adequate space for each participant to exercise safely.
- Set your studio’s thermostat to an appropriate temperature for exercise.
- Know and follow the specific safety guidelines for each format.
Safety Considerations and Tips for Dancers
- Consider studio flooring. Quick directional changes and complex choreography on carpet can cause injury.
- Clothing should allow participants to move freely.
- Everyone will have different preferences for footwear, but in general, running shoes or those with heavy tread are not ideal for dance. Supportive shoes with smooth soles and less traction are more suitable.
- Dance can be intimidating. As instructors, we often hear participants say that they “aren’t coordinated” or “don’t have rhythm.” Modifications can help participants overcome these self-imposed barriers to dance-style fitness.
- Experiment with building multiple combinations on the same lead leg before progressing to choreography that alternates the lead leg.
- Carefully plan choreography that flows seamlessly from one step to the next. Easy-to-follow transitions will increase participant confidence and success.
- Avoid changing directions too quickly. Develop transitions that present a change in angles. Transition movement combinations back to center if moving fluidly from pattern to pattern seems unsafe or too difficult.
- Progress can mean simply learning to coordinate upper- and lower-body movements. Modifications should give participants the opportunity to gain comfort with footwork before adding other coordinating movements.
- Be sure to cue for proper foot placement. It is easy for participants to concentrate so much on learning movements that they forget to be mindful of their feet.
- Many movements, like pivots and other types of turns, are most safely and successfully executed from the ball of the foot. Remind participants to stay “light” on their feet. Not only will this build calf and foot strength, it also challenges balance and improves agility.
- When crossing feet, particularly in front, suggest that participants slightly turn their feet out. (e.g., during a grapevine) Even just a slight turn out makes it much easier to cross feet and travel side to side. Try this: step on your right foot and cross your left foot over with toes turned. It makes shifting your weight and moving quickly much more difficult and potentially unsafe.
- Identify high risks movement patterns for specific format to ensure movement safety.