
Fitness & Touring: Exercise, Nourish, Rehearse, Perform, Rest, Repeat.
Over the years, many artists such as Beyoncé, Camila Cabello, Kings of Leon, and Eminem, have reluctantly canceled shows or prematurely ended tours due to exhaustion and dehydration. Both conditions are preventable with preparedness.
It is essential to have a fitness routine while on tour. Exercise, Nourish, Rehearse, Perform, Rest, Repeat.
Playing an instrument, singing or other strenuous movements on stage, night after night can take a toll on the human body. It is essential to understand what factors contribute to exhaustion to prevent it.
One factor that often plagues artists is muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue is a force unable to be generated by muscles. This condition doesn’t just make an artist feel sore. Like a domino effect, it can lead to symptoms like dehydration and shortness of breath.
Here are some basic tips for creating a routine that benefits an artist most efficiently and effectively, helping to prevent muscle fatigue and the symptoms associated with it.
Exercise: Proper technique while performing any exercise is of the utmost importance. It is also important to stretch once the body is warmed up. Proper technique will help to prevent unnecessary injuries or accelerate conditions like carpal tunnel. Engaging in exercises that help build endurance
Examples:
- Steady state cardio
- High repetitions, low weight (performed until failure) during strength training
- Stretching that is done after warming up and targets problem areas for artists such as back, shoulder, arm, wrist and hand pain.
Nourish: What artists’ consume or don’t consume, directly impacts their performance. There are six categories of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and waters.
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- Carbs, Fats, & Proteins: These are known as macronutrients. They should be looked at as fuel by an artist. Carbohydrates give artist energy to exercise, rehearse, and perform. Protein helps promote muscle growth and maintain strength. Fats help to keep body temperatures at a healthy level while protecting organs and helping keep nutrients in the body. Everyone has a different macronutrient needs, but a ratio can be determined based on the artist’s body and goal(s).
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- Water: Age, gender, activity level, and health conditions factor into how much water an artist should consume a day. However, a general recommendation is 2.7 liters (91 ounces) for women and 3.7 liters (125 ounces) for men. In taking a healthy amount of fluids daily will prevent dehydration and muscle cramps. It will also give the artist energy throughout the day.
- Vitamins and Minerals: There is a long list of vitamins and minerals required by the human body. Artists’ should pay attention to taking and monitoring calcium, iron, vitamin B’s, D, and C, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Calcium and vitamin D strengthen bones and prevent inflammation, iron carries oxygen to the muscles, vitamin B’s aid in energy production, vitamin C helps fight off sickness, magnesium reduces unneeded stress on the body, and potassium and sodium help the body to stay hydrated and energized.
Perform: It’s show time! Don’t forget to hydrate on and off stage.
Rest: Adults are recommended to get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Scheduling rest days for tour is just as crucial as scheduling show dates for tour. Artists should take time to meditate, stretch, sleep, hydrate, and nourish your body. Rest will be an artist’s best friend on the road.
Remember, consistency is critical when it comes to a fitness routine. It is essential to have a daily ritual that serves the most vital instrument on stage: the human body.
Exercise, Nourish, Rehearse, Perform, Rest, Repeat.