Your 2022 Oireachtas Training Guide is here!
The 2022 Oireachtas season is in full swing! As we head into the final days and weeks before your regional Oireachtas, you're probably feeling a combination of nerves and excitement. Whether this is your first Oireachtas or your tenth, whether you're doing solos, teams, or both, check out this training guide for all the tips you need to help keep your body and mind strong as you head to your Oireachtas!
Be sure to check out our Competition & Mindset Prep Masterclass AND Oireachtas Last Minute Clinics! Details below.
Good luck to all competitors and happy training!
RESOURCES FOR DANCERS
Sunday, November 13 | 4-5:30 pm CST
Recorded and available to view later!
Have competition nerves wreaked havoc on your performance? Have trouble eating/knowing what or when to eat? Or your warmup doesn't really prepare your body? We'll be covering it all in the Competition Mindset and Competition Prep Masterclass. Mental training tools to use the week before, day before and day of the competition, planning tools to encourage a smooth competition day, and more! Click the link below to register.
LAST MINUTE CLINICS
Sunday, November 20 | 3:30-7:15 pm CST
Join us for this series of clinics to fine-tune your techniques before heading to Montreal! Each 20 minute clinic is geared towards a specific Irish dance technique or skill. Register for one 20 minute clinic or save and register for a full hour or the full day (just over 3 hours). Click the link below to see the full clinic schedule and to register!
Our Anxiety & Irish Dance blog post is here to serve as a starting point for those who suffer from competition anxiety (and their support team!) to better understand what causes anxiety and how to be courageous in the face of anxiety on dance day. Click on the image to read this post!
If you're like many Irish dancers, you experience nerves at competitions that feel totally out of your control and negatively impact competition day. We've put together some of our favorite tips to help you cope through competition day! Click on the image to read this post.
Feeling anxious? Check out our favorite technique to help ground you when your anxiety feels out of control!
“Sprained ankle” might be one of the most feared phrases in Irish dance (maybe besides “stamina!”) and chances are, either you or one of your dance friends have experienced the dreaded ankle sprain. If you've experienced an ankle sprain leading up to the Oireachtas (or ANY Irish dance injury!) click on the image to read top tips on how to mentally and physically cope with your injury, straight from Betsy Hines, a physical therapist and TCRG!
Your internal dialogue (self-talk) is critical to your performance. Actively choosing positive over negative self-talk decreases anxiety, improves concentration and performance, and allows you to perform better. Click the image to read this post with our top tips for improving positive self-talk!
As dancers, we physically train our bodies to the extreme - but how are you preparing your mind for competition? Imagery may be the powerful strategy you're missing to increase concentration and reduce anxiety! Click the image to read this post for our top tips on creating your imagery practice.
When you imagine a warmup, you may be picturing a half-hearted jog around a track (or feis venue!) followed by some light, static stretching. Gradually building up to high-impact activity (like Irish dance!) is key to avoiding injury and maximizing performance. Click on the image to read more about the importance of a warmup in Irish dance!
As dancers, we often struggle with the idea of taking a "rest day." However, rest days are vital to both physical and psychological recovery, especially in the final days before competition! Click on the image to read more about the importance of rest days!
Competing against your friends is hard. How do you celebrate their success if you didn't get the placement you were hoping for? Click on the image to read this blog post for tips on maintaining friendships long after the awards ceremony!
Each individual plays a huge role on an Irish dance team! You need to be both physically and mentally strong to endure the long rehearsals and perform at the same caliber of all your teammates. Click on the image to read our top 5 tips for being a strong team dancer!
How are you keeping your body's "battery" at 100% to help you perform your best on competition day? Click on the image for our top tips on keeping your body fully charged for competition day!
Proper nutrition is critical for strong dancers, but especially so in the days leading up to the Oireachtas. Click on this image for a comprehensive list of all of the previous nutrition blogs written by Target Training's Registered Dietician, Jess!
Speaking of nutrition, check out our YouTube Playlist all about nutrition for Irish dancers! These videos have some great tips for things to eat for breakfast and snacks on the day of your competition.
Getting enough sleep is critical for EVERY Irish dancer. Studies show that getting enough sleep is key to reaching peak athletic performance, while also helping to prevent injuries. Click on the image to read this blog post about the importance of sleep for Irish dancers!
Music can have a huge influence on your mood and performance, setting the tone for whatever you're doing. The right song can help you relax, make you smile, or make you dance! When training, during dance class, or in competition, this can have a huge impact on your attitude for performance. Click on the image to read more in our Music for Irish dancers blog, or click the link below to head to our Spotify account where we've got some of our favorite pump-up tunes featured!
Are you an athlete with the Online Institute? Check out these video recommendations for tips to keep you mentally and physically ready to step onstage!
Visualization Guide for Irish Dance: Visualization is one of the most powerful tools you have to help you apply corrections and reduce anxiety! Check out these videos that feature guided visualizations followed by championship-length dance tracks from our friend Katie Grennan!
Warm-Up Guide: A good warmup is absolutely essential to a good performance! Check out this video and printable guide for the Target Training warmup, and be sure to do this warmup every time before you dance or train.
Massage Ball AND Foam Rolling: These are great videos to do to help your muscles relax and keep your joints mobile. It's also a great way to relax!
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