The Beginner's Guide to Warm-Up Gear

Ok, lets face it, ballerinas loooove warm-up gear! In fact, we love them so much that we probably have more than we can wear at one time! But to the newbie dancer, warm-up gear can be like a vast land of unapproachable knitwear. So this is the Guide to Warm-ups!

Warming up. Its important to stay warm in ballet, and we dancers dread those cold days in the studios. So what do ballerinas wear to stay warm and keep their muscles happy? Warm-up gear!! Warm-up gear is normally knitted, in cotton, acrylic, or silk mixes. Other types of warm-up gear exist, like nylon, ripstop, and terrycloth. They come in a wide variety of types, colors, brands, and designs…plenty of choices for all ballerinas! Some are just a buy-it, match-it-with-what-ya-already-got deal. Others are parts of sets so that you can match and dance!

Oh and if you are interested in using them for class, check with your teacher first to see if warmup gear is allowed for class or what restrictions they may have on it. Some studios are lax about it and some are really strict. But warmups are great for out of the studio too, so its never a bad idea NOT to have a few warmups lying about for stretching and stuff

Ok on to the good stuff.

Legwarmers: Long tubes of knitted material. Comes in different lengths, from short to long. Standard lengths are knee-length, over-the-knee, and thigh-high.



I like to think of legwarmers as the staple of a ballerina’s closet. How can you not adore legwarmers? They come in a bundle of colors and styles, and they keep your ankles, calves, knees and thighs warm and happy. I can’t think of anything better than something that keeps my knees happy. All hail the legwarmer!!

Armwarmers/Shrugs: Armwarmers are long tubes of knitted material…kinda like legwarmers, only for your arms! Shrugs are basically the same, only they have a piece of material connecting the two arm bits that goes behind your shoulders. The basic idea of these is to keep your wrists, arms and shoulders warmed up.




Ballet shorts: Knitted or woven material. Supposed to keep the hips warmed up. Also used to cover up the butt by the bashful ballerina. Often used as a fashion statement.



I think warm-up shorts rock. Even though I don’t have any. Yet.


Wrap-Tops/Sweaters: Knitted or woven material. Wraps around the ballerina’s upper body, keeping the arms, shoulders and torso warm. Comes in a wide variety of color, fabrics, and styles.




Warm-up pants: Made of different materials, used to keep the legs and muscles warmed up. Normally not so much a fashion statement but a “I’m-cold-and-trying-to-stay-warm” statement.

Knitted Dress: Knitted, warmup dresses. Normally kinda short, so you can move your legs about. Keeps the torso and hips warm, while looking stylishly cute.

Coverups/Coveralls: Full-body coverings that keep everything toasty warm. Can be knitted or made out of some other material. Can be folded down as the body warms up.




And after you get all your warm-up gear, you can either match it to a set or just throw it all together to create your own "look"



Well that rounds out the beginner's guide to warm-ups! Hope that its a big help to all the newbies and not-so-newbies out there!
~Kiki

thanks for that. I'm not a beginner, but it helped. I'm dying for some leggings and a sweater.

again another very informative thread! thanks Kiki! this has helped me heaps, i didn't realise there were so many different types of warm-ups, i so want so coverall ones now. How cute are they?

love keely...xoxox

I found this really helpful, not just for ballet but also for sktaing! Thanks for posting

Basically you rock.



Awesome post!!!

~ razzle_dazzle4

Where are the pink and gray striped legwarmers from?

katy

^^ You mean the thigh high ones? Well, to help keep that area of thigh warm. I like to have them, because for me it takes forever to warm those muscles up, so it helps get them going and not cramping.

It's really personal choice.
Excellent thread again, Kiki!

manhattanizedx the legwarmers are from dance direct i believe... here is the link www.dancedirectworld.com . . .
i have just ordered a sweater from dance direct for christmas only 25 days til i can have it lol!! dancing on christmas morning...
luv jen xxx

I'm totally new here. I think the pictures are great! I have to get me some gear!

little_dancer1: THANKS! I was searching for where I found them because she asked and I couldn't figure it out. You solved it!

I'm glad everyone likes it! Hope it helps people out

~Kiki

wow, i would have never even thought of making such a post.
One way to be unique! it was a great post, very informational. I love those roll down leggings! You will rarely find me without mine on...unless its super hot, thats a different story then
Emelia

Great post! I loved all the pictures. Warm ups are so pretty to look at sometimes..... And I think I'm in love with the last matching set, it's the last picture on the bottom, with the black shrug and shorts, purple and black legwarmers, and purple leotard. It's gorgeous!

heya.. thank you... i love all of those picutres and the facts about the types of warm up

it was really interesting..
hugs ~pretty_dancer~

Yay for cute warm-ups! I'm not a beginner, but I love warm-up stuff, too. Legwarmers are definitely on my Christmas wishlist.

Thank you that really helped alot

thank you that really helped i am a beginer so i now know what the stuff is.

Yes! Now I can finally get my mum to take me to our local dance store, because I have a couple of very good arguments on why I NEED warm-ups.

1. They´ll help me warm-up (lol it´s in the name)
2. They look professional
3. I just like them and I´ll even pay with my own money
4. I need new balet shoes so why not take care of both thinks at the same time

-NinaBallerina

wow!!! there are soo many different kinds to choose from!

just out of curiousity, what is the money exchange? is this store in the UK? and what are the prices in US Currency?

Some pictures are just too cute, that its sad, I dont have them. Well we are not allowed to wear warm up gear, because its not that cold where I live. And they say if you use legwarmers during class, you can get injured because your muscles can be extremely hot, well I dont know. I just follow the rules. But I definetely use legwarmers for outside of ballet class.

cant wait to get my hands on some leg warmers hehe

ahhh, you beat me to it!!! Thanks though!!

Thats a great post! Thanks!

Now I have something to show my mummy for Christams gift ideas!


Jenna

Well that just made shopping so much simpler! I thought half of those things were the same things! Like who knew that wraps and shrugs were different! Thanks heaps!

that relly helps i did not know anything about warmup gear and now i do so i now i can order some on the internet


Alex