The Morning After the Night Before You know the feeling. You wake up in the morning after an incredible night of social dancing—maybe it was fast Lindy Hop, high-energy Salsa, or Carolina Shag. Your mind is still buzzing with the music and the amazing connections you had on the floor. Then, you try to get out of bed. Ouch. Your calves are screaming, your quads feel like concrete, and walking down the stairs seems like an impossible task. You aren’t injured, but you are profoundly sore. There is an old gym cliché that says, "Soreness is weakness leaving the body." It sounds tough, but it’s biologically wrong. As dancers, we need a better mantra. A more accurate way to look at that morning-after hobble is this: Soreness is inflammation gathering to repair your body. Here is the science of why fast dancing beats you up, and why that pain is actually proof of progress. It’s Not the Speed, It’s the Stops Why does a night of dancing often hurt more than a steady 5-mile run? It come...
.png)
