Color guard takes more time, athleticism and skill than most people realize. It involves hours of weekly practice, travel, and performing complicated routines in all kinds of weather. Therefore, it’s understandable that members of color guard experience burnout. Here’s what you can do to avoid becoming burnt out on doing what you love. Warm Up, Cool Down, and Rest When you’re trying to nail a routine, it can be tempting to skip stretching before and after or taking time to cool down before moving on with your day. However, missing out on these important steps can have serious consequences, like increased chance of bruising or sprains. The same goes for rest. Rest gives your body time to recover completely from movement. If you don’t take time to rest, you won’t be performing at your best. Schedule Relaxation If you feel like you’re just going through the motions from practice to performance, it will catch up with you. Taking time throughout the week to focus on self care is just as important as practice. Look for gaps between obligations, or take a couple nights a week off to yourself in a quiet, restful environment. Eat Right Taking care of your body can help prevent burnout. Going between practices and performances, as well as traveling with your team, can take a toll on your health. Fast food and sweet treats can be tempting when you’re on the road. These options are OK in moderation, but you also need nutrient-dense food and plenty of water to keep your body moving. Ask for Help You may think everyone else is breezing through color guard practice and performances, but that’s probably not the case. Consider reaching out to fellow color guard members, family members or friends when you’re feeling stressed. Even if they don’t know what to say, talking about what’s bothering you always helps. Color guard can be intense, and it’s common to experience burnout when your body is under stress. At Star Line Baton, we offer a range of high quality color guard products, from rifles and batons to apparel and accessories. If you need help figuring out which color guard products are right for you, give us a call at 931-528-7829.

Posted: 8/20/2021