Puppeteer Stamina

[Buck-Beaver]

Re: puppeteering pains

Originally posted by paulpuppet
hey guys, i was wondering if you guys had and tips on preventing injury.after puppetering for hours at a time(muppet style puppet ,lip synching and dancing) i sometimes get badly swollen tendons.

You should always make sure when you are engaged as a puppeteer you get mandatory rest periods - at least 5 or 10 minutes for each hour of performance is usually standard. This is especially cruitial if you are doing mascot-style costumes/puppets in warm or humid conditions.

You should always make sure you have lots of water to prevent dehyradation and always, always stretch and warm-up properly before you perform.

Generally speaking, you shouldn't perform or puppeteer non-stop for hours on end without some kind of rest break - it's really not healthy and anyone who engages a puppeteer expecting a "non-stop" performance for hours on end is taking advantage of you. Much like dancers, professional puppeteers who are members of performer's guilds or unions have mandatory rest periods written in to their contracts.