Dancing With the Stars' Witney Carson opens up about recovery and learning to listen to her body

Witney Carson, professional dancer and eleven-time competitor on Dancing With the Stars, explained how her approach to fitness and recovery has evolved, particularly after having children.

Speaking to Women's Health, she described that her perspective changed after giving birth to her two sons in 2021 and 2023, noting that she became more attentive to her body's needs. Carson said,

"I didn't appreciate fitness and appreciate my body until after I had my first baby."

After that, she said the changes her body went through both physically and mentally during pregnancy and recovery after childbirth were very obvious. This realization has made her concentrate more on following her body's signals and be less strict with her training.

Dancing With the Stars' Witney Carson on recovery and adapting her fitness after motherhood

Training routine for Dancing With the Stars

Carson detailed the regimen she follows each day before the Dancing With the Stars competition, mentioning that it is a mixture of stretching, rehearsal, and technical practice.

Together with her partner, Robert Irwin, she practices for four hours a day. The first 30 minutes of their time are devoted to stretching and foam rolling, and then they go on to rehearsals.

Carson said that they start from "ground zero" in rehearsals and have to work very hard to get the level they show in the live performance.

She added that the process is detailed and includes feedback on technical aspects:

"It's turning out your foot, making sure your legs are straight, are your hips moving, where do your arms go?"

She said that Sundays are kept for going over the routines to build muscle memory and be sure for the live show. The physical side of the Dancing With the Stars challenge is a mix of different dance styles.

It includes ballroom dances like the waltz and foxtrot, as well as Latin dances such as the jive and samba. Carson stated that the routines are "very cardio-forward," reflecting the intensity of the practice sessions.

Adjustments after motherhood

Carson pointed out that her bond with exercise was different post her motherhood journey. She said that her mental state was all about giving her body what it needs to keep "energy" and to be able to take care of her babies.

She was very mindful of her diet, made sure to get more protein into her diet, and also increased her water consumption.

Carson also noted the importance of rest in addition to workouts, stating,

"What matters is how I feel, and do I feel strong? And do I feel like I can conquer the world?"

Among various ways, she shared Pilates to be a major method of holding core strength, especially by reason of its low-impact resistance nature. Carson mentioned that as a dancer, Pilates was the most effective way to develop "resistance" and core strength.

Witney also shared changes in her workout depending on the season: when Dancing With the Stars is on, she goes to hot mat Pilates every other day, and during the off-season, she mixes Pilates reformer, cardio, and weight training.

Emphasis on recovery

Carson was specific that recuperation is now at the core of her program. She stated that her character is such that she has to do very intense activities every day to feel mentally okay; however, she also recognized the need for "rest".

After describing her muscle recovery by these methods, like stretching, ice baths, and sauna, Carson went on to say that she also uses a heating pad and Theragun for muscle relief and visits a physical therapist to keep her body in good shape. She stated,

"My muscles and my body are staying healthy enough to do the show each week."

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