Showing posts with label mascot hydration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mascot hydration. Show all posts

Monday, June 28, 2010

Mascot Hydration

It’s officially summer and it is HOT outside! When wearing a mascot costume, it’s ALWAYS important to be well hydrated, but this is especially true when you will be outside during the hot, humid summer months. You should not only hydrate before going out in costume, but also during.

In order to remain hydrated throughout the day, you should create a schedule for your performer. For instance, the performer should have a set amount of time in costume and then get at least a 5-10 minute break to rehydrate. But remember, the performer’s break should occur away from the public. A mascot character should NEVER take off any part of their costume while in front of people. Be sure to have a designated break area where the public doesn’t have access and have plenty of water waiting for them.

There are also mascot cooling systems that hold water and have a tube that leads up to the performer’s mouth so they can drink water while wearing the costume. This will allow your performer to stay in costume for longer periods of time and will also keep your performer happy. Click here to be redirected to a site that offers a great mascot water cooling system.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Mascot Health Tips & Mascot Cooling Systems

Have you ever worn a mascot costume? If you have, you know how physically demanding it can be! Especially when the costume is being worn for an outdoor event during the scorching summer. In fact, it’s possible to sweat off up to 10 pounds while in costume! This job isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s important that your character actor has the proper fuel before going out in costume. Look at this as a workout, because- let’s be honest, it IS one! Your body needs fuel to make it through the period that you’re in the costume. This means you need to eat something healthy, stay hydrated, and get plenty of sleep before working in a costume. It’s also I important to do pre-workout stretches beforehand. Remember, your motions and acting must be extremely exaggerated, so you want to be as loose and flexible as possible.

There is a general rule of thumb as to how long you should stay in costume before taking a break. Typically, an actor should spend 20 minutes in costume followed by 20 minutes out of costume. This prevents the mascot actor from getting dehydrated and worn out- this is important because your mascot should be very lively the entire time it’s out in front of your patrons. If it’s not possible for your actor to follow this schedule and it’s necessary to have the character out for extended periods of time, you can purchase a cooling system.

Mascot cooling systems are worn by the actor underneath the costume. Typically, the cooling system is a harness worn by the actor that has pockets which hold ice mats. There are also cooling systems for the head and forehead. Built in exhaust fans are a smart choice, but added cooling systems make the experience much more enjoyable for the actor. A happy actor makes for good acting! Some cooling systems even have a built in hydration system, allowing the actor to drink water while in the mascot costume! We’ve had great experiences with the cooling systems we’ve found at this website. You’ll be amazed at how much more comfortable it is to be in costume when you have one!