A big part of dancing is long days of training or
performing. Feeling strong and fit can really help you to perform your best
within class and onstage, preventing fatigue and ultimately preventing the risk
of injury. If you put the effort in, you can reap the rewards and see your full
potential through maximised performance. Whilst it is great to take time away
from dance over the summer in order to rest and recover, it can also be a
period of reversing all your hard work over the previous year. Returning to
class you may feel that your once strong muscles are now sore and tired. Take a
read of my five top tips for unleashing your skills this summer, so you can
come back stronger the following season...
Aerobic training
Choose an aerobic exercise you most enjoy. For me this would
be swimming or cycling, but others could try running or rowing. These
cardiovascular exercise are perfect for increasing your fitness levels so that
you are less fatigued by the end of dance class.
Get outside
Just because you spend the rest of your year inside a cold,
dark studio doesn’t mean you should train in the same conditions, in fact quite
the opposite. Get outside to catch those rays, perfect for boosting your
Vitamin D levels which have been proven to improve muscular strength, increase
jump height performance and reduce injury levels. So instead of doing a pilates
session indoors, take your mat into your back garden, or go for a bike ride with
friends. But don’t forget your sunscreen!
Incorporate dance specific exercises
Identify the muscle groups involved within specific movements
and train them. For example, a port de bra can be mimicked using therabands to
strengthen shoulder girdle, or bosu ball can be used to train balance and
strength in the lower legs.
Work on your
weaknesses
Perhaps you picked up an injury this past season and now you
feel weaker than previously in that area. Well now is the perfect time to revise
that situation and to come back stronger than you were before.
Try something new
Now is the opportunity to try a new activity. Perhaps you’ve
always wanted to go surfing, or fancy going for that long walk along the coast.
DO IT! Get out and let your mind and body relax so that you can return to dance
feeling fresh and enthused.
Enjoy!
-E
I admire what you have done here. I like the part where you say you are doing this to give back but I would assume by all the comments that this is working for you as well.weight lifting
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