40 Days and 40 Nights or something like that….I’ve lost count but I know we’ve all been stuck at home for a long time and the dance community has come together to provide resource after resource to keep our dancers dancing.
My goal is to have your dancers return to the studio (soon I hope!) with the ability to execute their skills with strength, endurance and of course free of injury. Since they’re probably not turning or leaping full out in their living rooms, making conditioning a consistent part of their day will help!
Here are 3 Tips to Making That Happen
1. Decide on a goal
- This is a fantastic time to work on areas of weakness, flexibility, and giving some TLC to muscles that don’t get the opportunity to be trained during the season.
- Dancers spend so much time dancing on one side or never getting to really connect with their hips and glutes.
- Take this time to choose a few goals and work backwards to decide which exercises will help with turning more consistently on the left or finally getting that full split in the air.
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2. Make a Plan
Building strength and / or endurance for a skill:
- Choose 4 exercises that are specific to your goals
- Choose an additional 2 for core
- Choose an additional 2 for endurance.
- Add weight or an athletic band for an added challenge (see below)
- Do 15 to 20 repetitions of each
- Repeat three times
Working on flexibility:
- Focus on form, not just cranking your hips open
- Be aware of where your knees and hips are during the stretch
- Pay attention to engaging the muscles surrounding the area you’re stretching
- Hold for 60 seconds each.
How and When:
- Do as your own workout 3 days a week.
- Do as a circuit after a virtual class.
- For the circuit, do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest for 20 and repeat 1 to 3 times.
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3. Turbo Boost Your Workout
To challenge lower body:
- Wear a backpack full of books
- Use the stairs for box jumps
- Use the stairs to elevate one side at a time
- Use a paper plate for sliding lunges
- Add a jump
To challenge upper body and core:
- In a plank, use a paper plate for sliding feet to the side
- In a plank, lift one arm or leg off the floor
- Hold water bottles or books for bicep curls, shoulder press and rows
- Incline and decline pushups on a coffee table or bed
Add weight to all exercises:
- Water jugs
- Detergent
- Kitty Litter
- Backpack full of books
- Wrap a sports bra around legs as an athletic band
