The Importance of Cross Training for Dancers
Dancers are athletes.
Heather Smith is a fitness coach, pilates instructor, and professional dancer in the Seattle/Tacoma area.
A few facts about dancers:
Dancers are athletes.
Dancers have seasons of overtraining and seasons of no proper dance training at all.
Dancers are extremely susceptible to injury due to hypermobility.
A dancers goal is to be able to perform any physical movement that is asked of them.
Dancers must be able to hear a correction and implement it into their body immediately.
Now after reading those statements consider the fact that very few dancers cross train. *enter jaw dropping emoji here*
No? Still didn’t get you —— read it like this:
I am an athlete. No, I do not cross train.
- Are there any other athletes you can think of that DON’T CROSS TRAIN? No – right? Cross Training is imperative for bodies that perform repetitive movements. Repetitive movements cause wear and tear through overuse. This wear and tear causes inflammation and injury. To support the endless hours of pliés and jumps we need to strengthen the muscles around the joints that are vulnerable to excessive overload. For dancers, this means feet, ankles, knees and hips. “Oh, well I’ll just take more ballet,” is not always the answer because once again we’re playing with the balance of increasing strength vs. over use and injury. It can be a very fine line to walk. Therefore, we need to spread the cumulative level of orthopedic stress over additional muscles and joints by training them in a different manner. Doing the leg extension or leg press machines at the gym will help you get higher jumps without having to constantly put your body through the stress of landing the jump!
I don’t train during my off season, I just get REALLY sore when I head back in for training.
- We all know what it’s like to head back into your first week of classes and be huffing and puffing so loud you can’t even hear what the teacher is saying. This is a rookie athlete mistake. This puts you in danger of a pre-season injury. One that could knock you out of the running for that piece you wanted to audition for, or that solo you were hoping to land. Dancers MUST cross train in their off-season! Don’t let your cardiovascular system take the summer off! Get outside, go hiking, bike that trail, your body will thank you!
I never have an off-season!
- The body needs downtime to recover and heal. But if you’re a dancer hustling from gig to gig and tour to tour, downtime just isn’t an option. Cross training is the answer! You need to make sure your body is strong and trained to recover quickly. I recommend including “active recovery” in your fitness regime. That means – after a strenuous dance class or workout don’t just plop yourself in a café or jump in your car if you have a long drive home. Make sure you participate in some low-intensity activity. This could be a walk, yoga, swimming, etc. This will reduce the lactic acid buildup, reduce soreness, increase blood flow and keep your muscles flexible!
I am hypermobile
- Research has shown that proprioception is not always as good in hypermobile individuals. This perhaps explains why they are sometimes more clumsy and at increased risk of injury. This lack of awareness and increased joint laxity and flexibility increases the likelihood of a ligament or joint sprain. Dancers need cross training to strengthen the muscles around the joints so they can become more aware of how to control their flexibility. Yoga is the perfect tool to strengthen the body in lengthened positions while increasing body awareness.
Yesterday I had ballet, tap and jazz, today my choreographer asked if I could do a front walk over.
- Dancers need to have the capacity to perform any task asked of them. One day you need controlled external rotation during Fouettés and shoulder stability for handstands the next. We are all so eager to please and will jump in to any choreography asked of us, so we need to be ready! Don’t neglect your upper body strength! Take some weight training classes, use bands, do pushups! You’ll get stronger for the floor work in modern class and have a bit of flex to show for your hard work!
I keep getting the same correction about my rib cage, I don’t feel it happening!
- Body awareness is of utmost importance for dancers. Teachers praise us for implementing the correction the first time and Choreographers trust us to perform their art with precision. WE NEED TO STUDY AND SPEND TIME WITH OUR BODIES! We need to take the time to slowly explore what it feels like to be in and out of alignment. Being in the classroom isn’t always the best place for a dancer to feel open with experimenting and exploring because we are being asked to already know our corrections. Go take Pilates! The instructors are keen on alignment and the movements are slow and controlled. This allows you to create deeper connections to your sensory and motor neurons and have deeper awareness of your body and the way it moves!
