When it comes to cross-training for dance, there are so many options to choose from…and a lot of mixed messages around them. Will weight training make you bulky? Is endless cardio the answer? What about Pilates and yoga, do those actually help? With the busy schedule of a dancer, it can be a challenge to figure out what works best for your body and your dancing. We interviewed 3 established trainers on their top tips for dancers looking to step up their cross-training.
Intro: Alex Gonzaga
Alex Gonzaga is the founder/owner of Proteus Fitness, a cross-training platform for dancers. Several certified personal trainers (many of which are professional dancers or have professional dance experience) comprise Proteus Fitness, which aims to make the dance world healthier and more positive by providing affordable and accessible cross-training and injury prevention. We interviewed Alex Gonzaga to get the inside scoop on his cross-training philosophy.
1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?
At Proteus, we pride ourselves on doing our best every day to support our dancers. Throughout their entire season, we are by their side, helping them navigate their bodies and their training. What sets us apart is our care and individual connection with each Protean.
2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?
I believe resistance training with components from stability, strength, and power exercises to be the best for cross-training, along with swimming, rowing, and hiking. This should not be confused with ballet conditioning.
3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?
It depends on their workload. Each role, performance, and dancer is unique. A common range is 2 to 5 days a week.
4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?
The most common deficiencies are in the glutes, glute medius, turnout, and dorsiflexion. By improving these three areas, most dancers will avoid injuries and enhance their dancing.
5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?
As early as one week.
6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?
- Improves overall fitness
- Corrects muscle imbalances
- Reduces overuse injuries
- Enhances active recovery
- Increases proprioception
7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?
Resistance bands.
You can learn more about Proteus Fitness on Proteusfitness.net or @proteusfitness on Instagram.
Intro: Jake Vincent
Jake Vincent is a member of Paul Taylor Dance Company and a personal trainer. Jake received a BFA in Dance and Dance Education in 2014 from Montclair State University. He joined Taylor 2 in summer 2017. He joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in winter 2020. We interviewed Jake about his top cross-training recommendations.
1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?
The major difference in cross-training is that it counters the movements that are in your everyday repertoire. I like to think of it as a personal program that is always ebbing and flowing. Almost responding to the requirements that you are asking your body to achieve within the repertoire.
2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?
Resistance training with a healthy progressive overload. Dancers have quite a lot of cardiovascular endurance; therefore, strength training with weights really helps balance out the scales.
3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?
Sticking to the theme of balance…it’s all about balance and listening to your body. I try to do at least 4 strength-based cross-training exercises a week. Sometimes if it’s a harder week at work, I will offset that with more active recovery like yoga and Pilates.
4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?
Posterior chain! As dancers we are consistently moving in a forward motion. It makes sense since we perform to an audience in front of us. However this tends to over-develop the muscles on the anterior side (front).
For example, I would say most dancers tend to be stronger in their quads and very flexible in their hamstrings. A cross-training model would be to incorporate more strength-based exercises to strengthen the hamstrings (posterior) to balance out the quads (anterior).
5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?
A lot of factors come into play with results. Age, diet, accessibility, schedule to name a few. But I would say if a dancer sticks with 3 to 5 cross-training workouts a week then they would feel a difference in 2 to 4 weeks, and then see a difference in 4 to 6 weeks.
6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?
Cross-training has been essential to injury prevention and recovery. Personally my journey to training was sparked during my recovery from a major injury. I became fascinated with how intelligently the body works. If you train underdeveloped muscles, then you will achieve a higher level of synergistic balance, which will allow for a healthier dance career.
7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?
I have a personal bias for kettlebell work. So a set of kettlebells would be my choice. One light-to-medium and one medium-to-heavy so that eventually you can incorporate an increased load as you increase your muscular endurance.
You can find Jake at @sliceofjake on Instagram.
Intro: Francesca Dugarte
Francesca Dugarte is a ballerina with Ballet Met, an NASM certified personal trainer, an indoor cycling instructor, and a mom. Prior to joining Ballet Met, Francesca danced as a principal dancer with The Washington Ballet. We talked to Francesca about the cross-training services she provides, as well as her top tips for effective cross-training.
1. What sets your cross-training platform apart from other cross-training platforms for dancers?
My online platform definitely has a variety of training. Strength training, stability, mobility, and agility. All of the above are greatly beneficial for dancers but also a general audience. I love that social media allows trainers to share their work.
That being said I also have in-person and one-on-one dance clients (pre-professionals and professionals) who I am very passionate about. The biggest perk for me is that I get to see their progress closely in dance, and part of my assessment is based upon what I see in their dancing. This way I get to tailor their training based on their weaknesses. It really makes me so happy to see them improve.
2. What do you believe is the most beneficial method of cross-training for professional and pre-professional dancers?
Definitely a combination of strength training and stability. Challenging proprioception — I have found this to be very rich in bringing awareness to weak muscles that are difficult to engage just with ballet class (most of the time it’s not the usual big muscle group). Adding to this, resistance with weight or bands will trigger a response and a strengthening process will begin. I have seen improvements in dancers with this method.
3. Dancer schedules are often incredibly busy. How much time do you recommend they aim to set aside for cross-training?
At least twice a week and completing sessions with 5 to 6 exercises with enough repetition and sets. (It always depends on the muscle groups highlighted for the day.) I would say this will take around 30 to 45 minutes.
4. What is the most common strength deficiency you see among dancers?
Weak hips, weak pelvic floor, weak core. This will translate to an unstable adagio, trouble maintaining fifth throughout, heavy petite allegro, lack of explosiveness in grand allegro.
5. How long does it typically take for dancers to start seeing results from training?
Dancers, being high-level competitive athletes, will feel results even going through sets of the first training session. They are so in touch with their bodies. They will have awareness of what that weakness is, and guaranteed after 4 to 6 sessions, they will feel a difference in their dancing.
6. What impact does cross-training have on injury prevention?
The most important reason for cross-training is this. Strong body will prevent muscle imbalances from overworking. Muscle imbalance leads to an injury. Dancers should cross-train on a weekly basis. Ballet is such a competitive and demanding field where we expose our bodies to high intensity daily. Strength and muscle awareness will lead movement to go through the right path in an organized manner.
7. If you were to recommend one piece of exercise equipment for dancers to have at home, what would it be?
Hard question. There are so many I believe are fundamental. Assuming that every dancer will have therabands in their dance bag that they can use for resistance, I would say a Swiss ball. There are so many incredible exercises that will challenge the body greatly. My favorite exercise that you can do only with a Swiss ball is standing single-leg RDL. Start with the ball behind you reaching one of your legs over the Swiss ball bringing two knees together so the back leg has a 90-degree angle. Bring your hips back and bend the standing leg (not like a plié but hinging back from your hips), extend the leg into a turned-in arabesque, find the maximum extension of the hip flexor. Make sure your standing knee is not going over your toes when it’s bent. Bring it back to the starting pose and repeat 6 to 8 times with each leg. Take a little rest and complete 3 sets. Great exercise to challenge stability and achieve a great burn!
You can find Francesca on Instagram at @francescadjordan
Cross-training is an essential part of injury prevention and a healthy dance career. If you are ready to discover how cross-training can serve you and your dance career, I highly recommend you check out these resources. Big thanks to Alex, Jake, and Francesca for their knowledge and insight!
