A Tale as Old as Time
“DON'T lift weights”
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“The BEST cross training for ballet is Pilates/yoga”
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Though there could be considered SOME truth to these statements, Pilates and yoga are bomb ways to get your cross training, they are not the ONLY ways to do it! Contrary to what I was always told growing up, weight lifting and forms of cardio like running are great ways to cross train and build your body for ballet. Right now though I want to focus in on weight lifting.
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….lets chat about weight lifting…. Its been long told, especially to women of ballet, that if they lift weights they will gain bulky muscles as oppose to the long and lean look they are “suppose” to have for ballet. Wrong! Lifting weights can create that long and lean body so coveted for ballet. Truly the only way you will begin to get bulky muscles is by lifting your absolute max weights in short reps, and purposefully working and eating to build body builder type muscles. Utilizing a mix of free weights and weight gym equipment can be very helpful.
Free weights and equipment can be used for many different parts of the body such as the arms and shoulders, thighs, back, and calves. All of these body parts are required for strong quality dancing. Being able to build stronger muscles in a setting other than dance, especially those pesky counter muscles such as your quads, aids you in becoming a stronger dancer over all. I’m sure at some point or another you’ve heard that lifting weights will cause you to be stiff and inflexible as a dancer, but lifting weight can do quite the contrary.
Creating body builder like muscles takes a long time, just like it does to build your flexibility for dance. Adding weight training in to your regimen once or twice a week could be a way to help you build strength and become a stronger dancer without causing you to bulk up your muscles. Start out slow- using small weight, but enough to create muscle fatigue after 10-15 repetitions, but not so much that you could only go one round. Keep in mind-modifications are okay (you have to start somewhere)- that if you’ve never done weight training before starting with your own body weight is a fantastic place to begin, then slowly add in 5 or so pounds as you become stronger. Remember- every body is different and develops differently (keep in mind, this is not a race, it’s about making YOU a stronger dancer!).
Mixing it up and throwing in a little weight training will NOT kill all your ballet training! Matter of fact it will probably aid you in your continued growth. As you become stronger you will find that things that were once a struggle are becoming easier, for me I have seen genuine difference in my ability to hold an arabesque as well as the start of added growth to my back and arm strength.
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Lifting is not just "for the boys" anymore.