Thinking Outside the Box: Cross-training
Summer is the perfect time for dancers to think outside the box of the studio! During a summer dance intensive this month, Lauryn Conlon of Barres and Bells and I shared lunch and exchanged ideas with dozens of amazing dancers at Guelph Youth Dance about what we can do outside the studio this summer.
What is cross-training?
Cross-training varies your fitness program by combining different types of activities. It targets areas of your body that may not be used as often in your ‘usual’ activity.
Why is cross-training important?
It helps you learn new movement patterns. This is healthy for both your brain and your body.
It builds strong bones. Your bone growth is most rapid during adolescence (age 12 for females and 14 for males), then reaches highest mass in your 20s (Weaver 2016), so now is the best time to help them grow!
It adds variety to your training. This decreases your risk of injury. Your hours of weekly training should not exceed your age, eg. if you are a 13 year old dancer, than 13 hours of dance per week. Research shows a higher injury risk for youth who do the same activity more than 8 months per year (Post 2017). So try something new this summer!
It establishes healthy habits down the road. In fact, weakness in adolescence was associated with higher levels of disability 30 years later (Henriksson 2017). Keep moving and your future self will thank you!
What KIND of cross-training can I do?
Inside:
Body weight—squat variations, deadlifts, pushups, crawling
Lifting—holding or carrying weights, kettlebells, water bottles, pantry items, backpacks, suitcases
Stairs
Outside:
Cartwheels, handstands, hanging
Rolling, sliding, jogging, running, leaping, jumping, hopping, dodging, galloping, skipping
Ball skills—bouncing, throwing, catching, kicking, striking
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Set a SMART goal:
My goal is to try 8 weighted squats, 3 times a week this summer.
Write down an affirmation:
I feel playful and strong when I practice a handstand.
