Dance Fitness Conditioning Exercises

Guidelines for Conditioning Exercises

The postural muscles stabilise continuously throughout everyday activities and dancing therefore requires very good endurance. They do not need to be very strong, but they must be precisely co-ordinated and able to of work continuously. These stabiliser muscles should hold the lumbar spine in the neutral position, which is the correct alignment of the pelvis that allows for the natural 'S' curve of the spine. For further information please read the core stability article.

• Warm up before engaging in conditioning exercises by raising the body temperature with light aerobic exercise
• These exercises should be performed slowly and in a continuous manner
• Breathing out on effort and breathe in as you release
• Adopt the correct postural alignment for each exercise in enhances co-ordination of core stability
• Lay on a mat in a clear space and use cushions for support if necessary
• Wear loose comfortable clothing

Only perform the number of exercises which you feel confident with, always work at your own pace working within your own range of comfort. Remember breathing is important make sure to breathe freely throughout the exercises.

Engaging Transverse | Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lying on your back with knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart. Lumbar spine should be in neutral alignment, have a small gap between the floor and your back. Breathe in deeply and relax all your stomach muscles. Breathe out and draw your lower abdomen inwards as if your navel is going back towards the floor (navel to spine). Hold the contraction for 10 seconds and stay relaxed, allowing yourself to breathe naturally as you hold the tension in your lower stomach area.	Transverse Abdominus

Engaging Pelvic Floor | Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lie on back knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart. Concentrate on the pelvic floor muscles. As your breathe out lift and squeeze at the front as if trying to stop the passage of urine and at the back as if stopping the passage of wind. Hold for 2 counts (increase the hold as you improve). Relax the muscles and breathe normally. Avoid: holding your breath, do not tighten your buttocks, thighs or abdominal complex.	Pelvic floor muscles

Pelvic Tilt  Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lie on back knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart. As you breathe out slowly tip your pelvis up towards your navel (north) by pulling the abdominal muscles in and flattening the hollow of the small of the back, then as you breathe in, rock or tilt the pelvis away from your navel (south) to increase the hollow in your lower back. Continue to breathe naturally throughout the exercise.	Pelvic floor muscles: Psoas, Transverse and Abdominal Complex

Abdominal Curl  Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lie on back knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart. Have your arms relaxed at your sides. With your transverse engaged (navel to spine), breathe out as you raise head and shoulders by leading from chest (sternum) towards your knees. As you breathe in keep your lower back still, bring them slowly down and relax.	Rectus Abdominus

Advanced Abdominal Curl   * ADVANCED VERSION OF ABOVE EXERCISE *		Muscles
	Lie on back with hips, knees bent at 90 degrees. Place arms across your chest. With your transverse engaged (navel to spine), breathe out as you raise head and shoulders by leading from chest (sternum) towards your knees. As you breathe in keep your lower back still, bring them slowly down and relax.	Rectus Abdominus

Oblique Curl | Repeat 10 times on alternate sides		Muscles
	Lie on back knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart. Have your arms relaxed at your sides. With your transverse engaged (navel to spine), breathe out as you raise head and shoulders by leading from chest (sternum) towards your knees, twist to the diagonal to one side. As you breathe in return to centre keep your lower back still, bring chest and head slowly down and relax. Repeat to the other side.	Obliques, Internal & External

Knee to Chest Raise | Repeat 10 times on alternate sides		Muscles
	Lying on your back with your knees bent feet on the mat in parallel position, hip width apart with your back in neutral. As you breathe out slowly lift your right knee to your chest, at the same time slowly slide your left leg out along the floor until it is straight. As you breathe in, slide your left leg back to its original position and relax right knee back to its original position. Continue to breathe naturally throughout the exercise. Repeat other side.	Hip Flexors Abdominal Complex

Pelvic Roll | Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lie on back knees bent, feet on the mat in parallel position hip width apart with your arms spread out on either side (or supporting under your lower back). Engage your abdominal muscles as you lift your legs together in the air, knees bent at 90 degrees. As you breathe out take both knees over to the right side (towards the ground that is comfortable for you) keep opposite shoulder on the mat. As you breathe in, return your knees to centre. Keeping your knees level at all times continue to take both knees to the left side breathing out once more and breathe in as you return to centre. With practice this movement is slow and continuous as you gently roll your knees from side to side.	Lower back, Pelvic floor, Ilioposas, Internal and External Obliques, Transverse abdominal.

Alternative Pelvic Roll   * ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF ABOVE EXERCISE *		Muscles
	Alternative: If you have lower back problems keep your feet on the floor. As you breathe in, slowly drop both knees to one side. Allow your knees to relax and go down without tension or force. Breathe in as you bring your knees back up to centre. Repeat to the other side.	Lower back, Pelvic floor, Ilioposas, Internal and External Obliques, Transverse Abdominal

Gluteal Squeeze | Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Lie on the mat on your stomach and rest your head comfortably on your folded hands. As you breathe out tighten your buttock muscles. Hold that position for three seconds then relax and breathe naturally.	Gluteus Maximus, Medius, Minimus

Cat Exercise | Repeat up to 10 times		Muscles
	Kneel on the mat on all fours, weight equally distributed between your hands and knees. Arms shoulder width apart and legs hip width apart. Keep your head aligned with your neutral spine so that you are looking at the floor and engage your transverse (navel to spine). As you breathe out, slowly allow your trunk to sag as far as you can so that your back is lengthened into an arch position, do not pull down, but let your back relax. Breathe in as you return back to neutral position. (Kneel on the mat on all fours, weight equally distributed between your hands and knees. Arms shoulder width apart and legs hip width apart. Keep your head aligned with your neutral spine so that you are looking at the floor and engage your transverse, navel to spine). Then breathe out as you round your back up at the waist as far as you can by contracting your lower abdominal muscles. Visualise lengthening the spine rather than crunching your lumbar spine as you form a U shape. Lower the top of your head toward the floor. Breathe in as you return to neutral position.	Erector Spinae (Trapezius, Latissmus dorsi, Quadratus Lumborum, Lower back, Abdominal Complex).

Exercises To Avoid

Abdominal Curls with hands pulling on neck * DO NOT PERFORM THIS EXAMPLE *		Muscles
	Avoid clasping your hands behind your head when performing abdominal curls. This will pull on your neck causing stress in the neck and upper back area.	Safe alternative: Abdominal Curl

Double Leg Lift * DO NOT PERFORM THIS EXAMPLE *		Muscles
	Avoid any kind of double leg lift. This is created to strengthen the abdominals. However, hip flexors and lower back muscles perform most of the work in a double leg lift. It also increases the pressure inside the intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine causing lower back pain. This can potentially increase the risk of slip disc in the lumbar spine.	Safe alternative: Abdominal Curl

Note: Always seek medical advice before attempting any new exercise programme and make sure the exercises are appropriate for you and your chosen dance style and schedule.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Laura Stanyer and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.

Core Stability in Dance

 

Core stability is the ability of the postural muscles to control and maintain neutral alignment with or without movement and is the physical foundation of the musclo-skeletal system to control 'neutrals' when moving.

Why is Core Stability Important?

Along side the postural muscles maintaining an upright posture they also work to control and stabilise your centre (trunk) to reduce the work load from the working muscles creating more efficient function. This allows you to dance with a sense of freedom.

Trunk Stability

Various muscles work in co-ordination to stabilise the trunk and they need both endurance and strength to give spinal support, protect the lower back from injury and promote greater freedom of movement especially in the hips.

Core Stability has been described as a box:

• Top - Diaphragm
• Front - Rectus Abdominus, Transversus Abdominus
• Sides - Internal and External Obliques
• Back - Thoracolumbar Fascia, Paraspinals Multifidus Gluteals
• Bottom - Pelvic floor hip musculature

Core stability serves as the centre of our structural support as all movements are initiated from here. Working these muscles correctly will enhance stability and protect the lumbar spine. Often dancers overuse certain muscles and these muscles become dominant and take over the function of another muscle causing muscle imbalances.

Muscle imbalances can be caused by:

• Injury
• Functional misuse (for example, bad posture)
• Faulty training

Muscle imbalance leads to an uneven pull around the joints causing stress, overuse strains and potential risk of injury. Strength and flexibility training helps improve a balanced posture helping to correct muscle imbalances and postural problems.
Maintaining a balance of strength and flexibility of the opposing muscle groups and the co-ordination of postural muscles improves postural alignment and enhances performance. See the additional articles on strength and flexibility.

Benefits of Core Stability Training:

• Greater efficiency of movement
• Increased power output from the centre, trunk and limbs
• Improved body control and balance
• Reduced risk of injury Improved balance and stability

Issues Concerning Core Stability Training

There are concerns that only training the core muscles in a passive way, for example laying on the floor and isolating the transversus abdominus, are not appropriate for specific activities such as dance. The core training needs to be suitable to your training requirements. So if your dance activity involves floor work where you transition from the floor to upright position in rapid motion, for example contact improvisation, you may benefit from floor core exercises. However, if your dance practice remains upright majority of the time you may want to consider core exercises that maintain and improve upright position where the core works in coordination with the upper and lower limbs. Ideally the core can be trained working with and in response to the dynamics of the moving body. Many dance exercises can be considered exercises that train the core as these muscles will naturally be maintaining alignment, while jumping for example.

It may be helpful to engage in floor core exercises as a part of the dance class but not to let this take priority over specific dance training.

Disclaimer: The information contained on this web page is intended as general guidance and information only. Laura Stanyer and its authors accept no liability for any loss, injury or damage however incurred as a consequence, whether directly or indirectly, of the use this information. All advice on this web page should only be used under the supervision of a qualified dance / fitness / healthcare professional.