Dancers are fit, right? Well, maybe not. While they are fitter than your average office worker, they are not as fit as many athletes. As discussed in the previous issue of Dance Australia, dance class alone is not really enough training to physically prepare you for a career in dance.
It’s ironic but increasingly understood by dance schools and companies. Choreography and technique have become increasingly athletic, but dance class itself has not changed for hundreds of years. One result of this is the the introduction of Pilates and other types of body conditioning into daily regimes. Even so, while these methods are fantastic for strengthening the body, they do not provide for aerobic fitness.
Aerobic fitness or capacity describes the functional capacity of the cardiorespiratory system (the heart, lungs and blood vessels) – the engine of your body. Aerobic capacity is developed through exercise that makes the heart speed up and the lungs work harder, like running or jumping, and expanding your body’s capacity to take up oxygen. To improve your capacity, cardiovascular exercise should be performed for at least 20 minutes, several times a week...
This is an extract on the best ways for dancers to increase their fitness in the December/January issue of Dance Australia. OUT NOW!