Just Dance

Help your athletes dance their way into shape.

By Jen Jones

Photography by Joshua Targownik; hair and makeup by Elizabeth Cantore

Tank and pants by Lululemon Athletica (lululemon.com)

Dance and cheer go hand in hand, so it’s no surprise that dance conditioning moves can help athletes reach their physical peak. “Conditioning is a great way to prepare for national competitions,” says Eva Redpath, a Toronto-based fitness expert and personal trainer. “Not only will it put your body in top performance shape, but it can also prevent or rehabilitate injury.”

To help your athletes shimmy their way to better health, we asked Redpath and Jaclyn Butterfield, dance director of Costa Mesa, CA-based Team OC Training Center, for their rockin’ recommendations. Get ready to move into the fitness groove with the step-by-step instructions below!

Power Plié

Benefit: No dance-based workout would be complete without pliés. Dancers use these conditioning pliés to add airtime to their jumps, and so can your athletes.

1. Have the student start in first position.

2. She should lift up onto the balls of her feet, keeping her thighs squeezed together.

3. Have her slowly lower into a plié, then raise back to standing position—keeping her heels raised the entire time. She should repeat the same movement four times. On the fourth repetition, Have her hold at the midway point and perform eight tiny pulses. Have her repeat the complete sequence with her feet parallel rather than turned out.

Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10

Training Tip: Make sure she keeps her pelvis tucked under her rib cage, keeping her body in line. For best results she should avoid sticking out her butt.

Gravity Stretch

Benefit: The crew at Team OC swears by these splits for staying flexible. “These stretches can really help your athletes’ toe touches—either in Basket Tosses or on the ground,” says Jaclyn.

1. Have your athlete lie down on her back with her butt against the wall and legs raised to a 90-degree angle.

2. Keeping her legs against the wall, she then opens to a middle split.

3. She should hold the stretch for at least one minute, then lower legs closer to floor, and hold for another minute.

Sets/Reps: She should repeat this for two more minutes.

Training Tip: Have her keep her feet turned out the entire time.

Criss-Cross

Benefit: A big part of getting long, lean dancer lines is toning the legs—and this exercise is tailor-made to do just that. Your student’s inner thigh muscles will thank her.

1. Lying on her back, the athlete should raise her legs to a 90-degree angle. Make sure her feet are positioned one in front of the other, in fifth position, and have her point her toes.

2. Using quick beats, she should criss-cross her legs twice, and then throw her legs open into a middle split, keeping them turned out.

3. She should then raise her legs back to a 90-degree angle, with her opposite leg in front, and then repeat.

Sets/Reps: 2 sets of 16

Training Tip: Make sure she performs this exercise at a fast pace, keeping her legs long and straight as she goes.

All About Attitude

Benefit: Your athletes can say sayonara to muffin-top and hello to toned glutes with this challenging move! Another benefit is improved Arabesques and Scorpions.

1. Have your student start in a sitting position, with her left leg in front of her and her right leg behind her. Both should be bent.

2. She should place her hands on her front knee, and squeeze her right butt cheek so that her knee and leg come off the floor.  Have her repeat the sequence on the other side.

Sets/Reps: She should repeat the lift eight times, holding it on the eighth count. Keeping her knee off the floor, she should flex her foot and push backward eight times.

Training Tip: Make sure she keeps her glutes squeezed as she goes.

Do the Twist

Benefit: Core power is a must for all moves, and this yoga-esque move is sure to strengthen your athlete’s center.

1. Have your athlete reach both arms forward as she lowers and bends into a full squat. Make sure she doesn’t extend her knees over her toes.

2. Once she’s as low as she can safely go, have her shift forward onto her hands, keeping her knees bent.

3. Have her take one leg and thread it between her other leg and arms. Then he should lower herself into a push-up as she pivots her standing foot so that her heel touches the ground. For a more advanced movement, have her extend the bent leg out and flex her foot as she lowers into a push-up. She should return to a crouched position. She’ll repeat the move and crouch with the opposite leg.

Sets/Reps: 2 sets of 5

Training Tip: During the “thread and crouch” portion, be sure she bends her elbows and uses her arms to absorb her body weight.

Penchés with Panache

Benefit: Your athlete will feel like she’s in ballet class with this balancing act. “Not only does it improve her balance, but she’ll also be working core stability and toning her hamstrings, glutes, back and arms,” says Redpath.

1. She should start with her feet shoulder-width apart. Have her lift her right leg behind her, keeping it straight.

2. While she’s hinging forward at the hips, have her lower her upper body until it’s parallel to the floor and continue to raise her left leg toward the ceiling while she reaches forward with her left arm. She should raise her right arm to the side before slowly lowering her back to her starting position.

Sets/Reps Have her perform eight repetitions, and repeat on the left side. Continue until she’s completed three sets of eight on each side.

Training Tip: Make sure she keeps her body as straight and still as possible throughout her exercise. If she’s having trouble balancing, it’s ok to add a slight micro-bend in the standing leg.