Physical Conditioning

How do you improve your stamina for competition? Any work outs like weight training that would improve one’s physical endurance?

I was exhausted during and after four rounds in a comp recently.

1. Building aerobic capacity.

2. Strengthening the muscles that are used in dancing - weight traning,pilates etc..

I'd include yoga because it really helps with your breathing/lung capacity.

if you simply want to increase stamina then do more aerobic activity; aerobics in its various forms (obviously), or running, cycling, swimming.

if you want to improve your balance and natural abilities then yoga, pilates are really good core development exercises.

if you want strength then hit the weights.

Dancing is not really a cardio activity (except maybe the viennese waltz). While doing really intensive cardio really helps, you might want to do interval training to simulate rounds... Like get on a machine run hard for 1.5 minutes, rest for 15 seconds, run again for 1.5min, rest and so on. It's really more like dancing rounds than doing 30 minutes of straight cardio or something.

Weights do help but don't overdo it by building bulk. Strength is good but bulk is not. Yoga/Pilates in some forms also build strength but not bulk. They also build core strength, which helps with balance, and flexibility. I don't do yoga now because I still need to lose some weight but once I do that through cardio, I plan to take up more yoga to maintain and tone more...

Rounds with 2.5 or 3 min dances. Several rounds back to back. It will amaze you how easy 90 seconds is if you do more on a regular basis. This will also show you what breaks down first when you become fatiged.

ditto the interval training comment.

my regimen for off-the-dancefloor training includes:

1. weight training (with a trainer but easy to learn yourself) 2 times a week (hard), plus weight-bearing calisthenics 2 more times/week (pushups, dips, crunches, pull/chinups)

2. pilates 1-2 times/week

3. cardio training 3-4 times/week (i use the elliptical machine because my knees are shot)

ditto the interval training comment.

my regimen for off-the-dancefloor training includes:

1. weight training (with a trainer but easy to learn yourself) 2 times a week (hard), plus weight-bearing calisthenics 2 more times/week (pushups, dips, crunches, pull/chinups)

2. pilates 1-2 times/week

3. cardio training 3-4 times/week (i use the elliptical machine because my knees are shot)

Click to expand...

Do you use light weights when doing the weight training? And how long in each session do you exercise on the elliptical machine?

having formerly lifted significant weight....let me emphatically encourage lighter weights...as bulk really diminishes flexibility...not to mention being a bad look if you happen to be female as in my case....as for the elliptical....I do 30 minutes five times a week with arm movement and moderate resistance....

I do the following:
Pilates: 3 days/week, 30 minutes each time
running: 3 days/week, 33 minutes each time (in the process of working up to 45 min)
weight training: 2 days/week, approx 20-30 minutes each time
yoga: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time
aerobics/calisthenics class: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time

It helps.

sunderi said:

I do the following:
Pilates: 3 days/week, 30 minutes each time
running: 3 days/week, 33 minutes each time (in the process of working up to 45 min)
weight training: 2 days/week, approx 20-30 minutes each time
yoga: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time
aerobics/calisthenics class: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time

It helps.

Click to expand...

Eh...that's 11 days/week!! Wow, tons of exercise....

O.K., i admit, i should definately try to fit in some exercise to my routine....

sunderi said:

I do the following:
Pilates: 3 days/week, 30 minutes each time
running: 3 days/week, 33 minutes each time (in the process of working up to 45 min)
weight training: 2 days/week, approx 20-30 minutes each time
yoga: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time
aerobics/calisthenics class: 2 days/week, 45 minutes each time

It helps.

Click to expand...

wow :notworth:

wait, what's calisthenics?? maybe i should just :google: it??

just echoing what others say....I don't get tired at comps b/c they are not beyond my usual workouts which, as posted elsewhere, include:

mon:1 hr tae bo
tues a.m. 30 minutes abs and buns...1 hour cardio w/interval weights
tues p.m. 1 hour step aerobics
wed: 1 hour step aerobics
thurs: repeat of tues

plus three 1 hour private lessons and three groups...and practice

I also get 8 hrs of sleep, take a multivitamin and carb load before comp

About weight training - as a woman, you don't have to worry about "bulking up" unless you

- get really serious about it
- have the body type/genetics/hormonal makeup that causes quick bulk with minimal effort.

Don't worry about keeping your weights low and reps high unless you have previous experience with "getting too big."

Most women vastly undertrain with weights because of unfounded fears that heavy weights will produce unwanted mass. As a result, many of us waste our time in the gym with puny 5-lb dumbbells, doing dozens of ultimately worthless reps.

The best way to keep your flexibility is to stretch religiously and seriously and studiously - not to limit the other physical activities you do. Weight training is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body over the span of your life (not just during your dancing career . Note that very many pro's do weight train, if that makes you feel better.)

Conversely, the best way not to "bulk up" is to cut your body fat percentage, and weight training is one of the very best ways to do that. In combination with serious cardio training, stretching and of course dancing, it should be a pillar of your physical conditioning regimen.

My own cardio routine - I manage 30 minutes of hard *interval* training on the elliptical machine 4-5 times/week. Interval meaning: start at medium intensity, then go up a notch in intensity every minute until you max out, then drop back down to medium for a brief "rest" and start over.

Interval training keeps your interest level up (in my case because I have to pay attention to the machine settings), improves cardiovascular fitness, increases speed, improves overall aerobic power, burns more calories, helps you break-through a plateau, increases workout duration, enables you to reach new exercise levels, expands your workout options and increases your workout threshold.