The best cardio training for dancers

Published: April 18, 2023

Whether you are a professional dancer or doing it as a hobby, it is important you exercise and strive to improve your skills. This journey may be long and exhausting, but there is no better feeling than bursting with energy and health after a long day. As a dancer, you need to take good care of your body. Treat it as an instrument, and after a while, your body will make it up for you. Most dancers become concerned about their health, so they seek assistance from DubaiPT Personal Trainers. We can suggest some of the best cardio training for dancers, while at the same time, you preserve a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

What are the benefits of cardio exercises for dancers?

Cardio exercises have plenty of benefits for dancers. They can help build core strength, improve stamina and endurance, and help maintain a healthy weight. Moreover, cardio training will help prevent injuries, which are common in the dance industry, especially if you are wearing high-heeled and pointy shoes often. Once you build an effective cardio workout routine, you will see how your body is transforming into a dancing machine. Some of the most common cardio exercises suggested by personal trainers are:

• Jumping jacks
• High knees
• Burpees
• Jump rope
• Running or jogging
• Cycling

Opt for low-impact cardio workouts to get maximum results

To be a successful dancer, you must have superior cardio endurance. However, dancing studios often don’t provide enough cardio training to increase your lung capacity. To avoid joint damage, try introducing low-impact cardio workouts into your daily routine.

Walking, swimming, cycling, and jumping rope are usually recommended by personal trainers in Dubai. Only 30 minutes of cycling in the fresh air can do wonders for your body. Do it 2 or 3 times a week outside your regular dancing practice, and you will start noticing the results soon.

Make sure you don’t skip warm-ups!

There’s a reason why all instructors, fitness trainers, and dance directors start their lessons and rehearsals with a warm-up session. Warming up properly prepares your muscles for action, making you less stiff and decreasing your risk of injury. If you are not a fan of classical warm-up exercises, then opt for a more fun version of it, and start doing zumba dancing in Dubai. This is an excellent cardio training that is intense, but it will drag you to the dance floor in an instant.

Work on your core with cardio sessions

Strong core muscles are the foundation for a successful dancing career and the basis for all complicated moves you perform. Therefore, break a sweat with some of the most intense cardio exercises and feel the adrenaline flowing through your body. Your personal trainer will suggest some of the highest-performance workouts, such as yoga, pilates, aerobic exercise, push-ups, and high knees.

Perform yoga style by doing “the bridge” position, engage your stomach by bending your knees, do push-ups, and maintain a plank position at least 20 times a day, and watch how your core is gaining the perfect shape. As a result, you will build up your stamina and lose belly fat.

High-intensity workouts can be used as cardio training for dancers

Dancers can benefit from high intensity workout because it stimulates the strenuous physical demands of performing complex moves. These moves often require short bursts of intense energy. Try using a skipping rope, stationary cycle, or running and jogging at your maximum capacity for 30-second intervals with 5-10 second rests in between to prepare for the dance floor. Your personal trainer will show you how to do the exercises properly, as well as introduce a proper meal plan to follow along with the training.

Resistance training can serve as a good cardio practice

To strengthen and tone your muscles, take a page from Pilates’ playbook and invest in some elastic resistance bands. This is also an excellent method for alleviating pain caused by overworking joints and muscles during dance lessons. Resistance bands are a great cardio workout for the upper body. They are better than weights because they don’t add bulk, which is important for dancers who need to maintain a graceful movement, such as ballet moves.

How to perform the workout: extend an arm out in front of you, holding one end of the resistance band in your hand, and then extend it to your side, stretching the band as you go.

Burpees and Jumping Jack

Burpees and jumping jacks are called “killer cardio workouts”. They can benefit dancers in many ways, but the greatest benefit of doing them is weight loss. To do a burpee, assume a plank position and jump forward by keeping your hands flat on the ground and back straight. Similarly, if you want to spice things up, go for jumping jacks. Put a step or a platform in front of you and jump on it with both feet. Then slowly jump back to the ground. If you are insecure, start with one step, then slowly add one at a time. Finally, watch as your body is getting a perfect shape and relax!

Tips for effective cardio training

To get the maximum out of your cardio workout, you need to follow certain rules and tips. The first and most important tip refers to warming up before the session, as well as cooling down afterward. Doing 5-10 minutes of stretching warm-up will slowly lead you to more intense training. The same should be applied to cooling down.

Next, make sure you have a proper workout duration. Don’t go for lower than 20 minutes, but don’t exceed 60 minutes either. We know you really want to get back in shape, but patience is a virtue. Finally, try to increase the intensity of your workout over time. If you are walking, add 10 % more minutes every week. Once you can walk comfortably for 60 minutes, you can add speed, hills, or intervals. 

Maximize performance and endurance on stage and beyond

Being a dancer means you are constantly on errands. However, before you opt for cardio training for dancers, stop and relax! Give yourself time to refill and get back on track. Let your personal trainer in Dubai design a good workout, be it high-intensity, Zumba dance, aerobic, or burpees. Having confidence in your trainer means you are ready to pave your journey toward a new, healthier, and fitter body!