LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE:
Hey there, dance and fitness enthusiasts!
I just wrapped up an exhilarating podcast episode on "Athletistry: Ballet Evolution," and I'm buzzing with the energy and insights we dove into. I wanted to take a moment to distill some of the rich content we explored, especially regarding a topic that stirs much debate and curiosity: Can you gain strength without bulking up, especially in the context of dance? Let's unpack this.
Firstly, I di
scussed the delicate balancing act between gym training and performance schedules. As a dancer, I've learned the hard way that overtraining is as detrimental as undertraining. During peak performance periods, I’ve started to dial back my gym sessions from five days a week to just one or two. This isn't about stopping; it's about controlling the effort to ensure I’m recovered enough to thrive during these intense times.
Once the curtain falls on the performance season, that's my cue to hit the gym with renewed vigor. This rhythm helps maintain my body, prevent injuries, and optimize peak performance when it's showtime, then allows for rebuilding and progress afterward.
The million-dollar question that I always get is about gaining strength without increasing muscle bulk. My answer? A resounding yes. While some muscle growth, or hypertrophy, is inevitable with increased strength (since we do want those muscles supporting our joints and absorbing force), it doesn't equate to becoming a bulky bodybuilder.
So how do we navigate training to achieve that? We can focus on muscular endurance, hypertrophy, and strength in different phases of our training. For someone new to the gym, a bit of hypertrophy training might be beneficial initially, just to prepare the muscles for the heavier loads to come. Remember, hypertrophy is about increasing the size of each muscle cell, not necessarily multiplying them, which leads to the visible 'bulk'.
During the podcast, I detailed the nuances of training types:
Hypertrophy training involves 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets with slow eccentric movements.
Strength training requires heavier weights, fewer reps (3-5), with ample rest time between sets.
Endurance training is about higher reps with lighter weights, often with a time-based, circuit-style approach.
As for my training schedule, I blend these methods throughout my regimen, sometimes micro-phasing my routine in two-week sprints of focused hypertrophy or strength work. I underscored the importance of not becoming too bulky for aesthetic reasons in dance but highlighted that some of the strongest individuals I've met are not necessarily the most muscular.
An aspect I can't stress enough is the role of nutrition. Building massive muscle mass requires a significant calorie surplus, which, for us dancers, isn't practical. Our caloric burn is high, and meeting that with a surplus would take an extraordinary amount of food. And let's be real—between rehearsals and performances, who has the time (or the stomach) for that?
Wrapping up the episode, I emphasised the value of tracking our training workload. It's vital to understand how to scale back when necessary to allow our bodies to support us instead of breaking down. Cross-training should enhance our dancing, not hinder it, by fortifying our strength, bolstering endurance, and, yes, even facilitating a bit of muscle growth to support our joints.
So there you have it, folks. My latest podcast episode was a deep dive into the world of strength training for dancers, and I hope you found it as enlightening as I did. Remember, whether you're in the studio or the gym, it's all about training smarter, not harder.
Till next time, keep dancing and stay strong!