Adding plyometric training to our workout

Group 2 of NYSSSA School of Dance students in the weight room last night! 

In addition to the exercises mentioned yesterday, some students also incorporated plyometric training to their workout with some box jumps.  Plyometric training incorporates speed training by exerting muscular contractions in a short amount of time -- moving from an extended muscle to a contracted one, quickly.  We can train with this "explosive" quality, which for dancers will help us to move with speed while remaining efficient when traveling through space. 

Here's a box jump: 

Then you can simply step down to repeat a second jump back up onto the box/platform, or jump back down to continue the action without stopping. 

REMEMBER: If you have any kind of alignment issues, like knees or arches rolling when doing a squat or plie, or any previous ankle or knee injuries - like sprains, to be extra careful during plyometric training.  You'll wan to start with some balance training first, then work up to these short burst, high power exercises.  

 

Try a single leg balance reach, like the photo below, standing on one leg then bending and straightening the standing knee (tracking the knee over your laces while stabilizing) taking the leg front, side, and back.