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Squatting and Dancers

ShaniWulffe
ShaniWulffe Posts: 458 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I am a dancer. I've been trying to get into cross-training to stay in shape, even when I'm "off-season" (so to say). I've started trying squats, but they are terribly awkward for my body. After a few, I end up just doing grande plies in second position (here's the best video I could find as an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1To1WWo1Oo0 ). Is this wrong? I know it's not proper squat form, but if I'm doing it to help my ballet training, then it can't be hurting, can it?

Thanks in advance for the help
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Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    So, let me see if I have this straight...you are doing plies, with weights on your shoulders? Most...hardcore...ballet dancer...ever!
  • ShaniWulffe
    ShaniWulffe Posts: 458 Member
    Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing XD Thanks! So that's not a bad thing, then?
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Mildly confused, aren't dancers flexible?

    Watch rippetoe videos on youtube to learn how to squat proper-like.

    Doing a plie with weight seems like it would put stress on your body in
    improper places and lead to injury.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
    You might want to run this past your dance instructor and not this forum. My friends daughter dances professionally and she isn't allowed to do weights or play most sports because of what it would do to her muscles for one thing plus her flexibility and possible injuries. She's been dancing since she was 4 and is 19 now. I would think it depends on the type of dancing you do, how often and if your a professional dancer or not. But check with your dance coach/instructor.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing XD Thanks! So that's not a bad thing, then?

    I honestly couldn't say, as you didn't indicate how much weight you are using, nor did you give us a video of exactly what you are doing. The instructional video you posted helped to give a vague idea, but we can't really see what you are doing with your various body parts from that video.

    For example, if you are contorting your legs in the exact manner as shown in that video with 225+ on your shoulders, you may be causing minor injuries to your ankles and knees that won't really manifest themselves until they have compounded into a giant ball of owies. However, if you are doing this with relatively light weight, I can't see where it would be any more harmful than an overweight person performing the same movements.

    I've always been a fan of "train for the sport you are participating in", but this is one of those things that could go either way, depending upon a few factors.
  • Jamcnair
    Jamcnair Posts: 586 Member
    Plies target inner thighs more and squats target quads and butt more, I do believe
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    I've been a dancer my entire life. I squat 155 lbs. low, *kitten* to grass, with knees facing forward. you can do it.
  • ShaniWulffe
    ShaniWulffe Posts: 458 Member
    Thanks for the advice, guys. In response to fit4lifeucan2, my instructors are all huge fans of cross-training and weight lifting. They all work as professional dancers when they're not teaching, as well, so there's that

    And to Gallowmere198, I definitely don't squat/plie with that much weight. So thank you for that :)
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Plies target inner thighs more and squats target quads and butt more, I do believe

    Squats make use of all of the musculature in the legs, including adductors.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I've never heard of a professional ballet dancer who did squats with weights, especially a woman. I have a friend who knew a principal dancer in the New York City Ballet. They discussed her routine.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    I've never heard of a professional ballet dancer who did squats with weights, especially a woman.

    there might be many things of which you have not heard.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    I've never heard of a professional ballet dancer who did squats with weights, especially a woman.

    Inb4 "ballet dancers don't want bulky legs".
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I've never heard of a professional ballet dancer who did squats with weights, especially a woman.

    Inb4 "ballet dancers don't want bulky legs".
    Yeah, lifting destroys their line. I'm not a balletomane anymore, but in the past the schools that train professional dancers did not allow students to to do weight work on their legs, especially women. Weight work can over develop one's legs for ballet.
  • EmpressOrange
    EmpressOrange Posts: 40
    You might want to run this past your dance instructor and not this forum. My friends daughter dances professionally and she isn't allowed to do weights or play most sports because of what it would do to her muscles for one thing plus her flexibility and possible injuries. She's been dancing since she was 4 and is 19 now. I would think it depends on the type of dancing you do, how often and if your a professional dancer or not. But check with your dance coach/instructor.

    Back when I was skinny and a dancer, my instructor and my mother ( also an old school hardcore ballerina) also banned me from a lot of sports. I wasn't allowed to roller blade or ride my bicycle too much because it would screw up my form. When I got interested in boxing I was yelled at lol.
    I felt like such a rebel borrowing my friend's roller blades =)
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,855 Member
    I've never heard of a professional ballet dancer who did squats with weights, especially a woman.

    there might be many things of which you have not heard.

    I met a dancer at a major Canadian company who told me all the dancers there were encouraged to do weights. Artistic director liked a muscular look.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Women used to not be allowed to vote or own property either.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Women used to not be allowed to vote or own property either.

    Comparing suffrage to weight lifting might be a little bit...out there, unless we are talking certain middle eastern countries where women have been recently threatened with all kinds of nasty stuff due to competing in weight lifting.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Women used to not be allowed to vote or own property either.

    Comparing suffrage to weight lifting might be a little bit...out there, unless we are talking certain middle eastern countries where women have been recently threatened with all kinds of nasty stuff due to competing in weight lifting.

    Thanks. And the New York City Ballet is one of the greatest ballet companies in the the world. Its feeder school, the School of the American Ballet, produces graduates who go to the best companies all over the world. I know two women who went there as kids and they didn't do leg weight work.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    You might want to run this past your dance instructor and not this forum. My friends daughter dances professionally and she isn't allowed to do weights or play most sports because of what it would do to her muscles for one thing plus her flexibility and possible injuries. She's been dancing since she was 4 and is 19 now. I would think it depends on the type of dancing you do, how often and if your a professional dancer or not. But check with your dance coach/instructor.

    Back when I was skinny and a dancer, my instructor and my mother ( also an old school hardcore ballerina) also banned me from a lot of sports. I wasn't allowed to roller blade or ride my bicycle too much because it would screw up my form. When I got interested in boxing I was yelled at lol.
    I felt like such a rebel borrowing my friend's roller blades =)

    Those restrictions are universal for dance students with professional potential. Certain exercises develop the body in a way that is considered unappealing for dance. The goal is to create a long line.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I think the reason you find it difficult is a mental thing because as a ballet dancer you have trained to always hold your body in alignment, with your bum pulled in and never ever EVER to stick your butt out. So, it is awkward to shift gears and do squats in which you stick your butt way out, and hold your body in a position that goes against everything you have been taught in ballet. But, as others said, there is no reason that you can not learn how to do that and not have it negatively impact your dancing. You should, of course, be careful to prevent injury since as a dancer, your body is your livelihood. But, lifting weights does help to actually prevent injury, and actually improves flexibility. Stronger muscles are more flexible and resilient. Lifting weights does not build "bulky" muscles (especially if you do not have that body type), and if it did then you could just stop or take a step back on the things that are creating an issue for you. It's really very easy to do that. I used to do ballet, but I do not do ballet anymore. I am a professional contemporary dancer. I also lift weights in the ways that are supportive to my fitness and dancing.

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