I am on summer break right now, and I am worried about losing some of the strength that I gained last year. Do you know of anything I can do during my time off to maintain my leg, back, core and arm strength? Is swimming good for strength training?
Being on summer break is a great time to cross-train. Swimming is an excellent cardiovascular activity and works the upper body nicely. Getting some consistent cardiovascular work followed by some relaxing yoga or stretching on your own would be ideal. I had a male student in class last semester who, over winter break, went from not touching his toes to putting his hands on the ground as he slowly and consistently incorporated stretching into his routine. He wasn’t taking any dance classes during the break either, just working out on his own. Breaks are the time to bring balance into your life, and they make returning to dance classes so much more enjoyable!
To your success,
Deborah Vogel
Director, The Body Series
Got a question for Deb? E-mail askdeb@dancemedia.com, and she may answer it in an upcoming web exclusive.