OR NOT TO SQUAT TO SQUAT
by LISA GIANNONE, PT, KINESIOLOGIST. photos by CARLYN STRANG
There was a time , not long ago, that dancers didn’t train muscles outside the studio or stage. A divid- ing line between the type of training deemed necessary or ‘appropriate’ for sports versus dance existed. Dancers didn’t avail themselves of the science, training, and physiology embraced by other physical sports. Times have changed. Athletes in every sport are using strength and power training to improve performance. The
rules and science of physiology and training can apply across physical dis- ciplines. Moving with strength, coor- dination, balance, and explosiveness is the same in pointe shoes, bare feet, or cleats. Muscles don’t know if they are contracting for a jump in dance or basketball. Training your body, if it’s a moving machine, changes the way you work and feel. But reluctance remains in the dance world, justified and not, when it comes
to training other than with very spe- cific dance movement. Worry over interfering with turnout actions, dis- rupting lines, and developing too much tone or bulk is still very much a concern in dance. But all train- ing is not created equal and some of those concerns may be the unintended result of misdirected, non-nuanced, or generic training approaches. Independent of the central question of “to train or not to train” lie many
other questions about structuring a program best suited for dancers. What does “training” mean? How does it look, why, and how do we do it? Train in parallel, or avoid it? Use added resistance, like weights or machines, or only body weight? Most importantly, how do I do it all safely and specifically: build strength and endurance, protect against injury, prolong my career, and enhance my performance? If you can
reach outside of traditional dance training to better achieve these goals, it’s all possible. There comes a moment in a dancer’s career path, maybe related to injury or sense of physical vulnerability, an internal inkling or an urging from a dance teacher or director, when the thought comes to mind that perhaps, just maybe, I should consider training. For years we’ve seen reports of NFL and NBA players doing ballet,
Pilates, and yoga; world champion boxers dancing to enhance footwork and balance. These competitors learned that moving slightly differently than their norm was paying huge physical dividends. Take that successful concept of training outside the dance norm and the traditional boundaries of class with repetitive relevés, pliés , center and jumping, and apply it to professional dance and ballet. Training with differ- ent stresses can relieve the repetitive
COMMON COMPENSATIONS
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SQUAT FORM
Victoria Wright and Diego Cruz with Lisa Giannone
Sideways view of precise form: clear angles at ankle, knee, and hip; “vertical” upper body and upward head/gaze maintained; continued “stand up” tension at knees and quad tension. Goal for holding the squat should be 60-90 secs, with 3-4 sets as you gain strength.
Legs have moved out of pure parallel and thus less able to isolate quads at goal level; she is also avoiding bowing at the limbs/knees.
Flex at ankle, knee and hip, which drops your torso straight down. Posture maintained, back in soft extension, hands light on knees, creating upward “standing” tension at knees with quads.
The key to executing a squat with precise form is the start position: “tall,” held spine with good posture; stance just slightly wider than shoulder-width; gaze forward/upward.
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In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
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