As a young dancer, growth spurts are an inevitable part of your journey, and while they bring exciting changes, they also present unique challenges. The rapid increase in height and changes in body proportions can lead to awkwardness, a loss of coordination, and even injury. It’s important to know and understand about these changes, but don't worry—there are ways to dance through these changes with confidence. Strength training is a key tool that can help you navigate your growing body, stay injury-free, and keep improving your dance performance.
The Growth Spurt: What’s Happening in Your Body?
Around age 11 for girls and 13 for boys, you’ll experience a rapid phase of growth called the adolescent growth spurt of up to 8cm per year. Your limbs will grow faster than the rest of your body (muscles & tendons), making it harder to control your movements. This is when big jumps may start to feel awkward, and your balance may feel off. Unfortunately, these changes also increase your risk of injury, especially if your strength doesn’t catch up with your new height.
Why Strength Training Is Crucial
While your bones, muscles, and body size change, your ability to control your movements may decrease, especially during jumps, turns, or high extensions. This is where strength training comes in. It helps your muscles adapt to your new body proportions and improves coordination. Importantly, the goal of strength training during adolescence isn't about lifting heavy weights but focusing on muscular control, balance, and endurance. Building core strength can also protect your spine, which is especially vulnerable during this time.
How Strength Training Helps You Stay on The Dance Floor
Improves Stability and Balance: As your body changes, your balance might feel off. Strengthening your core and lower body can improve your ability to stay grounded, especially during challenging moves like pirouettes or jumps.
Prevents Injury: Without proper strength, your longer limbs become harder to control, increasing the risk of injury to your ankles, knees, and spine. Targeted strength exercises help you regain control and support these vulnerable areas.
Boosts Coordination: Growth can lead to a temporary loss of coordination, but strength training can improve the way your muscles work together, so your movements become fluid again.
Strengthening Your Core: Developing a strong core is key to managing the biomechanical changes in your body. Core stability exercises, like planks and bridges, help protect your spine and improve your overall technique.
Balancing Your Training: Don’t just focus on flexibility—strength training is just as important. Strengthen both your upper and lower body to maintain symmetry and control.
Work with a Professional: Seek guidance from an exercise professional or dance physiotherapist who understands the unique demands of dance during adolescence. They can create a safe and effective strength training program tailored to your growth.
Phillips (1999, p.g 71) suggested the following guidelines while you are doing Strength Training:
Preclude physical and medical contraindications.
(Seek) instruction and ensure proper technique.
Warm-up appropriately, but guard against excessive stretching.
Begin with exercises that use low resistance and body weight and establish trunk control.
Train all major muscle groups ensuring movement in all directions is equally balanced and do not over ..do.. flexion.
Exercise the muscles through their entire range of movement.
When using weights or machines, progress from light loads and high repetitions to moderately heavier loads that still allow a relatively high repetition rate – ask an exercise physiologist for a tailored program for best results.
Cool down with moderate stretching of all major muscle groups.
Heed sharp or persistent pain as a warning and seek medical advice.
Conclusion
Dancing through a growth spurt doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
By incorporating strength training into your routine, you can overcome the challenges of growing limbs, maintain your coordination, and reduce your risk of injury.
Remember, every dancer’s growth is unique, and with the right support, you can continue to develop your technique and shine on stage.
Let Dancewright guide you through your growth spurt.
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References
Phillips, C. (1999). Strength training of dancers during the adolescent growth spurt. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 3(2), 66-72.
Stacey, J. M. (1999). The physiological development of the adolescent dancer. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, 3(2), 59-65.
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