Why Former Dancers Need to Stop Stretching and Find a Strength Coach

I have a friend who was a former high level dancer until her career was cut short by injuries. One day she told me her hip was hurting.

“Oh really?”

“Yeah… it’s kind of a long story. You probably wouldn’t be interested.”

But I was interested. Turns out she, like any athlete serious about their sport, did anything and everything she could to continue training. She even coerced a doctor into writing her dance coach a

letter saying it was safe for her to keep training. But it wasn’t safe for her to continue.

Now, at the ripe old age of 23, she’s plagued by hip pain that arises whenever she tries to exercise.

The benefits of chronic exercise cannot be overstated, and I’m sure you’re aware of them: a healthier heart, lower blood pressure, muscle strength, muscle endurance, and a sharper mind. But is working out really the right decision if you get hurt every time you try to get sweaty?

Are all former dancers doomed to be hurt every time they try to exercise?

Is there a safer exercise solution for them?

There is, and it’s called weight training.

But not just any old weight training. You see, building muscles seems super simple. I know because when I first got into the field, I thought I knew everything I needed to know. Turns out that I knew nothing, Jon Snow.

And there are 10x the amount of things that a trainer needs to know when training former dancers. For example, did you know that extreme flexibility reduces your body’s ability to know where it is in space?

That’s why I tell all former dancers who I supervise to stop stretching.

Stopping stretching alone does not solve any problems, but when combined with weight training and a coach’s keen eye for movement, you have a fighting chance at working out pain free again.

If you’re a dancer who needs a coach, send us an email and let’s get you in for a movement assessment.