What Kind Of Exercise Do Male Ballet Dancers Do?

Like other performing athletes, ballet dancers must maintain a certain level of fitness for performance. Like sports, dance performance does not involve a single act; it requires a combination of skills and abilities, according to researchers Yiannis Koutedakis and Athanasios Jamurtas for the Wolverhampton University School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure. While some in the dance world believe that the best exercise for a male ballet dancer is intense dance training only, others believe that supplemental exercise, including aerobic, strength and flexibility training, can improve performance and help reduce the risk of injury.

Physical Fitness

The traditional view on physical fitness for male ballet dancers is that any type of exercise outside of dance training can potentially "diminish dancers' aesthetic appearances" and ultimately affect performance negatively, according to Koutedakis and Jamurtas. While it's true that the exercises male ballet dancers do during dance training help them develop the movement, skill, coordination, posture and flexibility needed for performances, dance training alone may not be enough to improve stamina, strength and cardiovascular health. The definition of true physical fitness is an athlete's ability to meet performance expectations of a certain physical task, according to Koutedakis and Jamurtas. A well-rounded training program can help male dancers develop total fitness, which can help improve overall athletic performance on stage without diminishing aesthetic and artistic requirements, the researchers add. This holistic view of fitness can also lead to better health for dancers and help prevent injuries.

Aerobic Exercise

Like most sports requirements, dance fitness demands aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, as well as a capacity for higher levels of muscle tension, according to Koutedakis and Jamurtas. Further, male ballet dancers must meet certain dance performance requirements not expected of ballerinas, such as lift support for ballerinas, according to "McClure's Magazine." While no single fitness measurement can guarantee successful dance performances, aerobic conditioning can help improve overall endurance and cardio strength, which may lead to better performance. Aerobic activity can also help develop better bone, joint and muscle strength in the lower body, which can help with injury prevention.

Strength Training

Male ballet dancers need muscle strength and flexibility, along with joint flexibility to perform successfully, according to Koutedakis and Jamurtas. One way to develop these attributes is through strength training. Besides being a part of any well-rounded fitness program, strength training can significantly help improve a male ballet dancer's power and agility, according to Norwegian ballet dancer and writer, Henrik. Many male ballet dancers in the 21st century include some type of weight training in their fitness programs. Even though such training is incorporated into exercises in the dance studio, supplemental strength training via the gym can enhance lifts and other powerful ballet moves required of male dancers, according to Henrik, who recommends a weightlifting program that focuses primarily on developing the chest, shoulders and arms.

Flexibility Training

Despite the fact that ballet dancers tend to be more flexible than other performing athletes, many dance injuries occur during flexibility training, according to Koutedakis and Jamurtas. This can especially occur due to flexibility overtraining. Ballet dancers are expected to be very flexible, and male dancers put more flexibility strain on muscles during high jumps and kicks. They are expected to jump and kick higher than ballerinas who rely on toe shoes for lift, according to "McClure's Magazine." Alternative flexibility training such as yoga and Pilates can help male ballet dancers ease muscle tension and develop well-rounded flexibility.