Ballroom Dancing is one of those forms of dance where we don’t have to fit a single body aesthetic. In that sense, we’re lucky. But we do need to be in shape. Whether you’re tall and skinny or short and curvy, that’s ok. No matter your body type, you need to be in be best shape possible. That takes time, effort, and adherence to fitness and diet. A lot of people don’t think dancers need to diet or go to the gym. That’s just plainly wrong. I want to take a moment to address the top 5 most common fitness myths about dancers.
Common Fitness Myths About Dancers #1
“Dancers have to be skinny to be successful.”
Ballroom dancers don’t have to adhere to a single aesthetic! We are so lucky. Unlike ballet dancers or members of the Rockettes, ballroom dancers can come in all shapes and sizes and still be successful. This is definitely one of the common fitness myths about dancers that need to be debunked.
In ballroom dancing, it often comes down to strategy. Couples can make certain choices with regards to costuming and choreography style to best showcase their strengths and hide their weaknesses. Sure, it’s nice to be seven feet tall. It certainly helps you get seen by the judges. But that height comes with a sacrifice. The tall willowy couples are not able to show as much speed and athleticism as the “little guys”.
You don’t have to be skinny, but you do have to be fit. In fact, in ballroom dancing we prefer fit over skinny. Women are supposed to have curves. Men are supposed to have muscles. So matter your body type, just be in the best shape possible. Fit is the new skinny.
Common Fitness Myths About Dancers #2
“You’re only skinny now because you’ve always been skinny.”
Ok, this one really gets on my nerves. I am not a naturally skinny girl. Small, yes. Skinny? Nope. I have to watch what I eat and work hard, day in and day out, to maintain my 24” waist. It ain’t easy! So when someone spouts off one of those common myths about dancers, it’s all I can do to just grind my teeth.
I have never understood why people think this way. It’s hard work to maintain a body that is both “skinny” but also fit to perform at a high athletic level. I started working out when I was 15 and I haven’t stopped since. For me, there was no choice. I was a chubby teenager!
So while I know it’s not meant like this, I can’t help but take offense to this statement. I’ve worked hard pretty much my entire life to achieve the body I have now. A lot of other dancers and women are in the same boat. Please don’t demean us by flippantly remarking that we “must be naturally skinny”.
Common Fitness Misconception About Dancers #3
“You do so much physical activity, you don’t need to diet.”
Are you kidding me? If you knew how strictly I have to diet to maintain my body, you would swoon. I follow body-builder dieting principles. That’s how strict I am! And that’s exactly why common fitness myths about dancers like this HAVE TO GO.
When I say I follow body-builder dieting principles, I am really not kidding. I have calculated my daily caloric intake using a calorie calculation. Not only do I know what percentage of macros I need to eat, I count those macros down to the gram. I also know how much of each macro I’m supposed to eat when eating 100%, 80%, and 60% of my daily caloric intake.
Yeah, I’m exact. So don’t mess with me.
Common Fitness Myths About Dancers #4
“With all that dancing, it’s unnecessary to go the gym.”
Wrong again! Dancing is a highly physical activity, but we are going for precision when we practice. That means we practice the same movement over and over and over. When we do the same movement again and again, it can create some pretty gnarly misbalances in our bodie. And when our bodies are our instruments, we can’t afford to be misbalanced. That’s why these common fitness myths about dancers are simply not true.
Enter the gym. Sometimes we go to the gym to correct certain misbalances in our bodies. However, sometimes we just need to get stronger. There are a lot of cross-training exercises that can be done in the gym that help us gain that slight upper edge. We can use the gym to increase stamina as well.
Talk to any athlete. We all do extra cross-training in the gym. It’s amazing how being a little bit stronger from those gym exercises can increase your performance. So for some, dancing might be their exercise. And that’s ok. But for career competitors like us, we need to supplement.
Common Fitness Myths About Dancers #5
“I shouldn’t lift weights because that will make me bulky and dancers are supposed to be skinny.”
Again with the skinny? Ballroom dancers don’t need to be skinny! We just need to be fit! Besides, this is one those common fitness myths about dancers that are actually untrue on so many levels. Lifting weights does not automatically make you bulky. And let’s face it, some of you dancers out there could benefit from a little bulking up here and there.
When it comes to my body, for example, I have to lift weights to keep myself in shape. I focus my weightlifting on two areas of my body: upper legs and back. For my core I do a lot of bodyweight and calisthenics.
This is a pretty common myth for dieting and fitness training as well. First of all, muscles are beautiful. I’m not talking about looking like Arnold or the female version. I simply mean, beautiful cut muscles. You need to lift weights to achieve that gorgeous cut look. And there’s nothing wrong with it. So please don’t run screaming when you spot those weights.
Most Common Fitness Myths About Dancers Debunked!
Hopefully I’ve successfully disproved those terrible common fitness myths about dancers. If you like my article please share it on Pinterest or Instagram… or both! Why not! And don’t forget to subscribe to my email list in order to receive updates on my newest blog posts. More posts about diet and fitness are on the way!
Have you run into any myths or misconceptions that you just felt so badly needed to be disproved? Let me know! And leave me a comment below!
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