Dance Trainer Q&A – Cross Training for Lindy Hop

Welcome to Dance Trainer Q&A.  Where dance and fitness come together.  If you have general fitness/workout questions, or fitness related to dancing, this is the place for you.  Questions will be answered and posted every Tuesday.

Q: “What do you think are the best cross-training activities for Lindy Hop?  A lot of dancers are also runners, climbers, or dabble in other styles.  What kinds of things can we focus on to train up our dancing while we’re having fun with other exercises?”
-Jeff

A:  The short answer is that any activity that is physically active and will keep your interest and motivate you to be consistent will help your Lindy Hop.  Most people become complacent and consider a night out dancing to be their exercise.  Yes it’ll burn some calories, but the better and more efficient you become at dancing the less you are working.  And unless you dance almost every dance to keep your heart rate up, it shouldn’t count as your exercise.

If you’re serious about it, here’s the real answer.  Lindy Hop is the most athletic social partner dance I’ve come across.  The best approach to training would be to train like an athlete.  This means a combination of cardio (aerobic and anaerobic), flexibility, stability, speed and agility, endurance, and strength.  Here is a list of activities that are great to train your dancing:

-Hiking
-Jogging/running
-Climbing
-Yoga
-Pilates
-Resistance/Weight training
-Biking
-Swimming
-Martial Arts
-HIIT training (High Intensity Interval Training)
-Dance/Group Fitness

Any good training program will have a mix of these.  Focus on any one activity will limit your progress.

Linda Hop consists of aerobic (basic social dancing) and anaerobic (fast songs and jams) cardio needs.  Flexibility is important for any type of dancer and will also help maintain your body.  Stability and joint recruitment is important for body control and balance.  Muscle strength and endurance will also enhance your dancing and help you move with greater ease.  Speed an agility drills are also perfect for Lindy Hop.

Any new activity you do will recruit new muscles and work your body in different ways.  There’s no one type of exercise that a Lindy Hopper should do.  Like an athlete, a well rounded program is best.