Injury Prevention for Dancers and Gymnasts
In both dance and gymnastics, the body is the instrument — every leap, turn, and tumble depends on strength, flexibility, and control. While these activities build incredible discipline and artistry, they also place high physical demands on the body. That’s why injury prevention is such an important part of training.
Common injuries in dancers and gymnasts often involve the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back — areas that absorb repetitive impact and support explosive movements. The good news is that most of these injuries can be reduced or avoided through proper conditioning and technique.
At Dance It Out & Flip It Out, Ms. Michelle teaches a weekly conditioning class focused entirely on building strong, resilient bodies. Each session includes targeted exercises to improve core strength, stability, balance, and alignment — all of which play a key role in injury prevention. The class also incorporates flexibility and mobility work, helping dancers and gymnasts move efficiently while maintaining proper form.
Beyond injury prevention, conditioning also enhances performance. Stronger muscles and improved body awareness lead to higher jumps, cleaner turns, better control in acro skills, and more confidence overall.
Here are a few exercises Ms. Michelle often includes:
Plank Variations: Strengthen the core and shoulders to improve balance and protect the spine.
Clamshells and Side-Lying Leg Lifts: Build hip strength and stability, crucial for safe turns, leaps, and landings.
Calf Raises and Theraband Foot Work: Strengthen ankles and feet to prevent sprains and support powerful jumps.
Single-Leg Balance Work: Improve control, alignment, and proprioception (body awareness).
Dynamic Stretching: Prepare muscles for movement while improving flexibility safely.
These exercises target the muscle groups dancers and gymnasts depend on most — the core, hips, and lower legs — helping to improve everything from turns and jumps to acrobatic skills.
By training smart and consistently, dancers and gymnasts can perform with strength and confidence while minimizing injury risks.
Join Ms. Michelle’s conditioning class each week or include some of these exercises as part of your daily routine!
