Hey Insiders, and Happy July! Summer is now in full swing so whether you are off to intensives or are taking some time off, let's chat about how to maximize these next few weeks.

SHOULD I STRENGTH TRAIN DURING INTENSIVES??

The short answer, probably not. It ultimately will depend on a number of factors, such as how many days/hours your intensive runs for.... but let's be real-- they don't call them intensives for nothing! The summer months are often filled with MORE hours dancing than during the regular season, so understanding how to care for your body during this time is crucial.

It's important to understand the idea of "periodization," which means organizing your training schedule throughout the year to maximize your results and minimize injury. This means:

More intense periods of dance = do less intense workouts

Less intense periods of dance = do more intense workouts

This helps to create a balance and optimize your recovery time. If you try and increase the intensity of both dancing AND exercise, you will be headed straight for overuse, burnout, and injuries.

But Jenna, won't I loose my strength if I don't workout over the summer!?

I'm glad you asked ;-)

First of all, gaining strength isn't really your goal during intensives, technique is. So don't worry too much about the strength!! If it's something that is still top of mind for you, we can do what's called "micro-dosing" with your exercises with the goal of maintaining your current progress you've made as well as for any accessory exercises that you need for injury rehab, keeping your body feeling good, etc. Micro-dosing is doing short periods of exercise (15 minutes) a few times each week. Again, during those really intense weeks, you may only be doing this 1-2x total (but it's also totally ok to not do it at all if you are already dancing 8 hours/day!!!).

Just remember, taking time off from strength and conditioning is NOT A BAD THING and doesn't make you lazy, especially when burnout is the alternative ;-)

DANCE STRONGER: 3 Month Summer Strength & Conditioning Program

Not sure how to strength train over the summer?? I've got you covered!

This program was designed with your busy schedules in mind, so all the workouts are 30 minutes long and meant to be done 3x/wk. It's purposely not "progressive" in nature, so you can easily go in order, or choose any workout you'd like for the day. Plus, once you purchase it one time it's yours forever, so go ahead and repeat workouts as often as you'd like!

All workouts are housed in an easy-to-use mobile app with minimal equipment so they are accessible to you wherever you are.

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MOVEMENT FOUNDATIONS MASTERCLASS: The perfect option for your summer break!

I may be out on maternity leave, but I've prepped ALL THE THINGS to keep you moving and healthy.

Movement Foundations is my 4 week virtual masterclass to help you connect the science and art of dance. Through weekly pre-recorded videos, you will learn technique foundations through the eyes of a Physical Therapist and former dancer to help optimize your movement and improve performance. This program is for serious dancers who want to:

• Reduce your chance of injury
• Build a resilient body for the future
• Improve specific areas of your technique, strength or mobility
• Prepare for upcoming auditions & performances

The best part is, you will be getting 4 weeks of content for the price of only 1 session with me.. that's basically 3 hours for free!!

AROUND THE WEB

• THE DANCE MIX: presented by Doctors for Dancers. Have you signed up yet?? There's still time to join this innovative event that transforms traditional conventions into a modern experience that prioritizes dancers health & wellness. Get your tickets here!
• IADMS MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Designed to connect undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing further education and careers in dance medicine and science to professional members in the field. The mentorship program fosters a welcoming community for dance science newcomers by enabling experienced members to share their knowledge and experiences with student and recent graduate members, further developing their leadership and mentoring skills. Application Deadline is July 22nd. Apply here!​

Have a great month!!

-Jenna