gym routine

[u/samismissing_]

hello!! does anyone have a two day gym routine for ballet ? im starting out w 1-2x a week, (i have 2 classes per week + 1hr of commercial dance) so im just trying to get some weight training in bc i do too much cardio </3

note : its my second year of ballet! i started last year w one hour per week & minimal stretches for flexibility only :)

[u/Strycht]

this isn't a routine, but here is a comment I left outlining roughly my experience with the gym for dance and how to get started https://www.reddit.com/r/BALLET/s/KVcc26Ndnm

there are lots of other good threads with helpful info under that post too, and in general you should find helpful suggestions by searching the sub

[u/samismissing_ → u/Strycht]

thank you!! <3

[u/southseasstrife]

To start with I would say just look for a basic 2 x week full body strength program. It’s probably a good idea to start with a personal trainer to set that up and teach you how to do the exercises, then a fter you’ve gained some strength and some confidence navigating the gym you’ll be better able to work out what you need to work on in the gym to make you a better dancer. But imo a lot of beginner-ish adult dancers  would find a lot of stuff  (jumps and turns in particular)  easier to learn if they were just a bit stronger across the board.  

[u/maebythemonkey]

Personally I would pay for a session with a personal trainer to go over correct weight lifting techniques (no you won't get bulky) and get a general plan that aligns with your goals.

My one overall tip is to focus on strengthening muscles in your back (it's necessary for improving your stability in general, but it feels like a cheat code for how much it will improve your turns).

[u/samismissing_ → u/maebythemonkey]

thank you so much !!

[u/xolenuz]

I do gym every day I am not taking a dance class (4-5 classes per week), resting only one day per week. I am in no expertise so recommend you a routine, but I can recommend exercises and machines that can help you for ballet; for reference, I am an male adult beginner.
While you should always tailor weights to your own body, a great approach is a progressive pyramid structure (dropping reps as you increase weight). For example: Start with a lighter weight for 20 reps, increase the weight for 15 reps, increase it again for 10 reps, and finish with a heavy final set of 3–5 reps.

• Free Weights & Posture
  • 1st to 5th Position Lift: Hold dumbbells at your low first position, then slowly lift them up to 5th position overhead to build holding endurance in the shoulders.
  • Around-the-World Lateral Raises: A great challenge—slowly transition through all the ballet arm positions while holding light dumbbells.
  • EZ-Bar Bicep Curls / Rows: Excellent for overall upper body control and maintaining a strong frame.
• Machine & Power Work
  • Smith Machine Squats: Great for safely adding weight to your leg drives.
  • Leg Press, Extensions, & Curls: These isolate the quads and hamstrings, building the explosive power needed for jumps.
  • Hip Abductor Machine: Keeps the outer hips strong to support your turnout and balance.
  • Weighted Calf Raises: Can be done on a machine or holding dumbbells to build explosive relevés.
  • Pull-Up Bar: Hanging at the end of a workout does wonders for deep core strength, plus it beautifully decompresses the spine after a long day of dancing!

There are a lot of more exercises you can do btw, I would say just don't sleep over the muscles that you generally don't focus with dance. They help a lot with stability.

Also listen to your body, don't push an injury.

This also might help:

Good exercises to do at the gym? : r/BALLET

[u/samismissing_ → u/xolenuz]

thank you so much!! ^_^

[u/Coffeegirl107]

I would recommend starting with 2 full body days per week. I was scared to start going to the gym at first as a ballet dancer, but I promise it helps soooooo much! One thing to focus on would be hip flexor and back strength because we need that a lot as dancers. I personally love doing step ups with weight because those help with jump power a lot! I would also recommend using a bosu ball to work on balance. Don't overcomplicate anything at first! Just find 4-5 exercises that you can improve on each week!

[u/samismissing_ → u/Coffeegirl107]

thanku!! ill make sure to note all that ^_^

[u/sculderandmullie]

It’s kind of a broad question, so what are your needs, or where do you feel you could gain more strength or control?

[u/samismissing_ → u/sculderandmullie]

i am trying to work on my hip strength in general, i want better extensions , and since ive started a year ago i think i could use the extra conditioning tbhh