Want to strengthen your body, increase your flexibility, build your balance? All while you also improve your latin dances? With some additional residual endorphins to feel good…. ALL of that in just 5 minutes a day! What are you waiting for? Let’s go!
Exercise #1: Planking Taps
2 sets of 10 reps. (1 rep = tap left and right)
Rest 10 seconds in between sets.
Benefits: All Powerful Full body Strengthening.
Tips:
1. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders.
2. Keep neck neutral (don’t look towards your feet).
3. Bring back to the center of the body without moving anything else
Exercise #2: Ball Presses
2 sets of 15 reps. (1 rep = both heels up and down)
Rest 10 seconds in between sets.
Benefits: Builds Core Balance. Strengthens Ankles, Feet and Calves for better leg lines.
Tips:
1. Keep your heels as high off the floor as you can.
2. Keep your spine tall.
3. Keep your knees straight.
4. Pause briefly when both heels are up.
Exercise #3: Toe Squats
2 sets of 15 reps.
Rest 10 seconds in between.
Benefits: Builds Balance. Strengthens Pelvis and Quads for stronger leg action.
Tips:
1. Keep your heels as high off the floor as you can.
2. Don’t stick your butt out.
3. Keep your tail bone pointing towards the floor.
4. Don’t hunch over. Keep your spine straight.
Exercise #4: Seated Twists
2 sets of 15 reps. (1 rep = twist to right and left)
Rest 10 seconds in between.
Benefits: Isolation of the ribcage. Increase flexibility in the back. Helps with building a strong and stable frame.
Tips:
1. Sit on the edge of the chair with both feet planted firmly on the ground.
2. Keep the towel taut and elbows straight throughout.
3. Don’t let any butt cheek creep up. Push your bum into the chair throughout.
4. Focus on engaging the abdomen and back muscles.
Exercise #5: Hip Twists
2 sets of 15 reps. (1 rep = twist left and right)
Rest 10 seconds in between
Benefits: Increase Isolation of the ribcage. Build flexibility in the hips/ side body.
Tips:
1. Keep the towel taut throughout, so the upper torso doesn’t move around.
2. Keep shoulders parallel to the floor.
3. Focus on squeezing the abdomen and back to deepen the rotations.
4. Keep your spine and head tall.
A last word about ways to improve your latin dances:
Cross Training is an important element for any sport. It builds muscles and activates muscle memory in a more targeted manner that is very effective for when you get back onto the dance floor. The point of these exercises is to create internal resistance, without the use of any weights. So, the slower and more controlled you can do them, the more you will reap their benefits to improve your latin dances.
Any questions? Feel free to leave me a comment below!
PS: I love planking and all it’s variations! If you’d like a post about planking, drop me a note!
Comments