These are strengthening and conditioning exercises that we periodically do during warm-ups. It is important for dancers to be both strong and flexible so they can dance their best and their bodies are better able to handle what Highland expects from them.

Dancers always stretch following these exercises.

Core Buster

Plank for 2 minutes *make sure back is straight (bum is not up in the air or down too far)
40 singles of "deadbugs" *push your belly button into the ground and do these slowly
20 mountain climbers
8 Burpees with leaps
16 Squat jumps *knees need to be over middle toe with thighs pressed back

Blood Pumper

High knee runs for 30 seconds-1 min
Wide second bent knee hold-1 min
Bumb kick runs-1 min
Wide second squat jumps-16 *knees over middle toe
Bird dog to opposite arm's elbow touching opposite leg's knee-20x total
Downward dog to push up 8x
Bird dog holds (10 seconds 4x each side)

Elevation

Plank for 2 minutes *make sure back is straight (bum is not up in the air or down too far)
R side plank (push hips forward so chest to knees is straight)-30 seconds
L side plank-30 seconds
R side plank-30 seconds
L side plank-30 seconds
Switching leg lunge jumps 20x
Sitting in Z position lift back leg then twist to the other side-8x each side
Frog jumps in 3rd changing feet 16x
Stand feet together legs straight & bend at waist holding arms then lift to flat back then repeat to hang 16x *use core to go to flat back to not injure/strain back

Core to the Floor

Side plank on knees each side 2x *remember side plank technique from "Elevation"
Plank-2 minutes
20 singles of 4 count dead bugs (1, 2, 3, 4, switch 2, 3, 4)
Sitting on bum with legs bent and lifted, twist your core to touch behind you going from side to side-20 singles
Log lift (laying on stomach lifting chest off the ground) with arms in 3rd position-20x
One legged butt lifts (lay on back, bend knees, straighten one leg so it is no higher than the knee of the other, lift your bum off the ground)-8 on each side
Sideways squat walks (aka "crab walks")

Jump Technique

Plank-2 minutes
Wide second squat jumps-20x
One legged butt lifts-10 each side
Lunge twist squats with hans on head (go into lunge position [knees bent, feet both pointing forward] then twist to the side of the bent knee to look behind you)-8x each side
Turned out then turned in tondues (pointing to the front and coming back to feet parallel) *when pointing out to the front, the dancer should take about 8 slow counts to go through the flat foot to ball of foot to 1/2 point to full point and then reverse for another 8 counts
Jumps-16 in 1st, 16 on one foot, 16 on the other, repeat

All the Strength

Plank variation (on hands for 1-2 on elbows for 3-4)-2 minutes
Side planks-1 minute each side
One legged butt lifts-20 each side
30 second Mountain Climbers
Downward dog position then raise your leg (8x each side)
30 second Lunge Stretch Holds-4 each side *both feet facing forward with knees lined up with middle toe & core should be engaged so back is not arched
30 second Mountain Climbers
2 legged butt lifts-10 second holds 8x
Plank variation-1 minute

These are strengthening and conditioning exercises that we periodically do during warm-ups. It is important for dancers to be both strong and flexible so they can dance their best and their bodies are better able to handle what Highland expects from them.

Dancers always stretch following these exercises.

Core Buster

Plank for 2 minutes *make sure back is straight (bum is not up in the air or down too far)

40 singles of "deadbugs" *push your belly button into the ground and do these slowly

20 mountain climbers

8 Burpees with leaps

16 Squat jumps *knees need to be over middle toe with thighs pressed back

Blood Pumper

High knee runs for 30 seconds-1 min

Wide second bent knee hold-1 min

Bumb kick runs-1 min

Wide second squat jumps-16 *knees over middle toe

Bird dog to opposite arm's elbow touching opposite leg's knee-20x total

Downward dog to push up 8x

Bird dog holds (10 seconds 4x each side)

Elevation

Plank for 2 minutes *make sure back is straight (bum is not up in the air or down too far)

R side plank (push hips forward so chest to knees is straight)-30 seconds

L side plank-30 seconds

R side plank-30 seconds

L side plank-30 seconds

Switching leg lunge jumps 20x

Sitting in Z position lift back leg then twist to the other side-8x each side

Frog jumps in 3rd changing feet 16x

Stand feet together legs straight & bend at waist holding arms then lift to flat back then repeat to hang 16x *use core to go to flat back to not injure/strain back

Core to the Floor

Side plank on knees each side 2x *remember side plank technique from "Elevation"

Plank-2 minutes

20 singles of 4 count dead bugs (1, 2, 3, 4, switch 2, 3, 4)

Sitting on bum with legs bent and lifted, twist your core to touch behind you going from side to side-20 singles

Log lift (laying on stomach lifting chest off the ground) with arms in 3rd position-20x

One legged butt lifts (lay on back, bend knees, straighten one leg so it is no higher than the knee of the other, lift your bum off the ground)-8 on each side

Sideways squat walks (aka "crab walks")

Jump Technique

Plank-2 minutes

Wide second squat jumps-20x

One legged butt lifts-10 each side

Lunge twist squats with hans on head (go into lunge position [knees bent, feet both pointing forward] then twist to the side of the bent knee to look behind you)-8x each side

Turned out then turned in tondues (pointing to the front and coming back to feet parallel) *when pointing out to the front, the dancer should take about 8 slow counts to go through the flat foot to ball of foot to 1/2 point to full point and then reverse for another 8 counts

Jumps-16 in 1st, 16 on one foot, 16 on the other, repeat

​

All the Strength

Plank variation (on hands for 1-2 on elbows for 3-4)-2 minutes

Side planks-1 minute each side

One legged butt lifts-20 each side

30 second Mountain Climbers

Downward dog position then raise your leg (8x each side)

30 second Lunge Stretch Holds-4 each side *both feet facing forward with knees lined up with middle toe & core should be engaged so back is not arched

30 second Mountain Climbers

2 legged butt lifts-10 second holds 8x

Plank variation-1 minute