Dancing as training

**dde698** · 10-01-2007 10:13 AM

Hey, ive been training for bout 4 months now, although not as often as i wish, due to work, holidays etc. Now im back at university i wanna really throw myself back into it regularly and i was wondering if anyone had used some sort of dance class to improve balance coordination and the like. Im asking as someone who is not particularly naturally co-ordinated in that sense, although 4 months of jump rope has improved this beyond measure. Would this type of exercise on top of normal training be beneficial or a waste of time?

**Gutbuster** · 10-01-2007 06:39 PM

Personally I found richard simmon's tapes to be especially helpful for my boxing training. Dance Your Pants Off and Sweatin' To The Oldies were particularly invaluable. Do those for 45 minutes a day for a month or two and your footwork will be nasty.

**fightinfireman** · 10-02-2007 12:52 AM

ohhhhh, lord.

just stick to running and jumping rope

like this but quicker

ICB · 10-02-2007 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by fightinfireman

ohhhhh, lord.

just stick to running and jumping rope

like this but quicker

Nothing wrong with dancing i use it for a part of my training aswell you can get good rhythm learn coordination get lighter on your feet and also get a bit of stamina aswell and plus its fun to do.

**Blackvenom-2001** · 10-18-2007 03:52 PM

You will laugh but I started taking ballet for this very reason... well the fact that I am the only guy in a class of 20 college girls doesn't hurt either...haha...

But I have been absolutely amazed at how much my balance has improved and how much easier it is to stay light on my feet... an added bonus... I am a lot more limber and don't tweek muscles near as often...

Oh yea... one last comment... if you think ballet is for pussy's you ought to try it once. I am in the gym four days a week at the least, do my road work and after the first two ballet classes I hurt like nobody's buisness...

It is amazing what some of those girls can do... haha... get your mind out of the gutter...

Blackvenom-2001

**donnydarkoIRL** · 10-18-2007 04:14 PM

Luis Collazo and a number of other fighters utilise Pilates as a way of stabilising the core and strengthening their bodies.

**Sugar_Shaw** · 10-18-2007 07:25 PM

After the first Bowe fight, Holyfield started trainig with a 70+ year old ballet teacher

**Andre** · 10-20-2007 08:36 AM

I vote yes too.
People who stick to the basics usually stay basic fighters.
Not many fighters are naturally connected between their arm movment and footwork,its the key to mastering any fighting style.Others not so nimble end up having to rely on other strengths to get by or win.
Watching the undercard last week on the Barrera fight there was a young man forgot his name (began with L) who they were commenting on his fast powerful jab for the whole fight .(IT was a fight that he won easily and they said he should of finished it and taken the other guy out and made his mark that night).
Anyway ,watch that fight again and watch his feet only as he throws his jabs and rear lead shots ,it is his whole body and footwork that make him the fighter he is. Every move backs everything up that he does. A better pro fighter could of caught him over commiting eventually but he combines all his movment all at once so he is faster comming in with added momentum of weight behind each punch.
Watch for the transferance of body weight between his feet as he lands heel rolling to toe style on both, with a skip inwards as he lands the shot. Thats dancing.

**LUCKY_13** · 10-20-2007 04:20 PM

My first trainer, Sonny Kearney, once turned on some old waltz music in the gym and started 'waltzing'. I laughed at him and he goes to me 'Aye, a man who can't dance...won't last in the ring.'

Truth.