BBoying and diet.

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Any dancers out there?
I joined the BBoying club at my university and was wondering if I added a protein supplement after my 2 to 3 hour dancing sessions will I get any benefit?

Would I be able to gain some muscle from my activity? Or would I have to do some weight exercises the days I am not dancing?

I just want to gain a better physique so I can do the balancing tricks easier. Though I understand you don't need to do that for balancing; you just need technique. I still want get my body looking fit to some minute degree.

Well not dancing, but I ice skate (trying to be a figure skater) for a tad over an hour a day, 5 days a week currently, along with a little inline skating on the side for an hour or so maybe 3 days a week. I'd like to get into ice dancing or pairs skating eventually. So similar but not quite?

For the protein, anyone who's physically active just doing cardio workouts like running is reccomended 1g of protein per KG of bodyweight, however it can work out to less or more. For me, I found myself just craving protein and just randomly eating entire packages of coldcuts and stuff. You'll probably know if you need protein, but if you wanna use shakes, nothing wrong with it really, but the "rule" is 1g protein per KG of bodyweight if you're exercising just cardio everyday. However, for you, it could be more, as you're doing something that could be more suspension/weight work than that, as skating is for me, and you're going to end up putting yourself into isometric holds, too. So a protein suppliment could help, yes, for me, my entire diet sorta magically ended up working with skating, though.

As for the strength, it'll go hand in hand with balance and technique. If you dedicate yourself to it, and work hard at it, you'll get pretty fantastic results, but if you don't, then you won't. It's a much better idea to pick an activity you find fun, which you did, rather than forcing yourself to do unfun things like weights and treadmills (unless you really love that sort of thing...) It'll all come, and you'll learn what to do if you get into it enough. Just make sure you try hard at it, and do it often. BTW, if you make it a strength training exercise, it could have lots of benefits. Look at male gymnasts, they're shredded, and very flexible, and they usually do only bodyweight exercises, no weights at all. So if you do breakdancing everyday (probably going to need a lot of alone practice) by yourself for an hour, just trying to improve, then you could see really positive results.

Hope this is helpful.

It was helpful thank you very much. Also quite motivational too!

BTW, a good site for free exercise information, the US Army website about it. http://www.military.com/military-fitness/ Seriously, it's really good and it's free from our wonderful government. No anabolic advertisements or anything, haha.

The deeper you get into it, the more stuff you'll learn. Like I don't have a coach or anything for figure skating, but I learned a few exercises by asking a trainer at the gym quickly, he suggested jumping over a weight bench for a couple minutes at a time. I also watched a video about speed skating (which I've tried) and it showed Apollo Ohno's training routine, and it's pretty applicable to figure skating, he'd do things like jumping up a flight of stairs on one leg. Very applicable for power while figure skating. So yeah, if you want the information for what you wanna do, it's out there.

You dont need to take a protein supplement.

For people who want to add a lot of mass (like weightlifters or football players) it can be hard to eat enough good quality protein foods (without getting too fat), so supplements become useful.

For dancing, it is better to be fairly lightweight. Unless you are naturally very explosive/powerful, you will find that extra bodyweight (even if it is muscle) makes it harder to do certain things with the effortless grace of a dancer.

If you eat eggs for breakfast, and involve some meat for lunch and dinner it should be enough protein. If you are already a littly flabby, and are worried that more food will make you fatter. Then a protein supp can be useful. Make sure to get PURE whey protein without added weightgainer, sugar or stimulants etc..

For strength, learn to do things like planche push ups, hanstand push ups, pistols, jumping/backflips etc. If you do ever hit the weightroom, avoid machines and dumbells. Go straight for a barbell and deadlift/bench/squat/overhead press etc. But I really think dancers like this are better off staying light and nimble.