Stamina training - what do you do?

[samina]

That sounds about right, ee. And it must be done without "effort", tension or contraction...tough to do.
I know there is a way of dancing Standard with more ease than effort...but Standard is very challenging to one's energetic system. After a long practice session, a one-round "final" can be pretty intense.

[elisedance]

we've been practising up to three finals in a row because we're now entering both pre-champ and champ (dancing up - hope we don't get our wings clipped ) so its quite possible to get a semi, a final and then the second final in a row.  Things get more tense but energy wise easier once you are in championshp only..

[samina]

i think that's a great idea, elise. i recall having silver and dancesport scholarships from a quarter and semi, and the rounds alternated for some reason (instead of having gold or open interspersed). i made finals for everything, so i think it was... what, 7 consecutive rounds? oy vay...

i know i've heard that "proper standard should be effortless and easy" but... my legs were shaking like crazy those last couple rounds. i had to dig so deep for that last final. had to make a prayer out of it and "go to my happy place".

[elisedance]

thats an interesting issue - even though dancing gets easier it still uses a lot of energy - perhaps its the adrenalin that takes it, I don't know.  Or maybe you alwys use the same amount its just that you go further with the same input - bet thats it...

[samina]

thats an interesting issue - even though dancing gets easier it still uses a lot of energy - perhaps its the adrenalin that takes it, I don't know.  Or maybe you alwys use the same amount its just that you go further with the same input - bet thats it...

well, certainly taking tension out of the body at a deep level will make everything easier... will make everything go further on the same energy. and that has been a big thing for me...

[QPO]

yes the other thing we are doing, is that when we practice, we take up proper shaping every time (we use to worry about the feet and not concentrate on the top line) and maintain it during each dance we do.  Then stop go through what did not feel right and start again, always resuming proper shaping. this way we hope to build the stamina to hold it on the comp floor.