In this period of social distancing, many dancers have taken up new forms of cross-training they can do at home. Workouts such as HIIT and yoga can help maintain your conditioning and will reduce the risks of injury once your regular training resumes.

We know that inactivity for just two weeks results in significant muscle atrophy and a decrease in explosiveness, especially in professional dancers and athletes, so staying active is definitely recommended.

But for dancers who haven't done much alternative training before, you'll need to acclimate yourself first. A new training regimen puts different loads and stresses on your body, which can lead to injuries like stress fractures. Here's how you can tackle new activities while staying safe.

Take it slowly
Our bodies, including our bones, are always in a state of breakdown and rebuilding. Stress fractures occur when the repetitive micro-trauma outpaces our healing process. So if you're trying a new cross-training program, you should progress step-by-step.

Some fitness programs include a set of multiple exercises, but don't feel obliged to perform them all in the same setting. You can always break up the pre-set exercise plans and perform part of the session later.

Dancers are not known for cardiovascular fitness, so if you start to feel difficulty breathing, dizzy or nauseous, give yourself a break. Aim to start with 10 mins of training daily and slowly build your endurance up to 45-60 minutes per day.

And always remember to make time for warm-up and cool-down routines.

Listen to your body
Do not be sucked into the no-pain, no-gain mentality; it is wiser to listen to your body and plan your workout with flexibility. If you feel something hurting, it is your body's message to you to be wary of injuring yourself.

Wear the proper footwear
Whether you're cross-training or dancing, make sure you've got on protective shoes. Repetitive microtrauma can occur when we dance or exercise on "poor" flooring. Home surfaces typically don't provide your feet with the protection that a studio's sprung floor does. Of course, it will depend on the type of dance or workout you're doing, but aim for lightweight shoes with good shock-absorption and anti-slip soles whenever you can.

在保持社交距離的期間，許多舞蹈員開始以新的形式在家中進行交叉訓練。高強度間歇式訓練（HIIT）和瑜伽等可以幫助您的身體保持良好狀態，並能減少在恢復常規訓練後受傷的風險。

尤其是對於專業舞蹈員和運動員，短短停止訓練兩星期便足以導致明顯的肌肉萎縮及爆發力下降。因此，我們強烈建議您不要停止訓練活動。

對於過往沒有接受過不同訓練的舞蹈員來說，他們首先要使自己適應新的訓練方式。因為新的訓練方式會給身體施加不同的負荷和壓力，可能因而引致傷患，例如壓力性骨折。

以下是一些進行新訓練時的安全建議：

循序漸進
我們的身體（包括骨骼）長期處於分解及重建的狀態。當重複受到微創傷的速度比癒合更快時，就會導致壓力性骨折。所以，如果您正在嘗試新的交叉訓練，應該循序漸進地進行。

有些健身方案包含一連串的訓練，但您無須把它們一次過全部完成。您可以把鍛煉計劃分拆開，稍後再進行其餘部分的訓練。

舞蹈員的心肺功能並不特別出眾，所以，如果您在訓練時感到呼吸困難、頭暈或噁心，請稍作休息。開始訓練時，嘗試先以每天10分鐘為目標，再逐漸增強耐力，直至每天訓練可達45至60分鐘。

還有，切記要騰出時間來進行一貫的熱身及緩和運動。

聆聽您的身體
不要老想著「沒有痛楚就沒有收穫」。您應該聆聽自己的身體並靈活地規劃鍛煉。謹記痛楚是身體給您的警號­——提醒您不要弄傷自己。

穿合適的鞋
無論在進行交叉訓練或是跳舞，請確保您已穿好防護鞋。當您在「質素參差」的地板上跳舞或鍛煉時，可能會重複導致微創傷。一般的家用地板不像專業排舞室的彈性地板，不能為您的足部提供保護。當然，這亦取決於您的舞蹈或鍛煉類型。但無論如何，請盡量選擇具有良好減震功能和防滑鞋底的輕便鞋。