THE BREAK DANCE TRAINING BLUEPRINT: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO AN EFFICIENT TRAINING SESSION
The best path to an effective training session, every time
Discover the best way to get the most out of your training sessions – Every time
Every great dancer knows that consistent training is the best way to improve your Breakin’. However, in order to get the most out of your training sessions (and not waste your time), you should create a structure/layout to follow for each training session.
This guide will give you the blueprint you need to have a successful training session – Every time
This Guide Includes:
The Warm Up
The first and most important thing you should do to start off your every training session is a solid warm-up. I wish I could go back to when I first started training and incorporate a warm-up into my training regimen.
DON’T SKIP THIS!
The warm-up is very important to prepare your muscles, joints, and ligaments and also mentally prepare your mind for the training session. It will allow you to push harder during your training session and prevent possible injuries (trust me, being injured sucks). Don’t make the same mistake I did and just jump into your training session, take 10-15 minutes and do your warm-up first (you will thank me later)
For a more detailed guide on how to properly warm up check out my guide
Set An Achievable Goal
It is important to have a goal for each training session. This shouldn’t be some outlandish goal that won’t happen during one training session (I mean, who wouldn’t love to say they are gonna learn air flares in one session) but rather, you should make a goal that you know can be achieved if you work hard enough in your session.
Outlandish Goal:
Learn Hand Hops in on session
VS
Achievable Goal:
Try to balance in a handstand for 5 seconds 5 times
You can agree that sometimes we need “small wins” in order to stay motivated to keep training. Setting achievable goals for each session will give you those well deserved “small wins” and make sure you see progress from session to session.
You can set an achievable goal for any/all of the categories of your training that we will discuss later.
Example:
Skill Training
Complete 5 sets of 5 repetitions of 10-second handstand holds
Set/Combination Training
Make 2 new 3 move combinations using a CC
Freestyle Training
Utilize a combination you made in this training session in 3 different ways
Take the time to set an achievable goal for the session either beforehand or during your warm up....
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Skill Training
Now that you are all warmed up and have your achievable goal(s) in mind, the first thing I suggest you work on are any individual skills you are trying to improve on. I suggest choosing 1-2 when you first start and then as you become more advanced you can work on 3-5 individual movements
Skill Training is similar to how you would approach a workout. You have a predetermined amount of sets and repetitions or timed holds you will attempt to complete for each individual movement. You will approach each skill as either a dynamic exercise or an isometric (static) exercise.
Sets: The number of cycles of repetitions (reps) that you complete
Repetitions (Reps): The number of times you perform a specific exercise
Rest Time: The amount of time you will rest between sets
Dynamic Exercise: Movements will be done through the full range of motion for a predetermined number of repetitions in a set
Isometric (Static) Exercise: Movements will be held for a predetermined length of time in a set
Example:
Dynamic Exercise
Swipe training: 5 Sets of 5 repetitions of swipes [Rest Time = 1 minute]
Set 1: 5 swipes [rest = 1 minute]
Set 2: 5 swipes [rest = 1 minute]
Set 3: 5 swipes [rest = 1 minute]
Set 4: 5 swipes [rest = 1 minute]
Set 5: 5 swipes [rest = 1 minute]
Isometric Exercise
Handstand Training: 10 Sets of 10-second holds [Rest Time = 1 minute]
Set 1: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 2: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 3: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 4: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 5: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 6: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 7: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 8: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 9: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
Set 10: 10 second hold handstand [rest= 1 minute]
It is important to try your best to use the perfect technique when working on a specific skill. You can easily waste your time (not to mention build bad habits) if you are not executing movements with perfect (or close to perfect) technique during your skill training.
Skill training will take the most energy and concentration, so that is why I suggest you do this first because you will be your strongest in the beginning of your training sessions.
Set/Combination Training
After you finish working on your skills, it’s time to switch your focus to creating new sets/combinations. Similar to setting achievable goals, you should aim for creating short combinations as to not overwhelm yourself with the many options you have when it comes to creating a new combo. You can approach this part of training in many ways.
For a more detailed guide to set/combination creation, check out my guide
(*Coming Soon)”Creating Sets and Combinations: The Guide to Consistent Set/Combination Creation”
Freestyle Training
Now that you have improved on your skills and created some new short combinations, it’s time to focus on utilizing everything you know and just dance. Blast your music and get down for as long as you can to finish off your training session.
Like everything in dance, you can approach this in any way you want. If you are stuck and don’t know where to start, here is one way I like to go about freestyle training
“Three 10 minute Circuits”
Set a timer for 10 minutes
First 10-minute circuit: Toprock freestyle only [Rest as much as you need but keep the timer going]
Rest for 5 minutes
Second 10-minute circuit: Footwork freestyle only [Rest as much as you need but keep the timer going]
Rest for 5 minutes
Third 10-minute circuit: Anything Goes Freestyle [Rest as much as you need but keep the timer going]
Now just because this phase is called “freestyle” training doesn’t mean you can’t throw in your sets or combinations. Just make sure you’re not focused entirely on doing sets and combinations.
Cool Down/Stretch
By now you should be pretty beat and ready to call it a day. BUT WAIT! Before you pat yourself on the back and take off, you should take advantage of your body being warm and do a cool down/stretching routine.
This is not only the optimal time to improve your flexibility, but you will get the added benefit of a faster recovery, which means you can come back to your training sooner.
For a more detailed guide to Stretching, check out my guide
(*Coming Soon) “How To Stretch: The Guide To Getting The Most Out Of Your Stretching Routine”
Continue Your Break Dance Training…
Congrats! You now have a blueprint to follow for each training session. This is just how I treat my training session but, feel free to experiment with a training blueprint of your own.
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