Strength Training for Dancers: CORE

Dancing involves the use of the entire body – arms, legs, feet, shoulders, hips. At the core of all these movements is, well, the core.

Imagine your body as a tree. The core would be the trunk that stabilizes the roots, branches, and leaves. Without a strong trunk, a tree cannot grow and flourish.

The same is true for dancers. A strong core is important in not only being to move through a routine but to avoid injury and pain afterward.

Why is Core Strength Important for Dancers?

A dancer’s core is their body’s entire support system.

The core surrounds and supports the spine and pelvis and connects the upper body with the lower body.

The core involves more than the visible abdomen muscles. It consists of the deepest layer of ab muscles that stabilize the spine and pelvis. The oblique muscles facilitate side-to-side movement as well as body rotation. The top ab muscles help the body bend forward and backward. The pelvic floor muscles stabilize the spine and diaphragm.

Together, this system controls all the movements of the body, including the torso as well as the arms and legs.

Dancers use their core to help control the body’s movements and maintain a center of gravity when moving through different positions.

If a dancer’s core is weak, it creates a potential for shoulder, hip, knee, and lower back injury.

Easy Body Weight Exercises to Strengthen Your Core

As you begin, try to repeat each of these exercises about 5 times. As your core strengthens, you can build up the repetitions to 10-15.

Be mindful of your body and its limitations. While strength exercises involve pushing your muscles, you do not want to overextend them and cause damage.

Generally, once your body feels like it cannot complete another repetition of an exercise, it is time for a break.

Here are some easy bodyweight exercises you can perform in order to improve your core strength:

Plank

Assume a pushup position. Bend your elbows, place your forearms flat on the floor and point your toes toward the ground.

Tighten your abs and keep your back straight as you hold this position for as long as possible.

Reverse Crunch

Lie on your back with your legs fully extended, arms at your sides and palms on the floor.

Move your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Keep your feet together and breathe in as you pull your knees toward your chest.

Roll your pelvis backward and raise your hips and upper back off the floor.

Hold this position for 1 to 2 seconds. Exhale as you release your body to the beginning position.

Butterfly Sit-Up

Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together. Bend your knees out to the side and reach your arms above your head.

Tighten your abs and roll your body up to a sitting position. Reach forward and touch your toes.

Slowly lower back to the starting position and repeat right away.

Superman

Lie on your stomach and extend your arms and legs. Raise your head, your right arm and your left leg about 10-15 cm off the floor.

Hold this position for a count of three. Lower your arm and leg back to the start position. Repeat with the left arm and right leg.

Bridge

Lie on your back and bend your legs at a 90-degree angle. Rest your feet flat on the floor.

Lift your hips and back from the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.

Take Care of Your Core

Improving your core strength greatly benefits your ability to learn and perform dance steps and moves.

For more information about dance classes or core exercises, please contact Elite Dance Studio today!