Effects of Exercise Program on Coordination and Explosive Power in University Dance Students

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of a ten-week modern and recreational dance exercise program and trunk and leg muscle strengthening exercises on the coordination and explosive power of student-age female dancers. The total number of participants was 54, of which 27 made up the experimental group who participated in an experimental exercise program and 27 the control group. The experimental group performed Hip Hop and Dancehall dances and trunk and leg muscle strengthening exercises 3 times a week for 90 min each. The control group had no additional forms of exercise other than regular daily activities. The coordination of the participants was evaluated on the basis of six tests (Side Steps, 20 Steps forward Twirling a Baton, Skipping the Horizontal Jump Rope, Turning in 6 squares, Hand-Foot Drumming and Agility test with a Baton) and two tests for determining explosive power parameters (the squat jump and countermovement jump). Results showed statistical significance between the groups in 5 variables of coordination at the multivariate and univariate level (p<.05, p<.01), and in both variables of explosive power at the univariate level (p<.05). A large and intermediate effect size of the experimental program was determined for 5 variables of coordination, and intermediate effect size for both variables of explosive power. The results of this study showed that a ten-week exercise program for recreational and modern dance and exercises for strengthening the muscles of the torso and legs have a positive effect on the changes in the parameters of coordination and explosive power in student-age female dancers.

The Effect of 16 Weeks of Lower-Limb Strength Training in Jumping Performance of Ballet Dancers

“…Previous studies that observed the effect of training programs in the jump height of dancers have also obtained improvements in this variable with values pre-post diverging between 16.9 (2.9) cm and 18.9 (2.7) cm ( p < 0.001, d = 0.36: small ES) pre-post 30 weeks of a plyometric training program and in CMJ with arm swing dancers jumped 21.5 (3) cm vs. 25 (2.8) cm ( p < 0.001, d = 1.21: large), an ES equal to our findings in CMJ ( Mlsnová and Luptáková, 2017 ); 22.50 (4.21) cm and 25.47 (4.95) cm pre-post a 10-week modern and recreational dance exercise program and trunk and leg muscle strengthening exercises ( Stošić et al, 2020 ); 26.93 (2.78) cm and 27.35 (3.06) cm pre-post an 8-week protocol ( Tsanaka et al, 2017 ); and 29.3 (3.2) cm and 33.5 (3.7) cm with a significant improvement ( Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ) aligned with our findings. Still, in studies without interventions, CMJ height values ranged between 23.34 (1.72) cm in dancers aged 15 (1.07) years ( Rojano-Ortega, 2020 ) and 28.29 (3.42) cm in dancers aged 18.94 (1.32) years ( Alvarez et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Other studies also showed significant improvements in the jumping performance of dancers (Wang et al, 2010;Komeroski et al, 2016;Tsanaka et al, 2017;Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019;Stošić et al, 2020) and rhythmic gymnasts (Piazza et al, 2014;Dobrijević et al, 2018;Dallas et al, 2020) as a result of training interventions, and the improvements in jumping performance are consistent with previous findings in ballet dancers (Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019;Alvarez et al, 2020) and in other sports disciplines (Jimenez-Reyes et al, 2016, Jiménez-Reyes et al, 2019. We suggest an exercise prescription based on the individual needs and the physical demands of ballet, jazz, and contemporary dancers as referred to in previous studies (Alvarez et al, 2020;Dowse et al, 2020).…”

“…Some studies observed the effect of training programs to improve jumping performance, either in dancers or in rhythmic gymnastics, which is the gymnastics discipline more equivalent to dance ( Wang et al, 2010 ; Piazza et al, 2014 ; Komeroski et al, 2016 ; Mlsnová and Luptáková, 2017 ; Tsanaka et al, 2017 ; Dobrijević et al, 2018 ; Skopal et al, 2020 ; Stošić et al, 2020 ). Focusing on dance, previous studies have applied for a specific strength training program, for 9 weeks, based on and adjusted according to the force-velocity profile of each dancer ( Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ); evaluated whether a 9-week resistance training program could have a significant effect on the strength and power of the lower limbs in adolescent dancers ( Dowse et al, 2020 ); applied, for 10 weeks, a modern and recreational dance exercise program and trunk and leg muscle strengthening exercises in university dance students ( Stošić et al, 2020 ) and used their ballet classes, modified with a focus on lower-limb strength (reduction in bar duration (from 45′ to 20′) and the petit and grand allegro exercises at the beginning of center work, for 8 weeks, as an intervention to analyze jumping ability ( Tsanaka et al, 2017 ). Regarding the results about the jump height, four studies ( Tsanaka et al, 2017 ; Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ; Dowse et al, 2020 ; Stošić et al, 2020 ) obtained positive results with significant differences, i.e., the applied training promoted improvements in the vertical jump height of the dancer.…”

“…Focusing on dance, previous studies have applied for a specific strength training program, for 9 weeks, based on and adjusted according to the force-velocity profile of each dancer ( Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ); evaluated whether a 9-week resistance training program could have a significant effect on the strength and power of the lower limbs in adolescent dancers ( Dowse et al, 2020 ); applied, for 10 weeks, a modern and recreational dance exercise program and trunk and leg muscle strengthening exercises in university dance students ( Stošić et al, 2020 ) and used their ballet classes, modified with a focus on lower-limb strength (reduction in bar duration (from 45′ to 20′) and the petit and grand allegro exercises at the beginning of center work, for 8 weeks, as an intervention to analyze jumping ability ( Tsanaka et al, 2017 ). Regarding the results about the jump height, four studies ( Tsanaka et al, 2017 ; Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ; Dowse et al, 2020 ; Stošić et al, 2020 ) obtained positive results with significant differences, i.e., the applied training promoted improvements in the vertical jump height of the dancer. Concerning the instrument, two studies have used MyJump2 with ballet dancers, but only one conducted an intervention ( Escobar-Alvarez et al, 2019 ; Alvarez et al, 2020 ).…”

Improving Physical Fitness of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through an Adapted Rhythmic Gymnastics Program in China

“…This may be promoted by aerobic gymnastics, because basic gymnastics has a positive effect on the children's muscular strength and endurance and the explosive power of the upper and lower limbs. Previous studies have shown that aerobic gymnastics has a positive effect on balance ability [29][30][31], body coordination [32][33][34][35], muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility [30,36,37] of the practitioner. Strength, balance, and body coordination contribute to the development of participants' motor skills and physical fitness, which is essential for building a healthier life.…”