Dance 101: Improving Your Core Strength

Core strength isn’t only integral to dancers and athletes, it’s also required for daily life. Our core allows us to move in any direction while also assisting and maintaining our balance, posture, and overall body strength. When we think of our core we tend to think of just the abdominal muscles, but it also includes the muscles in our back and around our pelvis. There are five main muscles we utilise and engage when working on our core strength. These include the erector spinae (back muscle that extends your trunk), rectus abdominus (the ‘six pack’ muscles), obliques (the side muscles allowing rotation and flexibility), transverse abdominus (wraps around the front and side of your trunk to stabilise the pelvis), and multifidus (back muscle that supports the spine). Listed below are six exercises that will keep these muscles strong, allowing you to stabilise your body and prevent injuries from occurring (and you don’t need any equipment to do them!).

Emily wears the Elysia Crop Top and Sabre Tights in Burnt Scarlet and the Lola Tie Crop in Black from the Viva Collection.

Sit Ups/Crunches

These are a classic core strengthening exercise. When you think of an ab workout, you think of sit ups. The repetition of moving your body up and down works the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques; while also utilising the hip flexors, chest, and neck.

To perform sit ups/crunches:
1. Start lying on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground and hip distance apart.
2. Place your hands behind your ears with your elbows out to the side.
3. Engage your core by thinking of squeezing your abdominal muscles. Relax your neck and shoulders, tuck your chin and lift your upper back off the ground, keeping your lower back, pelvis and feet on the floor.
4. Pause at the top and then slowly lower down to your starting position, without stopping for too long on the ground and repeat. This equals 1 rep.
5. Repeat doing 3 sets of 10-20 reps, depending on the level of intensity desired.

Reverse Crunches

These are an alternative to basic crunches and target different areas of the abdominal region. They focus more on the lower abdominals, particularly the transverse abdominis, and also work the muscles either side of the rectus abdominis.

To perform reverse crunches:
1. Lying on your back, lift your legs in the air with your knees bent. Place your hands on the ground beside you, palms facing down.
2. Without the use of momentum, use your lower abs to slowly curl the hips off the floor and into your chest.
3. Slowly lower them back to the starting position. This counts as 1 rep.
4. Repeat doing 3 sets of 10 reps. You can increase the amount of reps to increase the intensity.

Supine Toe Tap

This is a basic pilates exercise that engages the core and works the glutes, hips and legs. It also places minimal pressure on the spine so is a great exercise to do if you have back pain.

To perform toe taps:
1. Lay on your back and lift your legs off the ground, knees bent to a 90 degree angle. Rest your arms on the ground next to your body, palms facing down.
2. Tighten your core and lower your right foot to the ground and gently tap the floor while keeping your left leg still and back flat against the ground.
3. Raise the right leg back to the starting position and repeat on the left leg.
4. Both sides equals 1 rep. Repeat doing 3 sets with 10 reps.

For an advanced progression, tap both feet to the floor at the same time while keeping your lower back on the ground and maintaining the 90 degree angle at the knees.

Bicycle Crunch

As easy as riding a bike (for some!). This exercise is a great way to target the rectus abdominis and obliques in one easy exercise.

To perform bicycle crunches:
1. Start by lying on the ground with your lower back pressed flat into the floor.
2. Put your hands behind your head, then bring your knees in toward your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground.
3. Straighten your right leg out to a 45 degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow to the knee. Aim to move your ribcage and not just your elbows to really activate the obliques.
4. Switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete 1 rep.
5. Aim to do 3 sets of 10 reps.

You don’t need to move quickly while performing this exercise. Going slowly will focus on form and encourage you to work with your breath.

Side Dips

This exercise is aimed at activating the deep core muscles and obliques. As an added bonus it also works on the arms and back.

To perform side dips:
1. Start in a side plank with your right hand on the floor, underneath your right shoulder with your feet staggered one in front of the other.
2. Engage your core and glutes, allowing your left arm to relax by your side.
3. Dip your hips down toward the ground and lift them back up.
4. Repeat on one side then flip over and repeat on the other side.
5. Do 3 sets of 10 dips on each side.

Mountain Climbers

This builds upon the standard plank with the incorporation of knee movements. It not only works on core strength but balance too.

To perform mountain climbers:
1. Start in plank with your hands below your shoulders and tighten your abdominal muscles.
2. Lift your right knee toward your chest, keeping your back straight and avoiding lifting or dropping your bottom.
3. Return your right knee to the starting position while simultaneously lifting your left knee toward your chest.
4. Continue alternating legs and repeat 3 sets of 10-20 reps.

As with most strength building exercises, it takes time to increase the strength and tone of the abdominal region and our core. With the repetition of these exercises you’ll gradually start to see changes and an overall improvement not only in your dancing, but also in your day to day activities. Consistent training will encourage and support your body to be the best it can be!

If you’d like more core exercises you can also refer to our blog ‘Six Exercises to Support & Strengthen your Back’ . Some of these exercises not only target the back but they also work on improving core strength too!

Article by Sheree Ronai-Horvath
Photography by Elly Ford