Dance Advice

Strength training: Why dancers should embrace resistance bands

Image by benzoix on Freepik.

When it comes to strength training, resistance bands are a smart, dance-friendly option — and for good reason.

They are ultra-portable and budget-friendly, lightweight and compact enough to slip in a dance bag, yet effective enough to deliver resistance without breaking the bank (Cleveland Clinic Peloton). Unlike cumbersome weights, bands let dancers train anywhere: the studio, at home, or on the road on tour.

Bands allow training in every direction, engaging the full body: muscles, nervous system and fascia – key elements for agility, coordination, and fluidity in movement. We are designed to move in 3D with variation in motion, and training for dancing especially so.

The ability to create resistance in gravity neutral positions enables effective rotational and core-focused work. Rotation is the most powerful movement we have, and it really lights up the core muscles.

Band work requires control with eccentric loading of movement (crucial for controlled landings and tissue tolerance) and developing explosive power in jumps, turns, and dynamic transitions as it allows for quick motion.

Bands come in varying loads, from light to heavy, so dancers can tailor intensity, reach volitional fatigue, and still ensure enough stimulus for adaptation (PMC SELF). They can be used well for light load and rehab style work through to heavier strength requirements.

Resistance bands have also been well-researched, tried, and tested; a 2019 meta-analysis found they produce similar strength gains to traditional weights (PMC SELF). It isn’t a new fad product on the market!

For dancers specifically, bands shine in hip strength and turnout training. Simple exercises to target hip flexors and deep external rotators and gluteal muscles can produce effective results for kicks, leaps and balance. Research from the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) highlights the importance of balanced hip strength for both injury prevention and improved performance – a demand resistance bands meet efficiently.

Resistance placed closer to the hips and pelvis is better for hip strengthening work, however, as ankle weights can place more stress along the whole leg and knee due to moving a long lever.

Some limitations to note

#1. Difficulty quantifying and progressing load: Unlike weights, it’s hard to know exactly how much resistance you’re using, which can make tracking progress tricky (GoodRx).

#2. Durability concerns: Bands vary in quality; lower-grade rubber or bands kept in the sun or not used often may snap, posing injury risk (Cleveland Clinic GoodRx). ‘Naked bands’ (no fabric cover) are also more of an injury risk if they snap.

#3. Inconsistent resistance curve: The elastic resistance increases with stretch, often providing too little tension at the start and too much at the end (or vice versa, depending on the movement) making it hard to replicate or compare workouts.

#4. Limits for heavier strength development: Bands have a maximum resistance ceiling. For advanced dancers seeking maximal strength or hypertrophy, bands alone may eventually fall short compared to heavy free-weight training (Garage Gym Reviews Peloton SELF).

Resistance bands offer a versatile, cost-effective, and dance-specific way to build strength, movement quality, and core stability. They’re especially great for rotational work, eccentric control, and variability of movement training. To really maximise results, however, it’s wise to supplement them with other training tool, particularly as strength thresholds increase. We will touch on this in the next article.

Videos and examples of bands in action

Deep turnout training – using the band to add resistance to our turnout muscles: