EFFECTS OF EIGHT WEEKS PILATES TRAINING ON JUMP PERFORMANCE AND LIMITS OF STABILITY IN ELEMENTARY DANCERS

Abstract

Dance is not only a performing art, but also a highly rigorous athletic sport that is one of the most physically and mentally demanding athletic sports in the world (Shah, 2008). Dancers are a unique group of athletes in that they execute physically challenging movements while making them look beautiful and artistic. This performance ability requires a high level of fine motor control, strength, flexibility, and core stability. Pilates is a kind of conditioning which was used to exercise the body flexibility, muscles strengthen, and body alignment. It is suggested that the Pilates is good for joint flexiblity and core strengthing, however, limited study was conducted to evaluate its benefits on jump and postural stability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of eight weeks Pilates exercise training on jump performance and limits of stability (LOS) in elementary dancers.