The Study
Effects of 12 weeks of complex training on lower limbs strength and power in collegiate dancers
This study compared two kinds of workouts for dancers and found that one kind made them jump higher and stronger than the other. But it didn’t measure if they danced better—just how high they jumped. So we know the workout changed their body, but not if it made them better dancers.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested whether mixing heavy squats with jumping exercises (complex training) helps male dancers jump higher and land more powerfully than just doing weights alone.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 563 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — these improvements mean dancers can jump higher and recover faster between moves, which could make their performances more dynamic and controlled.
- 2Dancers who did complex training jumped 19.4% higher, improved explosive power by 31.6%, and reacted faster after landing by 7.2% compared to those who only did weights.
- 3Both groups got equally stronger in squats.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Related Content
Claims (6)
Training with weights at 70–85% of maximum capacity results in larger increases in maximal strength and power than training with lighter weights.
Male collegiate dancers who undergo complex training show a 31.6% increase in specific anaerobic performance during explosive movements, reflecting greater efficiency in the stretch-shortening cycle.
In male collegiate dancers, gains in lower-limb power from complex training do not result in better dance technique or artistic performance, because those outcomes were not assessed.
In male collegiate dancers with no prior strength training experience, twelve weeks of combined resistance and plyometric exercises performed twice weekly leads to larger increases in jump height and reactive strength compared to traditional resistance training alone.
Complex training improves explosive power in male collegiate dancers but does not produce the same improvement in female collegiate dancers, and findings from males cannot be applied to females without further study.
In male collegiate dancers with no prior strength training experience, complex training and traditional resistance training result in the same increase in maximal lower-limb strength, measured by one-repetition maximum squat and isometric mid-thigh pull.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.