10-Minute Ballet Splits Follow-Along: Post-Class Active Stretching

Mastering the splits is a milestone for many dancers, but it requires more than just passive stretching; it requires a strategic approach to muscle activation and alignment. This 10-minute follow-along routine from Broche Ballet is designed specifically to be performed after your ballet class while your muscles are warm and receptive. We focus on the core components of a beautiful, functional split: the hip flexors, hamstrings, and lower back.

Throughout this session, you will be guided through active stretching techniques that do more than just pull on the muscle. By incorporating heel pushes and releases, you will learn to activate the hamstring in a lengthened state, which is key for both safety and progress. We begin in a square lunge, emphasizing the importance of keeping the back leg parallel. Turning out the back leg too early can bypass the deep hip flexor stretch necessary for a true ballet split.

You will also work through half splits and deep cambré movements. Using a cambré back while in a lunge or half split helps to integrate the upper body and lower back into the stretch, mimicking the lines required in advanced adagio work. For those who aren't yet reaching the floor, we discuss the use of blocks or hand placement to maintain proper posture and a neutral tailbone.

One of the most effective techniques covered is the 'draw-in' method. By pulling your legs toward each other while in the splits, you engage the inner thighs and pelvic floor, which actually allows the nervous system to release the muscles further. Whether you are working toward your first flat split or refining your over-splits and cambré positions, this quick daily routine provides the professional structure needed to see real results in your flexibility and ballet technique.