What You'll Learn
- The technical difference between a ballet plié and a standard fitness squat
- How to properly engage the inner thighs using crossing and squeezing techniques
- Active hamstring conditioning exercises to improve control and leg height
- Proper hip alignment and hinging to protect the joints while building strength
- Core and upper body integration to support standing leg exercises
About This Video
Achieving the grace and power of a professional dancer requires more than just artistic expression; it demands a foundation of functional strength. In this 7-minute conditioning session from Broche Ballet, Julie guides you through a targeted routine designed to fire up your inner thighs and hamstrings—two of the most critical muscle groups for proper ballet technique. The workout begins with a focus on alignment and the fundamental difference between a fitness squat and a ballet plié.
While a squat involves a distinct hip hinge, a proper plié requires the hips to stay level and the pelvis to remain neutral. By mastering this distinction in second position, you ensure that you are engaging the correct muscles to support your turnout and overall stability at the barre and in the center. Moving into inner thigh work, you will practice specific squeezing and crossing movements.
Julie highlights the importance of pushing your hips forward between your feet as you descend to maximize the stretch. By incorporating curtsy-style crosses—where one knee snuggles behind the other—and maintaining the back foot on the toe, you create a deep, functional engagement that translates directly to better jumps and faster footwork. Hamstring conditioning is equally vital for leg height and control.
This video covers active stretching where you hinge at the hip, keeping the knees soft to avoid strain while maximizing muscle activation. You will learn to use a flexed foot to reach higher heel heights, engaging the hamstring fully. To further challenge your core and balance, Julie introduces arm placements that engage the shoulder blades, turning a simple leg exercise into a full-body stability challenge.
Whether you are working on your extensions or looking for more power in your jumps, these seven minutes of focused work provide the conditioning necessary to elevate your practice. Join the Broche Ballet community and start building the strong, supple legs required for beautiful dancing.
