What You'll Learn
- How to use dead-lifting actions to increase functional hamstring flexibility.
- Stability exercises including single-leg deadlifts to support balletic alignment.
- Targeted inner thigh engagement techniques using curtsy pliés.
- Preparation methods for more effective and safer extension stretches.
About This Video
Achieving powerful jumps and high extensions in ballet requires more than just flexibility; it requires targeted conditioning. In this 10-minute session with Broche Ballet, we dive into the specific muscle groups that power your movement: the hamstrings and the inner thighs. This focused workout is designed to build the functional strength necessary to support your technique at the barre and in the center.
We begin with a series of 'Good Mornings' to engage the posterior chain. By using a hinge movement at the hips with the legs in a parallel position, you create a deep stretch and strengthening effect in the hamstrings. This dead-lifting action is essential for dancers who want to increase their active range of motion.
For an added challenge to your stability and upper back alignment, we explore variations with hand placement behind the ears, encouraging a slight arch in the upper spine. Moving into unilateral work, we perform single-leg deadlifts. This exercise not only isolates each hamstring but also challenges your core stability and ankle strength.
Keeping the working leg turned out with the toes pointing toward the floor ensures that you are engaging the correct muscles while maintaining balletic alignment. The second half of the class focuses on the inner thighs. We utilize curtsy squats, also known as curtsy pliés.
By crossing the heel of one foot behind the other and squeezing the inner thighs together—imagine holding a thin piece of paper between your legs—you activate the adductors effectively. The goal here is not depth or speed; rather, we focus on constant inner thigh pressure to warm up the muscles for later extension stretches. Regular conditioning of these areas is the key to unlocking higher extensions and more controlled movements.
Whether you are a beginner looking to understand your body better or an advanced dancer needing a quick, effective maintenance routine, this 10-minute conditioning class provides the tools you need to succeed.
