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Question: Ballet Strengthening and Flexibility help!?
Hello, well I am a late starter to ballet, (15 started 4 months ago) and though I can pick up many of the steps quite quickly, it is difficult for me to balance with moves such as preparation for pirouette, (sorry I often forget the terms) Pas De Bourre and others!. I know that now that I am older, way older, it is more difficult for me to become more flexible and such, but I would really like to improve my balance, strength and flexibility!. I would also like a better turnout!. So, can you give me some tips and exercises for a stronger core, better flexibility and turnout!? Thank you very much, I very much appreciate it!. also, what are some great foods to eat for this!? Thanks, and sorry for the length of this =)Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
crunches!.!.!. lots of crunches!!!
do them before you eat breakfast in the morning!.!.!. I usually do a 20 minute strengthening routine involving 300 crunches ( 50 in regular sit up position feet on the ground, 50 legs in table top, 50 legs straight up in the air pilates v, 50 legs in straddle, 50 legs in butterfly, and then 25 side crunches for each side), then usually some lower ab work such as leg dips (keep legs up in pilates v, slowly lower for 8 counts keeping abs engaged and spine touching floor, then slowly raise for 8 counts), I usually do 30 of those since they burn :) and also inner thigh beats, around 50 of those, then i end in a 2 minute plank and do 200 releves on the stairs (put the balls of your feel on a step so that your heels hang off and do releves that way, it stretches sooo well!)
after my strength routine i do 15-20 minutes on the treadmill medium speed to build endurance and burn calories!.
after that I stretch!.
so i usually spend around an hour!. Its a great way to wake up in the morning, and targets all three things you were saying, strength and flexibility will definitely improve from the exercise and stretching, and the releves will help your ankle strength which will help with your balance!. Just practice practice practice! I think someone else mentioned froggy stretch, its the best way to improve your turnout!.
If your studio offers pilates take it! Its the ideal strength training for a dancer, it helps build lean muscle and will make you STRONG!!!
General Nutrition
always take a multivitamin and a calcium supplement to prevent muscle cramps, eat the maximum servings of fruit and vegetables per day, try to eat only lean meats and proteins, and less sugars and carbs, though multi grains and complex carbs are okay!. I find eating 5 smaller meals a day helps to prevent sugar crashes for me, and I always try to have protein with every meal!.
some good pilates sites:
http://pilates!.about!.com/od/pilatesmat/t!.!.!.
http://pilates!.about!.com/od/pilatesexerc!.!.!.
go on youtube and search 'pilates exercises'
you're guaranteed to find tons of good videos demonstrating, but a pilates class is really the best!.
hope this helps!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Gaynor Minden has a book called the dancer;s dozen which has 13 exercises to help with strengthening, turnout, ect!. You can get it at www!.discountdance!.comWww@QuestionHome@Com
okay, so I started dancing when I was 12, then I started to compete when I was 13!. At the studio I went to, it was required that we take a stretching class when we were competing!. That class really helped me, and now I am a contortionist, and a gymnast!.
Anyways, STRETCH DAILY!!!!!!
trust me, it does help, no matter how much it hurts!. focus on splits, front bends and back bends: the fundamentals of all flexibility!.
start working out to help build core strength!. do a ton of crunches!. do push ups to help improve your upper body strength!. anything else you can think of will probably benefit you!.
to help your turn out, i would suggest sitting in the froggie stretch http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=6YzNvL8da!.!.!.
eat lots of fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy products!.!.!.!.
God luck! Hope This Helps!Www@QuestionHome@Com
for balance just stand on rise as much as possible and try not to look around to much!. for strength you just need to practice alot!. and flexibility just stretch all the time, after dancing of course!. what i do is jump in Parallel for 8 counts, then first for 8 counts, then Parallel second for 8 counts, then second for another 8 counts, then alternation between first and second for 16 counts!. then hopping (got to point your toes or it doesn't do much!.) on each foot counting down from 16 on each foot to 2 on each foot!. do it over and over again!. i know its painful but it builds up your calf muscles really quickly, and gte you heart pumping and makes it easier to stretch!. do the stretches over and over again until you cool down and hold each one for at least 20 seconds!. for turnout, lay on your stomach, making sure your hips are on the ground and put the sole of your feet together in the air, push your feet down with your leg and hip muscles, don't let your hips come off the ground, if you have trouble pushing your own feet down then get someone to push them down for you, if it hurts to much get them to stop because you can damage your hips if you do to much at once!. im not sure what to do for a stronger core just keep your stomach sucked in with a flat back as much as possible, even when your not practicing!. and as for food, fruits and vegetables!. try to make them your staple diet, you can have breads and cereals to just try eating multigrain and whole grain things to, not much refined products!.Www@QuestionHome@Com