The Offical Ballet Thread

[hansthesockmonkey]

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Crazy!
(I don't know why this is there twice.  {blink} {blush} Technology hates me!)

(10-05-2009 04:40 AM)0mgitssims4me link Wrote:do you have any tipps on strengthening your core and turnout

Sit ups for core! Yes, they suck, but there isn't really any other way to strenghthen it. Then in class, makes sure you tighten it, but don't like ROAR tighten it. lol. And don't hold your breath. I used to do this, thinking I was holding my core, and it really doesn't help.
As for turnout, you have to strengthen your inner thighs. There are various ways you can strengthen them, but I haven't ever sat down and done anything with them. It's more about finding them, and isolating and using them. When you turnout, you should feel it in your inner thighs, and your LOWER butt muscle that right below your butt. If your hips are aligned correctly, then it should feel very secure and like your leg just rotates.

As always its important to stretch your center splits (I was thankfully blessed with very flexible hips), but just know that they get tighter as you get older! I used to be able to just go straight into my center splits, but now I have to warm-up and then it still takes me a while to get a 180 split.
And make sure you NEVER pronate your ankles or let them roll inward. It will hurt the outsides of your legs while you strengthen them, but it is essential to ankle health and pointe work. This is something I have had to work really hard on, because my ankles pronate a lot naturally due to my feet, but it is really important.