Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 7/20/2008

Question
Hi,

I'm an adult beginner and I'm having some trouble with my jumps.  We are only doing saute jumps in first and second position, but I find that I can't keep my turnout when I land.  Will this get better over time?  If there are any exercises to help me strengthen my turnout muscles, please let me know.

Thanks,
Samantha

Answer
Hi Samantha. Yes, there is a very simple exercise that will strengthen your turnout muscles. I got it from Deborah Vogel's "Tune Up Your Turnout". This exercise imitates what you do in a ballet class. It will strengthen and improve the form of all the ballet positions you do.

Lie on your right side, with your knees bent at an angle almost as though you were sitting on a chair. Make sure your ankles are in line with your hips. Prop your torso up on your elbow. Lift the left leg up, just like you are opening a book, as far as it will open, or turn out. You can place your left hand on the back of your left hip to make sure you are not gripping your gluteal muscles. The deep rotator muscles, under the gluteal muscles, are the muscles effecting your turnout. You can tell by this movement, how much functional turnout you have.

Don't let your weight roll back on your right hip at the top of this movement, that is like losing the turnout on your standing leg when you try for more turnout in a retire position.

Moving the leg open and slowly closing, in this exercise engages your turnout muscles. If you are feeling fatigued after 10 times, then your muscles need strengthening. As you get stronger, you can loop a stretchy band around your knees, and add difficulty that way, to gain even more strength.

Another variation is to keep the top leg straight, turning it in and out for 5-10 repetitions, and then moving it forward a few inches, as in a tendu devant, and back a few inches, holding the turnout, and also not moving on your underneath, or what would be your supporting side if you were standing.

There would be some adjustment to your supporting hip position when you imitate a tendu derriere, but you would not let that adjustment creep up to the waist area.

I would also suggest doing slow motion press ups, sideways to the mirror.  As you press down into your plie, it's a slow motion landing from a jump. At what point do you lose your turnout? Or have you already turned in on the way up? Practice the lying down exercise  and the slow motion press ups and down, and doing both will strengthen your turnout muscles.

Be sure to turn in and relax those deep rotator muscles after working them. Muscle tone depends on relaxing after working.

Here's an article from my ballet blog with some more info on turnout:

http://balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/2007/07/ballet-shoes-and-pointe-sh...

You'll feel a difference right away doing this exercise, Samantha, because you'll be extra aware of these muscles.

All the best, Dianne.