Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 11/22/2010

Question
Hello, I have a question involving leg muscles. My teahcer has told me that ballet dancers should have very strong hamstrings. However, I seem to have very weak hamstrings. I tend to use only my quadriceps for everything such as lifts and grande battements. It especially hurt when I have to do my developpes sideways, because my quads tense up and it hurts. How can I strengthen my hamstrings? Is there a way to make my quadriceps less strong and less bulky? I have no problem with flexiblilty. I can do splits forwards and backwards without a problem. thankyou!

ps: you know any websites about the anatomy of ballet? I've very interested in this subject but I don't know where to find a website like that

Answer
Hi Som. Nichelle Strzepek, another dance writer,  wrote:

"In classes, I’ve heard teachers talk about a grand battement “coming from underneath.” This can sometimes lead to confusion about which muscles do the work in grand battement. Working muscles contract or shorten to create movement of the bones. Because the hamstrings are at the back of the leg, it is impossible for them to be doing the work of lifting the leg in a grand battement to the front or side. Instead your quads and iliopsoas, as hip flexors (or hip creasers), are responsible for this.

Now, it is possible to OVERwork or create unnecessary tension in the quads. This is not conducive to getting the leg higher in grand battement and can hinder the height of the leg. Learning how to release and let go of excess tension is important. I believe most teachers talk about the grand battement “coming from underneath” to try to encourage less effort. In my classes, I typically try to encourage this release by asking students to imagine energy or breath flowing down the spine, the back of the leg, and out from the toe in a “J” shape as the leg lifts in grand battement. When the focus is on this rather than pulling the leg upward, I find most students let go of some of that excess tension.

Note that the language in the phrase I’ve repeated above, “coming from underneath,” could easily be interpreted by students as implying that the muscles underneath the leg (the hamstrings) are responsible or must be used to lift the leg. It seems to me that this may be how the myth of lifting with the hamstrings gets passed along.

As for “extension,” or raising the leg above 90 degrees, when the ilopsoas is engaged and allowed to do the work of creasing the hip and stabilizing the spine, there is a sense of release for the quads. In addition, as the leg gets closer to the body (as it nears the head), the hip flexors or quads fight less against gravity – it’s the same reason that it is easier to hold a heavy box overhead than out in front of you – gravity always pulls straight down on whatever you are lifting. Perhaps people who experience this sensation of release assume (based on what they’ve heard about these miraculous hamstrings) that they’ve found a way to leg the underside of the leg take over?"
I hope this helps. Strengthening the iliopsoas will relieve the quads. Study as much as you can about it, look at pictures of it.

You might enjoy my blog http://balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/ There are many articles about all aspects of ballet technique. All the best!