Expert: Dianne M. Buxton - 6/30/2011

Question
Hi Dianne!
I'm a ballet student who has been dancing for at least eight years now (I'm thirteen).  I'm getting to the point where I know this is what I want to do. I'm extremely flexible, but I can never do the middle splits because it hurts my actual hips. I think this might be affecting my developes.  When I develope side, I can't get it as high as I'd like (vertical to my body) even though I'm flexible enough.  The same goes for develope front.I practice and stretch a lot, but I don't want to overwork my thighs.  What are some exercises I can do to improve leg height?

Thank you so much! :)

Answer
Hi Emma. Here is a link to a video showing a psoas, or hip flexor strengthening exercise. The psoas is a large postural muscle and will also help you strengthen your developpe to the side. It helps you keep your spine upright as you use your legs.

the link: http://blog.thebodyseries.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/psoas-strength-theraban...

So of course you use your quadriceps muscles to lift your legs, as well as the psoas. And here's another tip about keeping the psoas conditioned and stretched:

"The repetitive flexing of the psoas muscles ( as in the above, not to mention every tendu and degage you do!) can leave those muscles strained and shortened with tension - so you need to stretch the psoas muscles - a lunge, in parallel, pulling up the abs and leaning into it gently and often, will stretch out the psoas. A deeper stretch is the runner's lunge: one leg extended behind you, knee on the floor, palms on the floor on either side of your front leg; you remain pulled up as you stretch the psoas. If you turn sideways away from the back leg, you'll feel a stretch along the TFL (Tensor Fascia Lata) which goes deep into the side of the hip muscles."

from: http://balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/ultimate-ballet-line-arabe...

and also from that same article:

"A routine exercise for strengthening extension is doing a developpe, lowering the leg 2 inches, and raising it up. Lowering, and raising it up. Basically, for as many times as you can stand it. Then, relaxing the muscles completely before doing the next position."

Stretching the quadriceps after these extra exercises is important: standing with legs parallel, lift one foot up and take hold of it with your hand (of the same side of the body) and press the thigh away from you, directly behind you. This will stretch out the thigh muscle.