How can I get my back leg a little higher?


Want to try to get it to 90 degrees, but it is not quite there unless I lean forwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J7ck6RIgbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmRrfm1ihGg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACuVnmS7h9A

Any use?

Hi there

Never done ballet in my life but have been working on my flexibility and core strength due to lower back injury.

I would guess you need to work on two things:

1) Strengthening buttock and lower back muscles in order to have more power to lift the leg back

Buttock exercises - squats and lunges, or from all-fours, lift and straighten leg behind you (keep rest of body controlled and square at all times).

Lower back - depends on how strong your back is to start with really. A hardcore exercise is to lie on your front, tuck your feet under the sofa edge or similar, and lift your upper body off the floor into this position:
http://www.yogaworkouthq.com/wp-cont...cobra-pose.jpg
and lower back down again. Start off using your arms as support and work up to using your back muscles only.

2) Stretching the hip flexor at the front of the hip

This shows the basic position:
http://www.fitsugar.com/Stretch-Hip-Flexor-Lunge-766938
Important point is to keep your pelvis/bum tucked under.
To stretch further in stages: lower the back leg, grip the back toe and bend the knee to pull the toe towards your bum, also you can stretch backwards with the upper body.

So you should end up being able to do this

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...W6DYAJDeyFaMO3



You would probably need to stretch your quadriceps as well.... basically stretch everything and daily....

Obviously please check with a physiotherapist/yoga teacher/pilates teacher for proper instruction.

OMG they are so young and skinny and flexible

Any videos showing a more 'normal' looking person doing it?

New York City Ballet do workout dvds. It's been a while since I've done the videos but I think there are floor and standing exercises that help with improving your arabesque.

As well as training your lower back muscles and strengthening your stomach muscles, you should be lengthening your leg as well (ie stretch that leg!).

Disclaimer: I'm no expert and it's been a while since I've done an arabesque.

Link to the dvd

Thanks cymrugirl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g26o9R_tu5w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reVRHhKbCh0

1968 - Margot aged 49, Rudi 30, Sir Frederick 64:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfQXz2cTml8

I have done an injustice to Margot and Rudi, the clips pasted were not representative of two long careers. One Margot-Ruid series of clips runs to 10 Parts on Youtube, below is part 10 :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z15Gp85WoQ4

Thanks for the videos and for the exercises.


I can do the cobra pose like that like hands, not using back muscles only. The hip lunge is fine too, we do it as part of our dance warm up in classes.

For the third one, can't get the back leg up as high as that. Also its one thing holding your foot up with your arms and quite another just lifting the leg up by itself which is the difference between dance and yoga . Also can't get used to holding the toes in yoga, I tend to fall over cos we only ever hold on to our ankles in dance.

Dear Kockspostulates,

Hope you have lots of fun and not injuries .

The many ex ballet dancers in the forum, including ex White Lodge, may be able to comment, possibly if you PM them.

I love reading Darcey's candid reveal-all's such as the following, to the Daily Mail but speaking in the first person. Doubtful if previous generations would be that frank to the public. Margot danced at 69 out of financial necessity because of her husband's medical bills, but Margot probably had a body uniquely suited to ballet. Would be interesting to know what she ate.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...crumbling.html