| Your body's core is the area around your trunk | | | | strength of your core muscles for ballet, is doing |
| and pelvis. When you have good core stability, the | | | | slow press ups in retire position. Using the barre |
| muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and | | | | lightly, press up slowly, maintaining your posture |
| abdomen work in harmony. Strong core muscles | | | | and turnout. Be aware of moments where your |
| make it easier to do most physical activities - | | | | neck, shoulders or arms tense up - that is where |
| from swinging a golf club to getting a glass off a | | | | you are letting go of your core strength. It's an |
| top shelf or bending down to tie your shoes. | | | | easy marker to watch for. |
| Weak core muscles leave you susceptible to poor | | | | When you can do this effortlessly, you are ready |
| posture, lower back pain and muscle injuries. | | | | to do it without the barre. This will build strength |
| Core exercises help you strengthen your core | | | | for every movement. You will feel much stronger |
| muscles. And it doesn't take specialized equipment | | | | in pirouettes and will be able to add more turns. |
| or an expensive gym membership to try core | | | | When you get into pointe shoes, you will not be |
| exercises. Any exercise that uses the trunk of | | | | struggling with an incorrect position that will be |
| your body without support counts. Think squats, | | | | throwing you off your tiny pointe of connection |
| push-ups and abdominal crunches. | | | | with the floor. Nor will you be straining or |
| As a ballet student, your core muscles are | | | | collapsing into your ending positions. |
| engaged all the time. Posture and turnout depend | | | | All this applies to male students too - their |
| on your core muscles. | | | | investment in this kind of strength building will |
| Correct neutral spine, and correct turnout is the | | | | result in better pirouettes and control in grand |
| basis of your stability. Holding the turnout in your | | | | allegro. |
| deep hip rotators, assisting with your inner thigh | | | | You'll continue to build strength if your basic ballet |
| muscles, and supporting with your lower ab | | | | exercises are done accurately. Core muscles with |
| muscles pulled up and flat, allows for a relaxed | | | | the addition of turnout, is where you start, in your |
| upper body, and smooth head movements and | | | | aspirations to pointe work and dancing classical |
| port de bras. | | | | choreography. |
| A wonderful and simple way to improve the | | | | |