How To Create Dancers Body
Ballet dancers may be blessed with long limbs and gorgeous shoulder lines, but in reality, it is a lot of hard and dedicated work to create this aesthetic. And it’s not only beautiful, it’s functional. It needs to defy gravity, keep strong and retain flexibility. So, here are a few tips to achieving your longest, leanest, strongest body.
Work your body with length.
Your muscles have memory. Are you creating a bulky muscle memory or one that builds length? Working slower and with more control creates lean muscle tissue. Train your body to work with length. Think of growing out the top of the head, extending the limbs from the core centre outwards. Imagine your body expanding in opposite directions. If you create space in the body before a stretch or a movement, you have somewhere to go.
Balance your muscles.
The way our body is designed, we rely on certain muscles. For example, we tend to overuse the quadriceps (at the front of the thigh) for a lot of everyday movements like getting up from sitting. Without being aware, your quads are getting stronger and your hamstrings, weaker. This can lead to issues with the knees, lower back, hips and ankles. Not only for a perfectly balanced body, but also to prevent injury, improve posture and build equal strength, try to activate the weaker muscle groups, so you remain looking younger longer. Target the hamstrings, inner thighs, upper back and triceps. Connect mind to muscle: switch the overpowering muscles off and the weaker muscles on.
Pay attention to your posture.
Modern technology is dictating our posture. The shoulders collapse forward and the neck hangs over our laptops. Be aware of your posture and make little adjustments. Walk with your spine lengthened and straight. Strengthen your upper back to open out your shoulders. You will age gracefully because the effects of gravity on the body will be much less. Keep your stomach muscles puled in and keep the waistline tall. Don't wait for your workout, build strength in your body from the moment you stand on your feet in the morning.
Stretch and release tension
Bulky muscles tend to be tight and overused. Dedicate time to really stretch all the main muscle groups. Be patient, its a little painful, but it's worth it. Stretch not only at the end or after a sweaty run, but also after a specific exercise and just before you go to bed. Before you know it, you're body will be craving a good stretch, you'll catch yourself sitting tall and your muscles will be long and strong without you even realizing.
See you in our classes!