Planning Muscle Rest Time With Complete Training In Ballet Shoes and Pointe Shoes
Posted: Friday, March 21, 2008
by Dianne M. Buxton
http://www.balletshoesandpointeshoes.blogspot.com/
The way of ballet training does not always provide ideal recovery time for your muscles. At professional schools, there are 5-10 classes a week. Out of necessity to complete training, this is planned for 7-8 years.
Repetition of accurate movements is the basis of ballet training. Within a ballet class, muscle groups are always alternated as the barre work progresses. Or, to be more specific, the emphasis on muscle groups changes from exercise to exercise in a well formulated class.
If you are not in a full time dance school and you take two or three ballet classes a week, you can add pre-pointe or other practice routines to homework. You still are working every day, but you can plan for recovery time.
Make yourself a written plan. For each 4-6 week period, for example, pick three exercises using three different muscle groups.
You can practice each one on a day when you are not going to class. And rest that muscle group and work a different one on your next practice day. And so on. Make notes every 2 weeks as to how your strength feels in ballet class. Tell your teacher what you are working on, and get feed back.
For example you might choose your core muscles, your foot muscles and your turnout muscles. You can spread that out onto alternating days, and still see progress.
If you are following a professionally created regimen, you can do more work more often, per that guide. You'll be able to test yourself and keep good track of how you build strength.
Always remember to relax and stretch your muscles after working. Have a day of muscle rest, and sew your next pair of pointe shoes. Watch your favorite ballet movie and imagine yourself in your chosen part!
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)h dianne, very well written article that would help anyone interested in ballet, and not injuring their muscles. thank you for sharing with us, best regards, sue thom
Dianne, well written and informative article. I think athletes of all stripes can take a lesson about not overworking from this.
Hi Dianne, you brought me back to my dancing days. It also reminded me of why I switched to Jazz dancing. Ballet is a highly disclpined dance. Good information to pass on to dancers. Thanks for sharing. Teresa
I'm glad I read this article. I have hyper-extended knees and they are usually sore after my classes on Wednesdays and the classes I teach on Fridays. I am usually most sore after we do heel stretches and scorpions in acrobatics class. Thats my first class on Wednesdays and then I have to attend pointe, ballet, jazz, and tap. My teacher gave me some advice on how to help them but she didn't tell me that I needed to rest them. I just figured I would walk it off but now I know I should give my knees some rest. I'm also doing a senior project on dance injuries and I think I am going to use this article as one of my sources.Hi Jessica. It is indeed an extra challenge to work with hyper-extended knees. And studying dance injuries is a wonderful choice for a project. You'll become your own expert!Hi Dianne, my project is coming out great and I do feel like my own expert. Thanks a bunch!I'm so glad to hear that! You're very welcome.
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