I need stronger ankles and feet. ASAP!! and tons more turnout.?

Question

i've been dancing for a while, but am not that great. im strong but in the wrong places. if you have any exercises that would help me strengthen my ankles, feet, and inner thighs, plese share them with me. i'll be forever grateful!! seriously. thank you. :)

(stretches would also be welcome, but im already flexible enough, but it wouldn't hurt to get better). :DD

THANKS AGAIN!!

Answer 1

First of all, try not to be overly critical of yourself. No matter what you think you're seeing in the mirror, the people around you are seeing you differently, so judging yourself is a moot point.

You pretty much cannot be strong in the wrong places. You can, however, be tight, which would suggest that flexibility might be something you should work on. Stretching is a very personal activity, and you must listen to your body to determine how deep to take a stretch. You might consider asking your teacher for stretching advice, as he/she will have more personalized advice for your body-type (teachers actually like to be asked such questions, because it shows them you care about your development as a dancer). Just remember to avoid holding one stretch for more than one minute (after the minute, the stretch cannot really do much more good). And never, ever push through harmful pain while stretching!

To strengthen ankles and feet, one simple word will suffice. Releves. Hundreds upon hundreds of releves, on demi-pointe and pointe (if your teacher has you on pointe yet). Make sure to keep proper placement of your whole body, as releves are really a whole body workout when executed correctly.

Inner thigh strength can be enhanced by squeezing an exercise ball between your ankles; keep your knees energized, and maintain a parallel position. Remember that the best things you can do to tone your legs are plies. In the Russian school, grand plies are emphasized, as they deepen both the stretch and the muscle contraction of the movement and build strength.

Best of luck to you, and remember that dancing is a process in which you are continually striving for a higher goal that you (or anyone else) will never reach. So enjoy dancing right now!

~Rose