This exercise with the theraband helps to strengthen the spine so that the dancer can achieve control and maintain the arabesque.
1. Lie on your belly on a mat and wrap the theraband around both hands bringing the arms in front of you with the head looking down.
2. Ensure that your belly is pulling up against the lower back.
3. Go into a superman position and bring your arms over to the side with the theraband over your neck.
4. Inhale and return the arms forward, releasing into the floor
5. Repeat this a few times. Ensure that your arms are to the side and your chest open.
6. When you feel tired, sit back on your heels in child pose and rest, stretching your lower back out.
My lower back feels engage, warmed and stretched as I repeated the exercises a few times. It feels tiring after awhile. My chest and upper back are stretched and open. I will need to keep doing this stretch to see if it does strengthen my lower back so that I can lift my arabesque higher.
1. Lie on your belly on a mat and wrap the theraband around both hands bringing the arms in front of you with the head looking down.
2. Ensure that your belly is pulling up against the lower back.
3. Go into a superman position and bring your arms over to the side with the theraband over your neck.
4. Inhale and return the arms forward, releasing into the floor
5. Repeat this a few times. Ensure that your arms are to the side and your chest open.
6. When you feel tired, sit back on your heels in child pose and rest, stretching your lower back out.
My lower back feels engage, warmed and stretched as I repeated the exercises a few times. It feels tiring after awhile. My chest and upper back are stretched and open. I will need to keep doing this stretch to see if it does strengthen my lower back so that I can lift my arabesque higher.
In this video, the dancer demonstrates how to use a theraband to improve the stretch and flexibility of executing an attitude or arabesque. The dancer wraps the theraband around her ankle, pulling it forward and over her head so that her leg goes into an attitude position. She can use the barre for support with the other hand to help maintain her balance. Her back is upright, ribcage close and her belly and her spine is lifted at the same time. She holds that position and keep pulling the theraband with the hands. Repeat and hold the stretch a few times before resting.
I found this exercise to be an excellent way to open up my hips and stretch my hip flexor. Pulling the spine and belly at the same time puts less strain on the body and I can get the maximum potential of the stretch.
References:
Mydancetv (2010) Pilates for Ballet Strengthen Upper Back 4 Arabesque. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl8uFq2FAvw [Accessed 2 May 2015].
Mydancetv (2010) Theraband for stretching and flexibility - ballet, scorpion, arabesque, attitude. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lp8Mk19J5k [Accessed 2 May 2015].
I found this exercise to be an excellent way to open up my hips and stretch my hip flexor. Pulling the spine and belly at the same time puts less strain on the body and I can get the maximum potential of the stretch.
References:
Mydancetv (2010) Pilates for Ballet Strengthen Upper Back 4 Arabesque. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gl8uFq2FAvw [Accessed 2 May 2015].
Mydancetv (2010) Theraband for stretching and flexibility - ballet, scorpion, arabesque, attitude. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lp8Mk19J5k [Accessed 2 May 2015].