Ballet Beautiful: Transform Your Body and Gain the Strength, Grace and Focus of a Ballet Dancer (14 page)

e
Repeat on the other side.

My longtime clients love the Ballet Beautiful Bridge Series because they know how well these exercises work! The set below is a terrific combination of my favorite Bridge exercises to sculpt and tighten the legs, butt, hips, center, and thighs.

STARTING POSITION:
I always begin my Classic Ballet Beautiful workout on the mat, just as I would begin any warm-up for a show.

Lie on your back and bend your knees so that they form a right angle with your pelvis. Press your shoulders and upper back into the floor and pull your stomach in tight. Your arms can stay down by your sides on the mat, or you can tuck your hands under your head. This exercise is all about the butt, center, and legs, so find a position that is comfortable and relaxed for your upper body and arms. Keep your feet together, on the floor, with your knees closed together to engage the inner thigh. Lift your hips high, pushing your pelvic bone up toward the ceiling while keeping your stomach tight. Be careful not to arch your back—pushing high with your hips and pelvis will help to avoid this. You will be doing 4 sets of 8 counts, at a moderate pace, for 15 to 20 minutes.

a
From the starting position, place your feet flat on the floor (or bring your toes up onto demi-pointe for a more advanced version).

b
Lift up your hips and butt.

c
Lower your back without quite letting your hips and butt touch the mat.
8 counts, 4 sets.

d
Make sure you keep your stomach engaged to take the stress out of your lower back and spine, squeeze your butt as you lift, and keep your knees closed to engage your inner thighs and turnout muscles. Also, keep your upper body relaxed—and don’t forget to breathe!

e
Hold the position high on the final count of the final set (the eighth count of the fourth set).

f
From this high, lifted position, squeeze the muscles in your butt and inner thighs, pull your stomach in, and lift higher in a pulse. Try to keep your knees together to connect to your inner thighs (it’s a challenge). You will feel the muscles in your back and the insides of your legs and butt engaging and beginning to burn.
8 counts, 4 sets.

For a greater challenge,
do this movement from demi-pointe (as in the photo), with your foot on the floor arched, remembering to keep your ankles very steady and the work in your upper legs and butt. This will help you achieve a larger range of motion, which is more challenging. You can move directly into the next exercise without stopping to stretch.

Stretch:
/B.
Keeping the feet flat, beginners stretch at more frequent intervals, starting now. Take a moment to use the Classic Hamstring Stretch on your back or seated and a seated Hip Opener on both sides to release through the backs of your legs and hips. Keep in mind that this stretch is not meant to be a long pause but rather a quick and gentle way to release the muscles before moving on to the next movements.

a
Return to the starting bridge position and lift your hips high, with your knees together and your feet flat or on demi-pointe.

b
Keeping your hips very lifted and still, open and close your knees in a butterfly movement, emphasizing the squeeze as you bring your knees together. Keeping your center firm will help support your back.
8 counts, 4 sets.

/B.
If you are a beginner, take a stretch here.
/A.
If you are more advanced, you can move directly into the next set. This is true for most of the exercises. Essentially, if you want more of a challenge, keep going without pausing. If you need a break and feel stiff or tired, do a quick five-minute stretch.

/A.
Do this exercise from demi-pointe.