Stretches: Lying a la Seconde Stretch

This stretch is one of the easiest stretches to do. All you need is a wall and enough space to spread your legs sideways.  In this exercise, one experiences a static stretch of the innner thighs. It is ideal to do this as part of your cool down routine or when you are winding down at the end of the day. 

Simply find a wall space clear of any obstructions. Lie down in front of the wall with your tail bone touching the wall and your legs up. Open the legs sideways and allow gravity to progressively increase your stretch. Ensure that all of your back from the tailbone to the shoulders is imprinted on the floor. 

Fig. 1 Lying a la Seconde Stretch

Note: The wideness of the unobstructed wall space will depend on how long your legs are and how far to side can you open your legs. 

Conditioning Exercise: A la Seconde Leg Pulses

This exercise is intended to strengthen the hip flexors and develop strength for aspiring dancers to lift their legs.  As a result, my Ballet students exceeded their personal highest when it comes to developpes ( progressive extension of the leg away from body). Aside from strengthening hip flexors, the exercise tones and improves control of the upper leg . It also improves balance and sensitivity to the body’s center of gravity.  While this exercise was originally intended for Ballet dancers, everyone will definitely enjoy better leg  control and a beautiful elongated tone of the legs. 

To start the exercise, stand in front of a barre or a piece of furniture that can carry the weight of your leg. Do note that the piece of furniture need not be as high as in the illustration below. Place your leg on the piece of furniture then float the leg 2 inches above the furniture surface. Pulse your leg up and down by half an inch for 100 times. 

Fig. 1 A la Seconde Leg Pulses

Conditioning Exercise: Sitting Arabesque Pulses

This exercise is another one I took inspiration from the Callanetics Exercise Programme developed by the late Callan Pinckney.  The original intent of the exercise was to make the glutes firm while recruiting other stabilizing muscles such as the inner thighs. Together with Sitting Attitude Pulses, I use this exercise to strengthen the glutes of my Ballet students in order to improve their leg turnout. When utilized in combination with stretches targeting the glutes and outer thigh muscles, I noticed a significant improvement in my students’ turnout.

To start the exercise, you the reader sit down with one of your legs bent in front of you. The other leg lies in a straight line to the side with the big toe touching the floor.  

Fig. 1 Sitting with turned in leg to the side

You then rotate your hips diagonally to the side whilst rotating the side leg such that the heel is taken off the ground

Fig. 2 Rotate hips diagonally to the side

Next, you pull the leg towards you bringing your body towards your bent leg.  This means your crotch will lift off the floor as a result.

Fig. 3 Pull Leg 

Float your leg off the floor no higher than 3 inches above the ground.  Pulse your leg up and down half an inch 100 times.  

Fig. 4 Pulse Leg up and down half an inch

After consistently doing this exercise you will notice that your glutes and your thighs will be firm and tone.