How to do high legs extensions?

by Xydia
(Taiwan)

Hello,

I can do splits but whenever I'm supposed to do high leg kicks or extensions, my legs can't go too high; even if I carry my leg up to the height I want, it can’t stay in that position, it just falls off. I get discouraged every time.

Comments for How to do high legs extensions?

Click here to add your own comments

Apr 20, 2014

Maria's reply
by: Maria

Dear Xidia,

The best method I know to achieve high legs extensions is the ballet barre.

The 'grand battements', 'devellopés', 'envellopés' and 'relevé lents' at the barre, as well as the slow variations in the center like the 'adagios' are specially good for strengthening legs. However, you should not practice those unless doing a complete, progressive and proper ballet barre before.

Yet, gaining force to shift your legs and keep them up is a long process that needs to be followed with rhythm and continuity. You should train daily and expect small advances only after at least three or four months. It is due to long processes of years of training that highly acrobatic people can do that.

If you can not afford ballet classes, or do not like that dance genre, you can also strengthen your legs by your self or at the gym, by doing series of repetition of the movement you want to achieve. You should always include a proper warming up and involvement of the rest of your whole body before the focused exercises and the weight of your legs alone should be enough to train your muscles.

But as always, the guidance of a qualified teacher or trainer is recommended. Someone like that can examine you and design special routines for your specific needs.

Warm regards,

Maria

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Dance Questions About Technique.

Share this page:

What’s this?

Facebook X WhatsApp

Enjoy this page? You can pay it forward easily. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

Click on the HTML link code below.
Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.