hyperextended

[maleballetdancer911]

i dont know if this is the right place to post this....if its not im really sorry. my question is is there anyway you can get your legs to be a little hyperextended by doing any stretches? my friend who dances at my school came from china and he said that they would force him into stretching and he is now hyper flexible and hyber extended.

[Mel Johnson]

Wrong spot.

 

This "How to Do Things" is about how to do things with the board software, like how to select a forum, how to make replies with a quote in them, how to post a URL, and so on.

 

Your friend was already hyperextended before the stretching started. Hyperextension is a skeletal thing. You can't change it except by breaking bones.

 

I'm going to take this over to Young Dancers 13-16.

[maleballetdancer911]

is there anyway you cn stretch the back of yourlegs becuz when im doing the slits they arent touching they floor. he said he wasnt hyperextended

[Mel Johnson]

In hyperextension, the legs actually come to full travel and lock in a position in back of straight when you stand with your feet together without turnout. Hyperextension can be both a blessing and a curse, which may give the student actual or apparent flexibility, but at the same time make the knees more subject to injury than in straight-legged dancers. You're better off without it, in the long run.

[Victoria Leigh]

maleballetdancer911, hyperextension is a structural thing. You cannot create it, it's bone structure. You can stand incorrectly and push your weight back in your heels and make your legs look weird, but actual hyperextension cannot be developed. And overstretching will just lead to all sorts of injuries. Just work with what you have to make it better. There is nothing wrong at all with good, straight legs. They will probably be stronger and healthier in the long run.

 

And, we would like to respectfully ask you to spell out the words in English, and not use computer speak on Ballet Talk. We have members from all over the world here, with English as their second language. Abbreviations can create difficulty for them, plus we just believe in teens learning to speak and write correct English.

[DancingDoodles]

I think this is in the right spot but I'm not sure. I have a pretty big hyperextension and a lot of my friends do too. They all have perfect fifth positions and I have a terrible, I mean terrible fifth position. I have tried all kinds of stretches and I've asked teachers for help but it's just not working. I've been trying to improve it for over a year and it hasn't changed. It really becomes a problem in center and it hurts to stand in fifth at barre. My knees can't straighten...they're really bent. Not normal straight but bent. The teachers don't notice because I think I'm rolling in and that way my legs can straighten. I know this is hard for you because you can't see me but could you please give me some tips???

[Victoria Leigh]

All I can think of here is that you are over rotating and smashing your 5th into a perfect position of the feet, which your hyperextended legs cannot support. This needs to be addressed by a teacher who understands hyperextension and how to place you in order to learn how to have straight legs in this position.

[cassy]

Hope im allowed to post here

Dancing doodles, I have the same problem with fifth position

In first and fifth position my knees always get in the way!

 

Can anyone recommend any obvious tips that we might of missed?

(I have heard that its ok to leave a very small gap between the heels in first position, my teacher said this is ok?!)

[ABTgirl14]

This is a similar situation with hyperextension. The other day in class my teacher told me to not 'sit in my hyperextension' and to 'pull up' because doing that can build bigger thighs. I am not sure I completely understand what she means. Could some please explain and tell me what I need to do? Thanks

[Victoria Leigh]

When you are sitting in your supporting leg the weight of your body is pushing down into the leg instead of lifting up out of it. Try to fee the hip bone going upward, away from your thigh. And be sure your weight is not back in your heel!

 

Sitting causes compression of the muscles, which can lead to building the thighs. The body weight pushing downward puts too much weight in the leg and makes movement difficult and heavy, as well as very inefficient, overworking the quad muscles.