Inner thigh strengthening exercises?

[BalletMarie]

I keep finding that when I do ballet, I take on a lot of the work in my quads rather than using my inner thigh and butt muscles - any tips on any exercises that could help strengthen these areas to help me rely less on my quads?

[Mel Johnson]

BalletMarie, the quads have to operate in the leg - they're what make the knees straighten, and keeps them straight. It sort of sounds to me as if you're jamming the knees back to a full locked position, and that's not good. Work as though you're pulling up out of the legs instead of working for a feeling of "knees tight" and you'll start to recover from this overuse of the quads.

[Malaika]

One exercise I like to do for turnout strength is the "clams" exercise. (Okay, it's not inner thigh muscles, but I find it helps to feel the different muscles and better control which ones you're using)

 

I found a Lisa Howell video explaining the exercise.

 

video link

 

 

Hope this helps a little.

[JacquelynL]

my ballet teacher lately has been fittling with this concept. if you rotate your leg you can see a muscle line. that is what you are suppose to work. i found it was easier to use this muscle laying on my back in the middle splits and rotating my legs, uh, also flexing the feet in tendu and bringing it in flex helps too, i will let you know if my teacher says anything else or i remember, ;)

[Mel Johnson]

Welcome, JacquelynL, to Ballet Talk for Dancers. Yes, do let us know which muscle line is being talked about here. If it's the slight hollow between the quadriceps muscles and the triceps femoris, then that's good. If it's something else, that could be a problem!