Recovering strength

[Guest tipo'thetoes]

I understand that strength can sometimes be lost after a growth spurt. Are there any quick fixes for helping to regain strength or is it a case of slow and steady only? My daughter (13.5) seems to have lost some height in her extensions and is being reminded to work on her core strength (already a weaker area for her). Will continuing to work on her flexibility (doing splits every day and frog type stretches) undermine efforts to regain and develop strength? I don't think getting her legs high is the issue. it's holding her turn out as she does it that is hard and that's why she doesn't aim for such high extensions. I thought it was more important that everything was placed correctly, but she has been asked to work on the height of her extensions (as well as her core strength and maintaining turnout) in her latest report.

[Victoria Leigh]

There are no quick fixes in ballet, tipo'thetoes. Seriously, it just takes time, and with a growth spurt, adjustments. Working on stretches is fine, but she could also add some strengthening work, like Pilates, especially the ab work for the core strength. And you are correct about working correctly in terms of alignment, placement and rotation comes before extension. Extension without these things is useless.

[Guest tipo'thetoes]

Thanks! It is as I suspected! The difficulty is in staying motivated when you work slowly and steadily at things, but growth spurts come along and make you feel like you have made no progress at all!