Research Corner - Q&A Teen Ballet Dancer by Matthew Blair Davis | Date Released : 31 Mar 2009 1 comment Print Close Question: I am taking on a new client who is a 16 year old ballerina. I am looking for specific exercises and flexibility programs to use with her. Can you please help? Answer: Thanks for the question. When working with a teenage ballet dancer, you have to first consider what type of training her dance instructor has her do on a daily basis. She is constantly being put into positions that increase her strength and flexibility for ballet. The role of the strength and conditioning professional should be to find the areas of physical weakness created by daily ballet instruction and turn them into strengths. This type of training will create a more "whole" athlete, not just a ballet dancer. Without this type of strength and conditioning, there is an increased risk of injury. Having any physical weakness can also limit your client’s ballet performance. Certain areas of the ballet dancer are going to be extremely overactive, specifically the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, spinal erectors, hip flexors, quadriceps, biceps brachii, latissimus dorsi, IT bands, piriformis, popliteus, peroneus longus, posterior tibialis, anterior deltoids, gastrocnemius and soleus. Teenage ballet dancers are using these muscles everyday during dance class and performances. Most have an upwardly rotated scapula and anterior pelvic tilt. Use myofascial release and various types of flexibility for correction. Underactive areas are going to be the anterior tibialis, triceps brachii, hamstrings, gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, mid/lower trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, rhomboids, transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis (specifically the lower fibers), adductors, rotator cuff and medial/posterior deltoids. These muscles are used less and should be strengthened by the strength and conditioning specialist. Focus on core compression with the deep abdominals as well as creating a posterior pelvic tilt. We also want a depressed and retracted scapula. Create an increase in internal leg rotation, dorsiflexion at the ankles and external arm rotation. It will take barely any resistance to fatigue these muscles, so start your program with manual resistance, isometrics or simple bodyweight exercises. Everyone has a different body, so be sure to put your dancer through a movement screen and kinetic chain assessment to find the weaknesses. Don't forget that at 16 years old, your ballerina is in school all day, probably sitting at her desk with posture that only makes your job harder. Good luck! Back to top About the author: Matthew Blair Davis Matthew Blair Davis is the President of Functional Revolution Fitness, Inc., located in the Washington DC area. He is also a Featured Strength Coach for Off-IceStrength.com, a web site devoted to the off-ice strength and conditioning of figure skaters. Matt specializes in the training of elite level figure skaters, corrective exercise techniques, Olympic lifting and hard style kettlebell training. Matt has a BS and MS from Florida State University, and he became an IDEA Master Level Trainer in 2004. Matt is an NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, USA Weightlifting Sport Performance Coach, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and ACSM Health/Fitness Specialist. He also completed the three-day Russian Kettlebell Challenge in Minnesota, where he was trained by Pavel. Matt is a member of the NSCA's Figure Skating Special Interest Group. Matt has been an award winning Fitness Director for Sport & Health Clubs in Northern Virginia (2002) and Regional Director of Personal Training for Gold's Gym in Northern Virginia (2003-2005). He has been a special guest trainer for the Washington Post and authored the "Train Reaction" fitness Q&A column for the Washington Post Express from April 2006 to June 2007. Matt works with figure skaters at the Fairfax Ice Arena in Fairfax, Virginia and the Cabin John Ice Rink in Rockville, Maryland. He is also a National Off-Ice Training Presenter for Audrey Weisiger's seminar program, Grassroots To Champions. Matt is the off-ice strength coach of senior level skater Tommy Steenberg, a USA National competitor. Full Author Details Related content Content from Matthew Blair Davis Classical Dancer Michael Greenhouse | Articles Hyperlordotic Dancer Joshua Rubin | Articles Irish Dance Sara Fisher | Articles Functional Balance for Dancers Noah Hittner | Articles Teen Ballet Dancer Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Figure Skating Functional Anatomy Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Problem Clients Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Teen Gymnast Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Figure Skater Training Program Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Missing Leg and Stretching Matthew Blair Davis | Articles Please login to leave a comment Comments (1) fitzpatrick, maia | 10 Jun 2009, 05:44 AM I am a professional ballet dancer myself, as well as a personal trainer and a ballet teacher. One of the primary areas I focus on with my ballet students is core strength and conditioning. I often use pilates-based excercises to this end, as they emphasize proper posture and breathing during movement. After a postural ascessment, I often use rows, planks, and push ups to improve posture, especially in the thoracic spine. I always emphasize neutral spine during knee bends (plies) and leg lifts (tendus, battements, etc.). In addition, I work on hip rotation (turn out) with a tool called a swivel disk, which increases the outward rotation of the leg in the hip socket. I also do alot of ankle and foot conditioning using a theraband as resistance for plantar and dorsiflexion (pointing and flexing the foot, especially the ankle) and proper articulation of the foot (pointing the ankle first, then the metatarsal arch, and then the toes, and reversing the process for the flexing of the foot). In addition, depending of the level of the dancer, I work on proper jump mechanics (plie, straight knee, then releve on ball of foot) and also on turn mechanics, which include proper use of the head (spotting) and balance. Ballet is a very specific art form, so it may be advisable to watch the dancer take class and confer with their instructor on what the dancer's particular goals, strengths and weaknesses may be. Reply Back to top