Okay guys, I’ve been seeing a lot of posts on people wanting leg exercises, so I thought I’d share the ones I used while I was a dancer. I’ll first say, if you have any questions FEEL FREE TO ASK I LOVE TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF. Also, these exercises were used to create strong dancer legs that make you defy gravity. what I love about these, is you can do more or fewer increments based on how muscles you want your legs to look. Another thing I will mention is I’ll explain the increments in 8 counts, meaning you do everything on a count (counting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8) and repeating that for as many intervals as desired (2 counts of 8 would be you doing the action 16 times.
This exercise is popularly known as the fire hydrant because of the motion you make. When completing this exercise, make sure your body is completely squared off. Wrists directly below shoulders, knees below hips, knees and feet in a straight line. Your body should make up a series of 90 degree angles. For this, you can go a few ways with it. Either lift your leg one at a time directly behind you (think of aiming your big toe towards the back of your head) while keeping your leg in that same bent shape. This same technique can be done but with a completely straight leg. Another option is to open your leg to the side (similar to a male dog). Again, keeping your leg either in that same bent shape, or straightening it completely. When doing this version, remember to not twist your leg at all. Your knee should stay facing the wall in front of you, as for the top of your foot when your leg is straight. Make sure to not bend your body either, keep it in line.
For this exercise, I will usually do 4-8 counts of 8 in the first version with my leg behind me (1, right leg. 2, left leg. 3, right leg. 4, left leg. Continue up to 8, then repeat this process 4-8 times). When I get to the last 8, I will hold my leg in that position for about 30 seconds, then pulse up for another 30. Then I’ll repeat this process in the side version. (One thing I will also do is split it in half. So if I’m doing 8 counts of 8, I will do 4 counts with bent leg and ; counts with straight.)
Post stretches: Child’s pose, downward facing dog, upward facing dog, touching your toes.
For this exercise, lay on one side while keeping your body in a straight line. Using your hand to support yourself and keep you steady. Pulse your upper leg for the desired number of 8 counts. Once finished, lay that leg on the floor bent in a 90 degree angle (see photo above). Then proceed to complete the desired number of 8 counts in pulses with the bottom leg. Once completed, roll onto your other side and repeat this process.
Post stretches: Lay in your back, keep one leg straight and flat while bending the other and pulling it towards your chest—occasionally circling your ankle. Repeat on the other side, then pull both legs to your chest similar to child’s pose, but on your back. Straddle; sit on the floor with your legs straight and separated out in front of you as far as is comfortable. Keep your leg from your hip to your toes in one straight line. Gently reach for your left foot and hold it, then left, then stretch your arms out in the center.
Laying flat on your back, bring your legs up until your hips are in a 90 degree angle. For more balance, keep your hands beneath your butt like in the first photo. To make it harder you can either lay your arms out flat on either side of you forming a T, or you can rest them abover your head for even more difficulty. Make sure to point your toes to keep your legs in straight lines (photos don’t show proper technique but it’s all I could find). Alternate bringing each leg down until your foot hovers just above the ground. Make sure not to let your feet touch!!! It only hurts you at getting better and it throws off your alignment. For more difficulty, keep your legs in a constant movement more like the second example. For an alternative to this exercise to hit a few different areas, complete the same motions but instead turn your legs out so that your knees and the tops of your feet are facing more outward (see third photo). For both options, both legs equals 1 count (1,Right leg down and up. 2, left leg down and up. 3, right leg down and up. 4, left leg down and up. Ect.). Continue this for the desired amount of 8 counts.
Post stretches: Upward dog, child’s pose, downward dog, touching your toes.
For this exercise, stand with your feet together and parallel. Keep your hands either on tour waist or out on something (table, back of couch, ect.) for balance. Rise up onto the balls of your feet and back down. Continue this for one 8 count (1 rise equals 1 count). Then turn your feet out into a first position (To do this, stand with your feet and legs together. Hold onto something and lift your toes up so that you’re standing on only the back of your heels. Then move your toes outward and set your feet back down. Your feet and knees should now be facing outward, do not try to crank your feet back as far as possible. How they comfortably sit is your natural turn out and it’s dangerous to go any further). Once standing turned out in first position, complete the rises again for another 8 count. Then turn your ankles out so that you are standing with your feet parallel but slightly parted now. After finishing this 8 count of rises, turn your toes out again similar to first position but with a bit more space between your feet. After this 8 count, turn your ankles out once more to parallel but wider apart again. After this 8 count, instead turn your ankles in so you are back to that wide stance turned out position from the previous set of rises and complete an 8 count. Then turn your toes back in to a slightly close parallel. Continue these steps until your feet and legs are closed together and parallel again. Complete one last 8 count of rises and on the last one, hold yourself up on the balls of your feet for 30 seconds. To make this exercise more difficult, do more than 1 8 count in each set and hold yourself up at the end for longer.
Post stretches: Touch your toes, place one foot in front of the other on only your heel and bend down to touch it then alternate.
I am not a professional trainer, or any professional of the sorts. I am purely giving you my experience and advice as someone who danced all growing up and through high school. These are workouts we often did at practice (along with others but some I’m sure would not interest many of you as it’s more for gaining muscle). These are great exercises because they are very easy to either moderate or make more difficult depending on your fitness and how intense you want the workout to be/how strong you want to be. If you have ANY questions on ANYTHING mentioned in this post, do not hesitate to ask me via dm, or submit into my drop box and I will be happy to give you another explanation.
ALWAYS do a light stretch after working out. This will not only help to ease sore muscles in advance, and also help prevent injury or over-exertion. I plan on posting a stretching routing as well soon so stay posted for that. Also stretch the next day if you feel sore, it will help alleviate any extra soreness you may have in your muscles.
Legs are important and I know we all wanna make them smaller, but don’t do this every day. The only exercises I would say is okay to do daily would be cardio and abs, the rest you should give at least a day between so that you don’t over do it.
Come up with a schedule. For example; Monday & Wednesday—Legs, Tuesday & Thursday—Arms. This will ensure a evenly spaced out routine, and giving your muscles time to rest before working them again.
Fellow dancers, gymnasts and/or other athletes. Please ignore any terms I might have mentioned incorrectly in attempts to better explain them to those we don’t know the terminology. You know what I mean when I explain turning out your feet, follow what you know and add these exercises if you like them! (I’d also love to hear about what you do as well)
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