I get it… every time you google the best ways to improve the height of your développés, the search results are always FULL of the same thing… STRENGTHENING THE HIP FLEXORS. Although strong hip flexors are the key to higher extensions, if you’ve been doing all of the recommended hip flexor exercises and are still seeing no results, there might be a different problem… TURN OUT!
What you may not realise is that it’s impossible to achieve height in your développés to the front and side if your turn out is lacking. This is all down to our anatomy…
At the top of our thigh near the point where our femur connects to our pelvis, there is a bony mass known as the GREATER TROCHANTER. When we are standing with our feet facing forwards in parallel position, this bony mass protrudes to the side of our hip. That means that if we were to lift one leg out to the side whilst remaining in parallel, we wouldn’t be able to lift our leg very high, as the bony greater trochanter would meet our pelvic bone or ilium, stopping us from lifting it further.
When we turn out our legs from the hip, the greater trochanter moves backwards behind the ilium. This then allows us to lift our working leg higher as there is more room behind the ilium for the greater trochanter. This applies for the leg extensions to the front as well.
No one is asking you for a flat 180 degrees, however if your turn out is lacking, it will restrict the height of your leg during développés.
If you’re currently frowning at the size of the pizza slice between your feet, please don’t worry! Although the level of turn out we can achieve is also influenced by our individual anatomy, there are a plenty of exercises we can do to improve it…
That’s because the external rotators of our hips and glutes are responsible for external rotation of the hip, otherwise known as TURN OUT. So, by strengthening and stretching these muscles effectively, we can definitely make improvements to the size of those teeny pizza slices!
The Best Exercises to Strengthen the External Rotators for Improved Turn Out
Our external rotators, which include the piriformis, gluteus maximum and psoas major and minor to name a few, are responsible for our turn out.
Check out these exercises which help to stretch and strengthen the external rotators for improved turn out , and… you guessed it! Higher développés!
- Clam shells
Step 1) Lie on your side with your legs stacked on top of one another. Your knees should be bent at a 90⁰ angle, and your feet should be in line with your bottom.
Step 2) Without opening your hips, use your glute muscles to lift the knee of your top leg whilst keeping your feet together.
Step 3) Repeat.
- Fire hydrants
Step 1) Grab and resistance band and wrap it around your lower thighs just above your knees.
Step 2) Move your body into a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Your knees and hips should be at 90⁰ angles.
Step 3) Engaging your glutes and maintaining the 90⁰ angles, lift on leg out to the side and then lower.
Step 4) Repeat.
- Piriformis Stretch
Step 1) Lying on your back, bend your knees so both feet are flat on the floor.
Step 2) Lift and turn out your right leg, placing your right foot on top of your left knee.
Step 3) Use your arms to bring your left knee towards your chest until you feel a gentle stretch. Hold for 30 seconds.
Step 4) Repeat on the other side.
Still having trouble with your turn out? It may be worth checking to see if you stand with an Anterior Pelvic Tilt (ATP).
ATP is a forward tilting of the pelvis which creates excessive curvature of the lower spine, and is often caused by tight quads and hip flexors, and weakness in the core, glute and hamstring muscles.
Studies have shown that this forward tilting of the pelvis can limit external rotation (or turn out).
If you think you might have an anterior pelvic tilt, you should definitely visit a doctor or physiotherapist for an accurate diagnosis. However, in the meantime, you can help to correct your ATP by performing exercises which strengthen the core, glutes and hamstrings whilst also stretching out the quads and hip flexors.
The Best Exercises to combat Anterior Pelvic Tilt in Dancers
- Hollow body hold
Step 1) Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent at 90⁰ degree angles so that your shins are in the air, parallel to the floor.
Step 2) Engage your core by imagining that you’re sucking your belly button towards your spine, then lift your head and shoulders. Your arms should be next to your body, parallel to the floor.
Step 3) Hold for 30 seconds and repeat.
- Glute bridges
Step 1) Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Step 2) Engage your core by sucking your belly button towards your spine whilst exhaling.
Step 3) Push your hips into the air, squeezing your glute muscles as you reach full height in the movement. Make sure you keep your core engaged to prevent arching of the back.
Step 4) Repeat.
Top Tip! You can modify this exercise to target both the glutes and hamstrings… To target the glutes, bring your feet nearer to your bottom, or for greater hamstring engagement you can move your feet further away from your bottom!
- King Pigeon Pose
The King Pigeon Pose is great for stretching both the iliopsoas (hip flexor) and quad simultaneously. If you find it challenging, practice the Pigeon Pose (up to Step 2) for a couple of weeks before you try bending the back leg to enter the King Pigeon Pose.
Step 1) Take up the cobra stretch by lying on your belly and pushing your torso away from the floor with your hands.
Step 2) From here, bend your right leg and bring it front of you. Your right knee should be pointing directly forwards and your right foot should be in front of your left hip.
Step 3) Bend your left knee and reach over your head to grab your left foot with both hands. Your back should be slightly arched.
Step 4) Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
If you thought you’d tried everything to improve the height of your développés, working on your turn out could be the secret key ingredient that really works for you! Let me know in the comments if these exercises help you to achieve higher extensions, or head over to my post How to improve your développé à la seconde for more of the best tips and exercises to help you on your quest for dreamy développés! See you there!
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