How to improve your arabesque!

Applications to a well executed Arabesque!

Attention should be placed on strengthening the hip and back extensors:

• Hip extensors (hamstrings) lift the leg to the back, so focus on using the hamstrings to perform the movement.
• Back extensors keep the torso upright as your pelvis tilts slightly forward once the leg is fully extended to back. This makes it necessary to engage the back extensors to prevent torso from falling forward.

To increase leg height without putting pressure or “sinking into” the lower (lumbar) spine:

• Maximize external rotation of the thigh bone (femur) in the hip socket rather than rotate the pelvis (ie: ‘alasebesque’)
• Think of “reaching the leg out” stretching across the front of the hip. (Really press out into the straps of the Flexistretcher)
• Focus on “lifting the leg from the knee” to encourage use of the hamstrings to extend the leg to the back
• Once full range of hip extension is achieved the pelvis pelvis must tilt anteriorly (forward). Concentrate on these cues, “pull abdominals in and up” while “lifting in upper back” to create an evenly distributed extension in the spine and to avoid sinking in the lower spine.