Five Stretches to Improve Your Battements, aka Kicks
Five Stretches to Improve Your Battements, aka Kicks
Are you ready to improve the height of your Battement, aka kick? Then here are 5 stretches that can help! Of course, flexibility isn’t the only thing getting in the way of your highest and best battement. You also need to understand proper placement and alignment…which muscles to engage and which ones to release. But knowing what muscles to stretch and how to stretch them is where we recommend you start. So what are you waiting for? Start stretching the following muscle groups with the 5 stretches included to improve the height or your battement NOW:
- Hip flexors
- Adductors
- Abductors
- Hamstring
Crescent Moon Side Bend
- Begin in Table Pose.
- Exhale – Step your right foot forward. Keep your back knee down and toes untucked.
- Lift your chest and come to your fingertips. Draw your hip bones towards your ribs to maintain length in your low back. Find depth in your back hip. Level off your pelvis.
- Inhale – Reach your arms out, around and up. Side Bend to the right. Plant your right palm. Draw your left bicep to your left ear.
- Option to place your right palm on a block.
- Breathe here for 4 – 5 rounds of breath.
Variation – Crescent Moon Side Bend – Step-by-Step Instruction from mUvmethod on Vimeo.
Psoas Release
- Begin in Table Pose.
- Exhale – Step your right foot forward. Keep your back knee down and toes untucked.
- Lift your chest and come to your fingertips. Reach your arm out, around and up.
- Straighten your right leg. Shift your hips back over your left knee.
- Exhale – Place your hands on your hips. Engage your abdominals. Flex your spine.
- Press through the ball of your right foot. Lift your hip bones towards your ribs to posteriorly tilt your pelvis and increase spinal flexion. Slightly draw your chin towards your chest.
- Breathe here for 4 – 5 rounds of breath.
Half Pigeon Prep
- Begin in Table Pose.
- Exhale – Low Lunge. Step your right foot forward. Tuck your left toes. Lift your knee.
- Inhale – Heel toe your right foot over to the left.
- Lower your right shin to your mat. Flex your right ankle. Keep your back toes tucked.
- Plant your right palm forward of your right knee. Left palm forward of your right ankle.
- Draw your right hip back and your left hip forward.
- Exhale – Straighten your right knee. Lift your hips. Fold forward.
- Come to the pinky edge side of your right foot. Maintain length in your spine.
- Inhale – Bend your right knee and lower your shin back to your mat.
- Lift your chest forward and up. Relax your glutes.
- Repeat 3 – 5x.
Half Split
- Begin in Table Pose.
- Rise Up. Lengthen your spine. Place your hands on your hips.
- Extend your right leg in front of you. Flex your ankle.
- Lengthen your spine forward. Plant your palms on either side of your right leg.
- Inhale – Lengthen your spine to neutral. Reach the crown of your head forward.
- Come high on your fingertips. Draw your right hip back and your left hip forward.
- Exhale – Straighten your right knee. Lift your hips. Fold forward.
- Come to the pinky edge side of your right foot. Maintain length in your spine.
- Exhale – Maintain a neutral spine. Fold forward. Tuck your chin slightly.
- Breath here for 4 – 5 rounds of breath.
Extended Crescent Moon
- Begin in Table Pose.
- Exhale – Step your right foot forward. Keep your back knee down. Tuck your toes.
- Slide your front leg forward. Place your palms or fingertips on your mat in line with your hips. Draw your right hip back and your left hip down and forward.
- Option to place your palms on a block.
- Inhale – Lift your back knee. Keep your toes tucked.
- Exhale – Lower your back knee. Keep your toes tucked.
- Repeat 3 – 5x.
For additional stretches and weekly stretch sequences check out our Higher Battements and Kicks mUvStretch Guide.
For the love of dance education!
xo
