Floor Warm-Up Part I

This is part one of the floor warm-up we do every day in my ballet class.  I love this warm-up because it gently works all the major muscle groups and helps improve flexibility. 

The first benefit of the opening floor exercises is to teach you to hear your body, so you can understand and respond correctly.  The floor should feel like a gentle ironing or a giant yawn as opposed to the torture rack from the Dark Ages. 

ON YOUR BACK

Ballet Sit-Ups – Awaken the spine, shoulders, neck, torso, and hamstrings.  Lay flat on your back with your legs together and arms at your sides.  Inhale as you raise your arms over your head into 5^th high, then exhale as you sit up, keeping your arms in 5^th high.  Lay over your legs and wrap your hands around your feet with your thumbs over your arches.  Hold for an 8-count.  Sit up with arms in 5^th high, then lower arms to 2^nd as you lean over slightly and look to the right.  Return to upright position, then repeat to the left.  Place teeth together as arms go to 2^nd and lift your chest and chin to the ceiling.  Return to 5^th high, then contract the center and roll down to the floor. 

Repeat, this time looking to the right, and then the left while lying over your legs, holding each for a 4-count.  When in the upright position, turn the torso to look over the right and left shoulders with arms extended, returning to 5^th high in between. 

Repeat a third time, this time alternating over the right and left legs, slightly bending each leg as you lean over it for a 1-count.  When in the upright position, turn the torso to the right and place the left hand on the outside of the right knee and apply a slight pressure as you look over your extended right shoulder and arm.  Return to 5^th high, then repeat to the left.  Contract the center and roll down to the floor.

Leg Raises – Work hips and awaken knees, ankles, metatarsals, and toes.  Lay flat on your back with your legs together and arms at your sides.  Raise both legs, then extend them straight up so your body forms an “L”.  Flex your feet, then point through.  Bring the knees back down, and lower legs so you are once again in the starting position.  Repeat three more times.

Fourth Front Extensions -- Lay flat on your back with your legs together and arms at your sides.  Bring right knee to your nose, and raise your head to meet it, keeping left leg lengthened on the floor.  Extend your right leg as the shoulders and head are returned to the floor, trying to bring your right knee down to meet your nose.  Relax at the ankle and knee, then extend.  Repeat three more times, then switch to the left leg.

Front Lifts -- Lay flat on your back with your legs together and arms behind your head.  Bring the left leg to parallel passé with the foot flat on the floor.  The right leg lengthens from the hip, then pushes up in 4^th front extension.  Repeat with a flexed foot, a pointed foot, and a flexed foot.  Change to right leg in parallel passé and repeat on the left.

Front Developpé and Rond de Jamb -- Lay flat on your back with your legs together and arms at your sides.  Bring legs to double turned out passé, then developpé the right leg to 4^th front extension.  Rotate leg to à la seconde, flex and point through the foot, then return to double passé and repeat with the left leg.  Be sure to keep a pulled out energy in the hip as you perform the rond de jamb movement and keep the hips from rolling to the right and left as the leg works.  Continue to repeat until each leg has gone through the exercise four times. 

À la Seconde Extensions – From the double passé of the previous exercise, lift both legs off the floor, keeping the position.  Extend both legs out à la seconde, flex and point through the foot, then return to the double passé.  Use the arms to aid in the stretch.  Repeat three more times.  On the last time, keep the legs in à la seconde with a flexed foot and give them either a gentle pulsing motion or gently rock from side to side.  Point through the foot and return to double passé.  Lower the toes to the floor, and slowly straighten the legs, holding the turnout for as long as possible.