Physical Therapy Equipment
Ballet Body Strength

Physical therapy equipment is used by ballet dancers all over the world. The different types of equipment helps improve technique and target specific muscles.

Ballet dancers have to keep in top shapend peak strength. In mostly any dance environment, you will find a fitness room full of equipment that is constantly busy with dancer's exercising their body.

It isn't just about keeping in shape for dancers, but it is maintaining strength.

Ballet dancers have to focus on every weakness in their body, which can be very individual to each dancer.

Professional dancers often use physical therapy equipment everyday to keep their body in top condition.

The physical therapy equipment can range from being as small as a stretchy band to as big as a biking machine. There are hundreds of exercises and equipment that ballet dancers keep busy with all day and every day.

Fitness Equipment

The key fitness equipment for ballet dancers include the exercise bike, cross trainer and treadmill.

The exercise bike can be particularly popular with professional ballet dancers, even just for 15 or 20 minutes.

If you keep your legs spinning very fast and challenge the speed in short bursts, then it can really raise your heartbeat and build stamina. It will not build up your thigh muscles if you stretch and lengthen them out afterwards.

The cardio workouts like this are great tmaintain stamina and fitness. You can get into routine of doing cardio a few times a week, which will make you feel good as well as keeping your muscles in top shape.

Resistance Bands

Almost every ballet dancer will (or should) own a resistance band. They are not too expensive and last a lifetime. You can find them in various different strengths (medium/ strong/ extra strong) for as little as £6.

They are FANTASTIC for strengthening specific parts of the body and so convenient that you can carry it in your dance bag everywhere you go.

The most common exercise with a resistance band will benefit all young female dancers for their pointe shoes. Even top ballerinas still use a thera band to warm up their feet before ballet class.

Here is a clear set of instructions for you to do with a resistance band -

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight and feet in front of you.

2. Wrap the band around one flexed foot and hold the two ends with your hands

3. Pointe your foot going through the demi-pointe and your metatarsals.

4. Roll the foot back up to the starting flexed position

5. Repeat continually on one foot for about 5 or 10 minutes, before swapping to the other foot... your metatarsals should start to ache!

It is an easy, effective exercise that can be done in many various ways to strength the pointe in the feet. If in doubt, ask your ballet teacher to guide you through some exercises because it will greatly improve all your footwork.

Physic-therapeutical Training Belt

Dancer's are always looking for ways become more flexible and this strong elastic belt is designed to increase leg flexibility.

You can wrap it around your foot and hold it with your hands to maintain deep stretches and extensive positions.

Some examples of positions you can do is in box spilts, arabesque, ponchee and a la second.

The resistance from the band helps increase flexibility and allows you to hold the position whilst stretching your muscles.

Weights

Dance weights can be worn around the ankles or wrists to strengthen muscles. It is excellent to work your back muscles and improve port de bras to become more aware of the movements.

Wrist Weights

1. Go from ballet arm positions one to five, and then back again, several times in a row.

2. Hold your arms in each position for one minute

Ankle Weights

1. Do a series of battements on each side and at each height (working up to grand-battement)

2. Standing in fifth position, slide both feet out to the sides simultaneously; pull your feet back into fifth simultaneously.

This page holds just the few key physical therapy equipment, but there are many more dancers commit to doing every single day. It is a really important part of being a dancer to work on your weaknesses and keep your body always at it's best.

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