Dance and Weight Loss
April 21, 2009
Plie
Plie is the most basic ballet move. It strengthens the hips, thighs and buns. Proper arm positioning can also help in tightening floppy triceps.
How do you do it?
Begin by placing your heels together and moving your toes so that your feet create an angle wider than 90 degrees but no wider than 180 degrees. Hold on to a chair or table with one hand and hold your other arm up at shoulder height with your palms toward your front.
Bend your knees as much as you can without lifting your heels. Repeat this process several times, switching which hand hold on to the chair or table so that you can improve your overall arm strength. Be sure to never drop your hips below your knees.
Eleve
Eleve is really good for strengthening your knees and calves. As with most ballet moves, be sure to keep your rear tucked in and your body as straight as possible. Your stomach should be sucked in loosely.
How do you do it?
Grasp a chair for support with one hand and hold your other hand out at shoulder height with your palm facing forward. Keep your elbows loose. With both heels and toes facing out, rise to the balls of your feet.
Do this a number of times and you should feel a slight burn in your calves. To improve your grace and balance, try this exercise without the support of a chair.
Arabesque
This position is best used to strengthen your lower back and alleviate lower back pain. It also helps in strengthening your buttocks, a very important muscle for your overall balance.
How do you do it?
Start with your heels together and your feet turned out slightly. You can keep your arms in whichever position feels the most comfortable, but the higher you keep your arms the more strength training you will achieve.
Raise one leg just behind you to the height you feel most comfortable and as straight as you can. Keep the leg raised to the level of your hip and then swing it around to the front of you without bringing the leg down to the side. Try to keep the leg you are standing on loose without bending it.
Saut
A saut is just a jump. Quick jumps are the best ways to lose greater quantities of weight because of the cardiovascular element. It will also strengthen the knees.
How do you do it?
Start with your heels together and toes turned out. Lift both of your arms up to shoulder height, palms facing forward with your elbows loose. Begin with a plie. Leap upward into the air, toes pointed and land back in a plie.
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