sore legs, pointe work getting intense

[Yara Refaat]

Hi all i just got my new pointes a month ago, I practise once weekly but I warm up my pointes 2 3 times a week. We are learning the pas de quatre from swan lake. I used to do it (get really tired) with my old shoes. But now I don't just get tired as in short breath, my legs kill me. My new shoes need me to stretch my whole leg more than my dead ones, which makes me get sore legs faster and makes me unable to continue dancing with the same level (because I can't keep my legs so straight when i'm that tired.

Question is, what kind of exercises would help. I mean do I need more feet exercises or leg strength? And is it normal? Thank youu

[taxi4ballet]

Perhaps it might be a good idea to talk to your teacher and ask their advice.

[Primaballerina1]

Where about in your legs does it hurt ?

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Yara, I think Taxi has given good advice and you should seek guidance from your teacher.  Is there a reason why this may not be possible?

 

Can anyone recommend any reputable internet resources for strengthening exercises that may help Yara?

[Yara Refaat]

Well I do ask my teacher and he recommended feet exercises and running as be notices our breath getting difficult during such a fast dance. But I feel this is more than just my feet being not so flexible and strong for my new pointes. Its ny calves that hurt so much, not just after sleeping for the next day, but actually after 3 times doing the pas de quatre. Like I lose control over my whole legs so that standing en pointe is difficult and also doing the "enchaquatre" (not sure about spelling).

That is why I am not even sure which part is the problem.

[aussie ballet mum]

Hi.

Apart from discussing it with your teacher.

Have you a dance physio?

Have you changed pointe shoes to a different style?

 

I would suggest feet work. Doming and pointing on a semi blown up soft medicine ball.

Calf stretches in parallel.

 

These are techniques we have learnt though my dd, as she has problems with her calves.

 

I would really suggest seeing a physio and going back and seeing the fitter. Explaining the issue.

 

Hope that helps.

[Interested Parent]

I would echo Aussie ballet mums advice re the dance Physio. My DD had similar symptoms to you (I say symptoms as her problem may be different to yours) and her dance Physio found something was 'locking' behind her knees, causing the calves to not move properly. Some simple exercises resolved the problem and she now does those exercises regularly. So definitely recommend Physio advice. In the mean time a gentle message of the calves before and after dance wouldn't do any harm.

[youngatheart]

Hi Yara,

 

Do you only get the problem in the dance, or is it with any kind of pointe exercises? Or do you not do a pointe barre?

[Kate_N]

It's hard to do this over the internet as we can't see you, but it sounds like a few things:

 

* you need better general overall fitness (one ballet class a week is not enough for that). Try a programme of walking - to the point where you get out of breath but can still speak -- for 30 minutes each day, and eventually you could even run for that time.

 

* you need to develop a habit of stretching. It sounds as though you need to do some calf and ankle stretches. You could google/YouTube for "runners stretches" - deep stretches of the calves & Achilles

 

* it worries me that you don't straighten your legs when you're on pointe. Are you strong enough for pointe? Are you able to stretch your legs fully doing that choreography on demi-pointe?

 

Not being able to straighten your legs when you're on pointe could be for a number of reasons: you're not over the box of the shoe; tyour ankles aren't flexible enough; you're not pulling up enough; your core is weak; you don't feel confident on pointe.

 

All these things can be fixed with slow steady work in consultation with your teacher.