STRAIGHT KNEES FOR DANCER AND GYMNASTS
Are you having trouble keeping your knees straight during your turns, leaps, tumbling, or battements?
There are several issues that could be contributing to this problem!
Quadriceps Weakness
The quadriceps muscle group is responsible for straightening (extending) the knee. If these muscles are weak, this will result in a lack of knee extension while you are performing your skill.
EXERCISES
Knee Extension with Yoga Blocks
Long Sitting Knee Extension over Yoga Blocks
Hip Flexor Weakness
This may sound strange, but when your deep hip flexor muscles are weak, this can result in a bent knee! When you lift your leg during your leaps or turns in second, this puts a lot of strain on the hip flexors, especially your deep psoas muscle. If your hip muscle is not strong enough to hold your leg up, the knee will naturally bend to reduce the stress on the psoas.
EXERCISES TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HIP FLEXORS
Long Sitting Straight Leg Lift
(Pike and Straddle)
Standing Knee March with KettleBall at Foot
Tight Hamstrings
Finally, if the hamstrings are tight along the back of your thigh, this can limit your knee extension! Although passive stretching (ex. sitting in your splits) does help with increasing flexibility, actively using your hamstrings can also improve you muscle length!
EXERCISES TO STRETCH AND LENGTHEN YOUR HAMSTRINGS
Single Leg Romanian Dead Lift with Weight
Contract/Relax with a Straight Leg Raise
(Press your foot down into the strap as hard as you can for 10 seconds; then, pull your left closer to you and repeat the exercise!)