Arch Tips!!

Today's Tip of the day is... IMPROVING YOUR ARCH!!!

Super Big Arch

I know that this is an important one for any dancer and having a big arch can help with not only a more beautiful line but it will also make it easier for you too dance. Although people for example, Beckanne Siske's, Svetlana Zakharova and the famous Miss Sylvie Guillem naturally have a big arch so it will be very hard to compete with them, you can learn how to have a bigger arch then you did a few weeks or months ago! Here are some tips to get you one step closer to the foot you've dreamed you could have if you knew what to do for your feet.

Tip #1- Strength.
Use a Theraband to strengthen your feet, especially your metatarsal. It will make it easier for you to point your toes and go on high demi pointe. There are different strengths for Theraband's so, although I do not suggest you use one that is to hard that your feet can't handle it you should still use one that is a little bit harder so that you can actually work on something. Some excercises you can do with the Theraband is, wrapping the Theraband around the balls of your feet (sitting down) and just do eleves pulling the Theraband towards you. Do 5 sets of 20 reps. Another exercise is, to wrap the Theraband around the balls of your feet and flex while slowly pointing your toes, making sure you pass through a high demi pointe (still sitting on the floor). Do 5 sets of 10 reps. Do not make it too easy for yourself, so challenge yourself to do a few more reps of the excercises and once the Theraband gets to week for you use the next Theraband that is a bit harder than the one before. A way to strengthen your feet without a Theraband is using a towel and trying to bunch the towel all up by using your toes and metatarsal. This is a really good exercise so you can do as many of these as you want until you feel you need to stop.

Towel Strengthening

Tip#2- Tools.
Use an arch genie or if you don't have one you can use the space between the couch and the floor and stick your foot in between the gap, then straighten your knees. If you have a partner to help you out whether it's a friend, your mom or a relative, ask them to push your toes to the floor, while you make sure to keep your legs parallel. If you have a partner you can easily tell them if it hurts or if they can keep pushing so having a partner help you is a good way to have fun and stretch at the same time. One day I will teach you how to make your own arch genie for a very low price that you can customise for your own feet and your own fashion.

Arch Genie

There is not much you can really do to improve your arch because it is usually a natural thing but if you follow the steps above and take class regularly your arch should improve. Good Luck!!