How to be a Better Irish Dancer!

Exercises to help you improve your dancing and help you to be a better Irish dancer

All of this information was freely provided by our friend Ariel Bennett T.C.R.G. of the Heritage Irish Stepdancers

She has very kindly passed this info on to us, as provided to her own dancers. All she has asked in return is that you take note of the following statement, which we think is very fair!

Back

Lying-Down Stretches
Note: Be sure to do these stretches lying on a mat or pad.

*Lie on your back with your legs stretched out on the floor, your toes gently pointed, your arms extended at your sides.

*Push the muscles of your lower back so that your back is flat against the floor. If you have trouble pushing your lower back, do this:

Put your right hand under your lower back.
Feel how there is an arch between it and the floor?

Now, try to push against your hand using your back.
Feel which muscles you are using to push your hand.

Remove your hand from under your back, and try to use those muscles to push yourself flat against the floor.

Keeping your back flat against the floor is important in preventing back discomfort or injury when doing lying-down exercises and crunches.

*Now, concentrate on the muscles of your stomach. Imagine that a string is connecting your navel to your spine, pulling your navel closer and closer to your spine. At the same time, imagine that a large, flat weight is resting on your abdominal muscles, pressing your stomach flat.

Do not hold your breath; keep your stomach muscles flat while you continue to breathe normally. Keeping your abdomen flat while doing lying-down exercises and crunches helps develop firm muscles without bulges.

*Keep your buttock muscles tight, anchoring you to the floor.

*Finally, imagine that your neck is lengthening, getting longer and longer along the floor. Stretch your neck along the floor away from your shoulders, and let your chin gently drop onto your chest.

*You should maintain this position--back flat, stomach flat, buttocks tight, neck lengthened--while you do all the following exercises. Practice if you have trouble.

Leg Tucks . . Twists . . Leg Extensions . . Buttocks stretch

*Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.

*Leaving your left leg extended along the floor, lift your right knee towards your right shoulder, holding your leg as close to your chest as you can with your right hand grasping your ankle and your left hand holding your leg below your knee. Hold this for 30 seconds.

*Return to starting position and repeat with left leg. Repeat 2 times each side.

*Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.

*Gently pull both legs into your chest, knees bent, keeping your back and hips flat on the floor. Press your shoulders flat into the floor and shift your hips slightly to the right, turning your waist so that your bent legs end up resting one on top of the other on the left side of your body. Turn your head so that you are looking over your right shoulder, away from your legs. Keep your shoulders flat with your arms extended out to either side.

*Slowly straighten your right leg (the top leg) along the floor so that your foot is resting on the floor as close to your head as you can get it. Reach out with your left hand, still looking away from your legs, and use your left hand to pull your right leg a little closer to your head and body. Hold for 30 seconds.

*Repeat 2 times each side. Do not do this stretch if you have disk problems.

*Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms stretched at your sides. Concentrate on pressing your back flat, keeping your stomach and buttock muscles tight, and gently tucking your chin into your chest.

*Leave your left leg stretched out along the ground as you straighten your right leg into the air. Place both hands behind your right leg in different places for support (do not lace your fingers together). Hold for 30 seconds. If you have trouble straightening your leg into the air using your hands, put a towel behind your leg instead and hold the ends of the towel to hold your leg in place.

*Bend you knee and pull your leg a little closer to your chest. Then straighten your leg from there, keeping hips and shoulders flat on the floor. Hold for 30 seconds.

*Repeat 2 times both sides.

*Lie on your back with your legs bent, feet resting about hip width apart on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left, turning your leg from the hip.

*Put both hands on your left hamstring and pull both legs in towards your chest. As soon as you feel a good stretch in your right leg and buttock, hold for 30 seconds. Make sure you’re pulling your left leg in a line with your left shoulder.

*Repeat 2 times each side.

Lying On Stomach Exercises

Quad Stretch . . Superman . . Cobra . . Torpedo posture

Opposite Extensions . . Leg Lifts

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together. Keep your stomach and your back muscles energized.

*Reach back with your right hand and grasp your right ankle. Gently pull your right leg up towards your right buttock as far as is comfortable. Hold for 30 seconds. Make sure your knee is pointed at the floor, and stop pulling if you feel and discomfort in your knee or the tendons on either side of your knee. Be sure to pull gently and slowly.

*Repeat 2 times each side.

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together. Keep your stomach and back muscles energized.

*Stretch your arms out on the floor in front of you. Simultaneously extend your arms and legs off the floor as high as is comfortable, raising your head as high as you can. Leave your hips and stomach resting on the floor, and keep your arms and legs straight. Hold for 15 seconds.

*Repeat 3 times. You can also work your arms during this stretch by doing the breaststroke in the air with your arms while you hold your body up.

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together. Keep your stomach and back muscles energized.

*Put your hands directly under your shoulders. Turn your feet so that your toes are flat on the floor and push back gently towards your feet so that you feel a stretch in the back of your calves.

*Leaving your hips flat on the floor, straighten your arms as much as you can, pushing your torso up into the air. Once you are at your fullest extension, lift your head so you are looking straight ahead, making sure your shoulders are not bunching up around your neck. Keeping your mouth closed with your tongue touching the roof of your mouth during this exercise will help stretch and firm the skin and muscles under your chin and in the front of your neck.

*Hold for 15-30 seconds and then slowly lower yourself to the floor.

*Repeat 2-3 times.

*If you are not able at first to straighten your arms completely, straighten them as much as you can. Work up to full extension.

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together. Keep your stomach and back muscles energized.

*Put your arms down at your sides on the floor. Leaving your hips and legs flat on the floor, lift your torso into the air as much as you can without using your arms. Hold a few seconds, then return to the floor.

*Repeat 2-3 times.

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together. Keep your stomach and back muscles energized.

*Extend your arms along the floor in front of you. Inhale.

*Exhale, raise your right arm and your left leg, lifting your head as high as you can at the same time. Keep hips on the floor.

*Inhale while slowly lowering your arm and leg.

*Exhale, energize your stomach muscles, and raise left arm and right leg.

*Repeat 5 times each side.

*Lie on your stomach with your legs together.
Keep your stomach and back muscles energized. Fold your arms under your chin.

*Keeping your leg straight, lift your right leg off the ground as high as you can, and then lower it back down to the floor. Maintain good control over your leg as it descends (do not let your leg drop to the floor).

*Repeat 8 times on each leg. You can use ankle weights to increase difficulty.