How to get better posture - with simple ballet fitness exercises

Over 50% of us will experience back problems at some point in our adult lives and these problems can largely be attributed to bad posture.

Ballet dancers are renowned for their good posture. So, how do they do it? 

What causes bad posture?

 When we sit for long periods of time - at a desk all day, driving for a long time, or watching the TV for hours at a time, we’re damaging our bodies and weakening our posture.

Even if you use an ergonomic chair that has been set up perfectly for you, sitting down all day can cause the discs in your spine to compress which can lead to premature degeneration. Long periods of sitting can also cause your hip flexors to shorten, your leg muscles to get weaker and your glutes to atrophy. We need these muscles to stabilize ourselves when we stand, walk or exercise. The weaker they are, the more we are at risk of injury. The same applies to our neck and shoulders if we hunch to look at a screen for long periods of time.

How can I improve my posture?

Good posture really comes from core strength. Not just the abs which we often think of as the 'core', but the core including back, hips and glutes as well as abdominal muscles.

Ballet fitness is amazing for improving posture because EVERY SINGLE ballet exercises uses the core. As well as working all our core muscles as we exercise, we also keep a focus on lengthening our spine and keeping strong body alignment the whole time - even when simply standing at the barre or in the centre.

Try these four simple exercises at home to help improve your posture:

Retire balances

This one looks super simple but the exercise will force your body into a perfect posture hold. 

• Standing facing a barre or chair.

• Feet in first (toes turned out and heels together)

• Squeeze the butt, engage the stomach muscles, relax the shoulders and think about growing tall through the top of the head.

• Lift one foot up and place it just under the knee cap - turning the lifted knee out towards the side

• Now hold everything strong and lift your arms off the barre holding them infront of you in first position. Keep the shoulders relaxed.

• Hold the position for 5 to 20 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

Do as many reps as possible and repeat the exercise as often as you can.

Port de Bras

Port de Bras translates to 'carriage of the arms' and posture is key to this exercise. There are many variations but this simple one is a lovely posture improver.

•  Stand with heels together, toes turned slightly out to the corners. Legs straight, squeeze the butt, engage the abdominals and lower the shoulders.

• Bring the arms up to first, out to 2nd and breathe in. Fold forwards, dropping the arms and head and exhaling as you go.

• Roll up through the spine and reset your posture checks.

• Repeat four times.

• Rise up bringing the arms overhead - breathe in (legs straight, butt squeezes, abs engaged, shoulders down)

• Lower the heels and arms - breathe out. Keeping your posture strong.

• Repeat 4 times.

The breathing is important here as it will help to keep your spine long and muscles oxygenated.

Down Dog to High Plank & Child's Pose

This is a lovely exercise to strengthen and stretch the core - helping to correct alignment issues and build strength.

• Hold a down dog position for 4 to 8 seconds. (Pull shoulders down and away from the ears, look down or through the legs and push the hips high whilst driving heels down towards the floor).

• Move your shoulders forwards over your hands into a high plank. Hold for 4 to 8 seconds.

• Gently lower the knees to the floor, and leaving your hands where they are, push your bottom back onto your heels. Drop the head and enjoy this lovely big stretch.

Repeat this whole routine 4 to 8 times.

Ballet chest lift

• Laying flat on the floor on your front. Bring your arms to 5th position overhead (fingertips nearly touching, shoulders pulled down away from the ears and palms inwards)

• Keeping the neck straight and free of tension and squeezing the butt, lift the chest off the floor and lower.

5 to 8 reps of these a few times a week will really help to strengthen the back, which often gets overlooked and is key to better posture!

For more core strengthening exercises, check out our five core exercises for dancers blog post.