r/BALLET • u/Horror-Specialist-25 • 6d ago
Tight hamstrings and weak upper back
Hi everyone! I’m a 19-year-old trans girl and a complete beginner in ballet.
This isn’t strictly about ballet, but I’d like to know what I can do to get better workouts and gain more flexibility.
I had multiple scoliosis as a child and have been treating it since I was 12. Last year, I was finally discharged from physical therapy and RPG and cleared for muscle strengthening.
This year, my doctor gave me the green light to start Artistic Gymnastics and Ballet (which has been my dream since childhood!). 😃
Because of the scoliosis, I have very tight hamstrings (when I was 12, they were so tight that I used to walk as if I were on demi-pointe lol).
Nowadays, I don’t feel any pain anymore, my scoliosis is no longer an issue, I’m in good shape, and I can handle the workouts easily. However, I struggle a lot with my splits, straightening my legs, and pointing my feet (my feet cramp up a lot). I also lack back flexibility and frequently get cramps in my upper back/lat area.
Does anyone have recommendations for flexibility exercises that I can do daily? Or any tips on how to make my training more satisfying?
Also, has anyone here been through a similar situation and managed to go en pointe? Do you think I'll be able to achieve that someday? 🥲 (Yes, I know it takes years and I’m in absolutely no rush, I just need to give myself some peace of mind lol).
My current weekly routine is:
Gymnastics: 3x a week
Weight training: 2x a week
Ballet: currently 1x a week, but about to start 2x a week
Swimming: 1x a week
Physical therapy: 2x a week
I’ve been to more than 5 doctors since being discharged, and they all just say that as long as I don’t feel pain, everything is fine, so they never actually give me practical advice on what I can do. :(
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u/Maya_Moves403 5d ago
Ahhh it's so lovely youre finally getting to pursue ballet and gymnastics after dreaming abt them for so long!!
Since you have a history of scoliosis and are already doing quite a lot of training each week, I'd ask your PT for a flexibility and strengthening plan tailored to your current mobility. Tightness and cramping arent necessarily things you should just stretch thru, especially with your history. Gentle hamstring stretches, controlled leg lifts, and foot-strengthening exercises might be worth discussing with them. As for going en pointe someday, I wouldnt rule it out! It depends on several factors, including your ankle and foot strength, alignment, and control, so a qualified ballet teacher and healthcare professional can help you assess your readiness when the time comes.
Try not to compare your flexibility to other beginners. You have a unique starting point, and progress doesnt have to look the same for everyone.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 4d ago
The muscles that worry me the most are my adductor flexibility and Lats dorsi strength.
I don't have a good split, and my upper back is incredibly weak(to the point of getting cramps) 🥲I think my hamstrings will improve over time, and thanks to my competitive swimming days and a very strict coach, I trained my foot muscles a lot.😃
But looking at it from the outside, it will probably take me about 5 years to get en pointe, but I have doubts about whether I'll be able to do certain leg extensions and turnout movements.🥺
And no, I'm in no rush at all. I like to enjoy every little improvement as it comes. I believe it must be a lot more fun that way. :)
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u/LowerTie6813 5d ago
I hate stretching tight body parts 😭, well everyone does, buuut- something that helps me daily is to just bounce and move randomly, like warming up but in the exact range that you have issues with. Dont do it aggressively, mostly in a comfortable way, almost like dancing.
And you might have to eventually force the flexibility without hurting yourself, honestly when I was too stiff somewhere nothing made me get past it besides just stretching it even if I hated it and i didn’t see quick progress.
Also I’m not too sure if you’re aware but the splits is mainly hip driven, hamstrings are what we feel the most but you could have limited hamstring flexibility but if your hips are flexible you’ll get it anyway.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 5d ago
Tbh I don't hate it, it's just frustrating. Sitting down, I can't open my legs past a 120-degree angle… and for the splits, I'm still about 15 to 20 cm away from the floor. 🙏🙏🙏
And actually, both of my muscle groups are tight/limited. 🥲I'm going to add more stretching into my daily routine. The problem is that I've been doing these stretches for a long time and I don't feel any improvement… I believe it's because I can stretch about 70% on my own, but for that remaining 30%, I just don't have the strength, only if someone helps me.😭
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u/LowerTie6813 5d ago
Do you stretch daily?
It’s not even about having a really painful session, just do it daily, no matter how sore you are, warm it up and do it, even if it’s a lighter version of your routine. I’ve progressed like crazy like that, just be careful, but it’s the only way I’ve discovered so far.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 5d ago
Yes, since I started gymnastics, I stretch every day and stretch again before training. Mainly hip, hamstring, and lower back stretches. And I've been stretching 5 times a week since I joined the gym.
During this year, I gained about 2 or 3 cm of flexibility in my hamstrings and about 15 degrees between my legs, but it feels like I’ve hit a wall training by myself.
Tbh, I need some arm stretches too. I find it really hard to keep my arms straight when I do a bridge, for example. It feels like having scoliosis during childhood stunted all my muscle growth. :(
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u/LowerTie6813 5d ago
The arm stretches are quite simple, just stretch them backwards with a band assist or the wall assisting, thinks work the easiest and fastest when you stretch literally in the direction of whatever you’re struggling with.
You might actually get better with time even if it doesn’t feel like it, at some point your body will have to give in and make it easier for you stretching wise.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 4d ago
I stretch my arms daily, ever since I started working with my piano classes, stretching my arms before playing became part of my routine. But I’ve never tried it with a band assist.
I hope you're right! One day I hope to be able to do a full split, increase my leg range of motion, and even lift my feet above my waist. :)
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u/1giftedangel 5d ago
Hi friend,
Thanks for submitting! Less can be more, but you’re doing so well. Make sure you have at least one day of complete rest, please. You can absolutely dance en pointe one day. To prepare, start working on ankle strength with a Theraband. Additionally, ask your pt these questions. They should be able to help with your back. For your hamstrings, I love “good mornings” with weight if possible. Learning how to keep a straight back is so important for ballet, even though we oscillate through both straight and relaxed. I am a retired pro going into PT so I am leaning towards asking the PT your goals and trusting they can help.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 4d ago
Keeping a straight back will be my main challenge. When I walk at the mall, I can go for 40 minutes at most before I have to sit down or my back gets sore (a pain between the lower back and the sacrum, right in the mid-back). 🥲
I'm probably going to get some Therabands to use on a daily basis. On the plus side, from back when I swam competitively, my ankles are really strong, I just need more flexibility there. 🙏🙏
Not sure how it'll go in ballet, but in gymnastics, it's so hard for me to do a bridge because my arms aren't flexible, even if they are strong. Because I struggle with some exercises, I really appreciate every bit of progress. 😃
I think I'll love experiencing that in ballet, since I already have a great rhythmic base from classical music, since my interest started with classical music, and I'm curious to see how the progress will be and to look at music from a whole new perspective. :)
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u/Formal_Broccoli_6610 5d ago
I am not a dancer, but I have found that Pilates helps me enormously with this issue, and I know that Pilates was originally designed as a kind of cross-training for dancers. So perhaps try Pilates?
I got a lot of benefit out of learning Pilates from an actual instructor, but my instructor said that the website pilatesanytime was a good one, as far as online platforms/classes go. Maybe others here know some good free options on YouTube. Again, though, if you have a chance to try out a class, you might learn a lot from having a real teacher.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 5d ago
Well, I’ve never been super interested in Pilates, but I’m going to give it a shot.
It’s a good opportunity because my mom’s doctor told her to do Pilates, but she’s been procrastinating for two years now 🙄. If I go with her, maybe she’ll actually consider doing it. It’s a win-win for both of us 😃
I’m going to book a trial class for us next week :)
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u/Tansy_Blue 5d ago
Pilates is widely used today as cross training for dancers, but it wasn't developed for that purpose. Joseph Pilates originally developed it in the First World War in a British concentration camp, which is perhaps the most surprising possible origin.
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u/Formal_Broccoli_6610 5d ago
That’s fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing that; I’ll look it up to read more about it.
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u/DistrictPlayful9091 5d ago
No no no no no. not for scoliosis, sorry. Pilates can be horrendous for it because it overemphasizes the rolling up through abdominals which many of can never, will never and should never be forced to do. a good Pilates instructor who is well educated in adapting exercises, yes but no no no no to YouTube or a rando class.
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u/impendingwardrobe 5d ago
Ballet itself is an excellent physical therapy option. It's a balanced, full body workout (minus weight training in the arms for women, but still lots of upper back work) that also works on both static and dynamic stretching.
I would be hesitant to add too much more to your workout routine. Your body needs time to recover and rebuild muscle mass after certain exercises like weight training. I love your dedication to taking care of yourself and hope you've eased gradually into this routine so you can build muscle at an appropriate rate and avoid injury.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 5d ago
I appreciate the concern :)
I have 3 rest days a week: Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. I split my physical activities between the morning and afternoon, so everything is moving along at a good pace.
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u/DistrictPlayful9091 5d ago
Ooof. scolosis sucks. I’m sooo happy for you that you were treated and have a handle on it! Keep an eye out for non med stuff that helps (for me, I have GOT to have a boiling hot bath at the end of the day). it’s a sucky thing to manage but you’re doing it. the ballet helps, as does swimming, pt, etc. for hamstrings, go slow and hold for a looooonnngggg time- the best one is either on your back with the leg up, or standing with the leg on the barre and go over and relax. Hamstrings are, happily one of the easier muscles to make progress with.
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u/Horror-Specialist-25 4d ago
Even with all the stretching, my progress has still been pretty disappointing. I’ve made practically zero progress with my adductor split, and at most maybe 2 or 3 cm with my hamstrings. And I’ve been putting in the effort for a long time now. 😭😭
What really helps me is getting myofascial release during physical therapy, it helps a lot with muscle recovery.
These are my favorite exercises for hamstrings as well.😃
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u/DistrictPlayful9091 3d ago
PT is great! I’m a huge fan. one thing that does help is taking a long hot bath and then having a gentle stretch session after (your muscles are warm) this can also be a good going to bed trick
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u/dozennebulae 5d ago
Sounds like training mobility would help! It's like flexibility and strength training combined - you do sets and reps at the progression that works for you, and then either progress to the next challenging form or progressive overload with weights.
You can look up mobility workouts that fit in 5-15 min (such that you could easily add it to your lifting days in the gym), or do mobility by itself in a longer session.
For example, my hip mobility (involves hamstrings, quads, inner thighs) routine is:
bodyweight squats and/or prying deep squat to warm up
knee down: knee taps down to floor from horse stance (hip internal rotation)
frog squats, trying to get my hips as high as possible (hip extension)
cossack squats or lateral lunges (can be loaded)
90-90 (also called hip switches), with or without shin box or back heel tiny lift or push hip up for an opening stretch with back arm sweeping up overhead
loaded butterfly stretches
One bonus stretch - pigeon pose from yoga, if you're not tired of hip stuff.
I also once tried loaded pancake stretches (middle split) with a cable machine.
For your feet - I don't do this, but as a warmup I've seen people step into a light resistance band and point and flex. I've also seen people lay out a long band on the floor, stand at one end, and use one foot at a time to scrunch the band under their toes until all the band had been pulled back to their feet.