The Radio City Rockettes are known for their iconic long, lean legs. Fortunately, you don’t have to do a million high kicks to attain their elegantly sculpted physique. Jennifer McCamish, a former Rockette and owner of Dancers Shape barre, yoga and Pilates studio in Austin, Texas, recommends adding these five exercises to your leg workout routine to achieve those enviable dancers’ gams:
- Relevé
- Mini first
- Second position
- Back attitude lift
- Flat back arabesque
“Doing controlled movements in a lateral position using your own body weight is an easy, effective, safe way to gain muscle tone,” McCamish says.
Don’t have access to a ballet barre? No problem. Use the back of a couch or a countertop for stability. Ideally, you’ll want to be barefoot while doing these exercises because proper form relies on foot articulation. If you need cushion for your feet, stand on a thick yoga towel or mat.
To get started, see how many perfect reps you can do in 30 seconds. Complete one set at that pace. Over time, you can increase to one minute per exercise and add another set. The goal is to maintain proper form while reaching the point of fatigue. “When done correctly, these exercises benefit multiple muscle groups all at once,” McCamish says.
Kick off your shoes, and give this Rockette legs workout a whirl!
1. Relevé
How to perform relevé: Start with your feet in a parallel position. Lift your toes up off the ground, and rotate your toes out to the corners of the room to form a V shape. Open your toes only as far as your hips will allow. Lift your heels off the ground in a slow, controlled manner. Slowly lift and lower your heels for 30 seconds.
Pro notes: McCamish says proper form is key to getting the most from each of these exercises. For this one, keep your thighs rotated out to the corners of the room by squeezing your gluteus medius, which is the muscle that wraps around the underwear line. Pull your quads tight, and keep the back of your knees together so your inner thighs are active.
What it works: Relevé works the glutes, quads, inner thighs and calf muscles.
2. Mini first
How to perform mini first: Start in the same position you did for relevé. Turn your toes slightly out to the corners of the room. Press up on your tiptoes as high as you can go, connect your heels, and bend your knees to make a diamond shape with your legs. Remaining on your toes, slowly move down an inch and up an inch for 30 seconds.
Pro notes: “That small dip and lift in that rotated position while making a diamond shape with your knees really tapers your quads,” McCamish says.
What it works: Mini first works the glutes and the outside of the hips while toning the quads and calf muscles.
3. Second position
How to perform second position: Step your feet wider than your hips, and turn your toes out to the corners of the room. Don’t jam or force your toes open. Bend your knees deeply just as far you can keep your torso stacked on top of your pelvis. Take a dip down and a little lift upward for 30 seconds.
Push through your heels to lift upward. With each lift exhale and lift through the base of the torso, which engages your pelvic floor. Pull your lower belly in tight to strengthen the transverse abdominal wall.
Pro notes: McCamish warns that your tailbone shouldn’t be lurching out behind you, and your shoulders shouldn’t be collapsing forward. Remain upright, and keep your weight in your heels.
What it works: Second position works the abdominal muscles, thighs and the quad muscles around the kneecap.
4. Back attitude lift
How to perform back attitude lift: Start in the same rotated position you did for the first two exercises. Turn your toes out a little, soften your knees, and curl your pubic bone up to your navel. This posture shortens the distance between the hips and the ribs. “You can’t let your alignment go or else you’ve lost the muscle contraction,” McCamish stresses.
Lift one leg behind you as high as you can comfortably, and rotate it slightly outward. Gently bend your knee on the lifted leg, and slowly lift and lower the elevated leg for 30 seconds. Remain in this contraction, and do the exercise with a small range of motion. Switch to the other leg once you’ve completed the exercise on the first leg.
What it works: In addition to toning your legs, back attitude lift is an excellent way to sculpt your glutes.
5. Flat back arabesque
How to perform flat back arabesque: Hinge at the hips, and bend your knees. Your head should be in line with whatever you’re holding on to. Move your shoulders away from your ears so that your neck is lengthened. Engage your core muscles to support your lower back. Curl your pelvis up and under. Reach one leg straight behind you up toward the sky. You should be in a T shape. Lift the leg an inch and lower the leg an inch for 30 seconds. Switch to the other leg once you’ve completed the exercise on the first leg.
What it works: Flat back arabesque is a good core-strengthening exercise that also focuses on the glutes and legs.