Tips For Pointe Shoes - Get The Big Toe Strong

Here's some ballet tips about a pointe shoe exercise - specifically to add strength and control to the big toe.

I know dance students love detail.

'What can I do to be better than all the rest?' 

There are many exercises to prepare you for dancing in pointe shoes, exercises for little tiny sole of the foot and toe muscles.

These exercises will get you stronger and refine your control for dancing in ballet toe shoes.

Your big toe has the potential to support your arch muscles, and give you that powerful motion to elevate your jumps, and get you up on pointe securely every time you releve.

Here's a special exercise to isolate and work a muscle in your big toe.

Get down on the floor on one knee.

Place the other foot on the floor, directly forward from you.

Place that foot carefully with the weight evenly distributed as in equal weight under your big toe joint, or ball of the foot, and at the outer foot, the little toe joint.

The inner arch muscles and the other muscles under the sole of your foot should be "on", meaning not tense, but ready to move.

Raise the big toe up from the floor with your fingers, but press the ball of the foot down, so that its position does not change or twist in any way.

Holding the big toe firmly with your fingers, push it down toward the floor. This will activate the muscle underneath it. Hold for at least three seconds.

The arches of the feet should not be slack, and should not allow the foot to change its angle in relation to the floor, in any direction.

Slowly allow the muscle to relax, and again lift the toe and return it to its beginning position.

Do this exercise 20 times, or more. If you get any cramps, relax, rub the muscle a little, and start again.

Do not allow the foot to roll toward the little toe, or roll inwards.

Once you have strengthened this muscle, you will be able, while standing, to press down on the big toe and slightly buckle it, seeing the knuckle rise a little.

Be sure to pamper your feet with warm soaks and a little massage.

You can roll a golf ball under your foot, to release muscle tension.

Be the best in your ballet class -  get The Perfect Pointe Book, for many

useful BALLET TIPS.

Here is the author of The Perfect Pointe Book demonstrating a perfect battement tendu in preparation for pointe work.