The Pelvic Girdle and Hip Joint 211
initial supervision, and with meticulous technique
including co-contraction of the abdominal muscles
to lessen lumbosacral stress.
While technique and specific strength are key,
the height the leg can be lifted, the aesthetics of the
movement, and the stress to the back are also mark-
edly influenced by hip flexor flexibility. A screening
test can be utilized to evaluate hip flexor flexibility
(Tests and Measurements 4.5). If hip flexor flexibil-
ity is low, emphasis should be placed on stretching
the hip flexors (table 4.7, A-C, pp. 224-225) as well
as strengthening the hip and back extensors. If hip
flexor flexibility (hip hyperextension range) is high,
this suggests that strength and technique should be
a greater focus.
Conditioning Exercises for the Hip
Adequate strength and flexibility of the muscles
crossing the hip are important for performance of
demanding movements such as jumps, battements,
and split leaps. However, when performing hip
FIGURE 4.40 Strength exercises for improving the ara-
besque. (A) Kneeling arabesque with band, (B) back leg
raise on ball with ankle weight, (C) standing back leg raise
with ankle weight.
A
C
B
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