HERITAGE EXERCISES

Leg/AB Combinations

Foot Flexors

• Lie on your back with your arms at your sides, checking that your back is flat, your stomach flat and firm, your buttocks tight, and your chin tucked into your chest.
• Extend your legs into the air together. Flex your feet.
• Tighten your buttock muscles and, leaving your heels together, turn your toes away from each other, rotating from your hips (note: make sure you are turning from your hips, not from your ankles or knees). Exhale as you turn out.
• Inhale. Return your toes together, again rotating from your hips.
• Repeat 8 times.

If you have trouble keeping your legs up, you can put your hands underneath your hips for support.

Straddle Flexors

• Start from the flexed Foot Flexor position, with your feet in the air, heels together and toes turned out. Check that your back, stomach, buttocks, and neck are all in correct position. You can put your hands under your hips for support if you need to.
• Exhale, lifting your head and shoulders off the ground. Put your hands on the inside of your calves and use your hands to help push your legs into a straddle position as you inhale. Rotate your hips so that your toes are pointing towards the wall behind you. Hold this position as you finish inhaling, then exhale and return to starting position.
• Repeat 8 times.

Scissors

• Start from the flexed Foot Flexor position, with your feet in the air, heels together and toes turned out. Check that your back, stomach, buttocks, and neck are all in correct position. You can put your hands under your hips for support if you need to.
• Move your feet so that your left toe is touching your right heel. Inhale.
• Exhale and spread your legs to a V.
• Inhale and squeeze your inner thighs as you bring your legs back together, crossing your left leg in front of your right and then immediately switching to right in front of left.
• Repeat 8 times.

Lying On Stomach Exercises | Kneeling Exercises | Abdominal Exercises
Leg/AB Combinations | Upper Body Exercises | Other Exercises

All of this information was freely provided by Ariel Bennett T.C.R.G. Of the Heritage Irish Stepdancers. "Please let everyone know that they are welcome to download and use the information with our blessing. If they would like to print it for widespread use or post it on a website, etc. all they need to do is write us at info@heritageirish.com and ask for permission (which we grant freely)."

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