The One Muscle to Activate Stay on your Leg

How many times have you struggled stay on your leg? Or you lift and lift but your développé will not go any higher? Falling off your leg can be frustrating, especially when the common correction, “engage your core”, is not helping. Using your core is important, but if you learn to active this tiny muscle in your hip, you will always be able to stay on your leg! 

This tiny but might muscle is the GLUTEUS MEDIUS. The gluteus medius is a part of the Lumbopelvic Stability System. This system helps connect your torso to your lower body and helps you find stability and balance-If you are not engaging all the muscles in the system, you will struggle to find balance.

The gluteus medius is the muscle that prevents you from sitting in your hip. When you sit in your hip, the range of motion is limited and there is less space for you to raise your thigh, limiting the height of your développé. 

To engage the gluteus medius, you want to imagine you are lifting up and out of your hip. Try side planks with hip dips to activate and engage the gluteus medius. The gluteus medius is relaxed as the hip drops towards the ground and it engages as you lift to return to the side plank position. Be sure not to rest your hip on the ground. Not only will this exercise help you engage your gluteus medius, but it will activate the entire lumbopelvic system. 

Transition the hip dip to dance class by pretending you are a marionette doll and there is a strong from your pony tail to the ceiling pulling you up.