Open Your Elbows

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Opening your elbows gently stretches and supports your upper body to give your posture and attitude a beautiful lift. And it’s easy to do anytime!

Click here for our Facebook video about opening your elbows!

The incredible grace of ballet movements relies on a principle of spaciousness. Ballet dancers seem to move with such lightness and ease in part because you can literally see so much airy space around their bodies as they dance. Ballet technique develops grace by extending the limbs away from the trunk of the body to develop flexibility and strength at the same time. In terms of ballet posture, this spaciousness principle is more subtle but also extremely powerful in keeping you energized, balanced, and confident.

Especially during cold winter months, we tend to huddle into ourselves for warmth. This creates tension in the shoulders and neck while also collapsing our posture. Taking a few moments to consciously open across the elbows is a great way to gently open and support the upper body and re-establish good carriage that will make you look and feel better. Try it and see!

Open Your Elbows Exercises:

Exercise 1

1. Stand comfortably and equally on 2 feet.
2. Let your arms hang down straight by your sides.
3. Lightly draw the lower abdominals in and up.
4. Release any tension in your shoulders, neck and collarbones.
5. Let your hands hang as you bend the elbows slightly side to side, away from the body.
6. Keep drawing in at the lower core as you maintain the width across the elbows.
7. Inhale. Exhale. Release and repeat for a total of 8 times.

Exercise 2

1. Stand comfortably and equally on 2 feet.
2. Bring your palms together in front of your chest.
3. With hands gently pressing together, lift them until your elbows are approximately chest height.
4. Lightly draw the lower abdominals in and up.
5. Release any tension in your shoulders, neck and collarbones.
6. Open your hands and elbows to the side, keeping the elbows at chest height.
7. Return hands and elbows to the front. Be sure to breathe.
8. Repeat opening out and returning for a total of 8 times.

Exercise 3

1. Stand comfortably and equally on 2 feet.
2. Lightly draw the lower abdominals in and up.
3. Release any tension in your shoulders, neck and collarbones.
4. Raise your hands side to side, up to shoulder height with the palms facing forward.
5. Stretch through your middle fingers as you bend the elbows to 90 degrees.
6. Breathe in and out as you imagine sending the elbows side to side.
7. Stretch through your middle fingers as you straighten the arms back out to shoulder height, maintaining the elbows at shoulder height as you move.
8. Keep drawing in your lower abdominals and releasing tension across your neck and shoulders as you bend and straighten the elbows.
9. Repeat for a total of 8 times.

Opening your elbows is an easy way to both stretch and strengthen your upper body. So give it a try the next time you need a little posture pick-me-up!

–Happy Dancing!

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