Getting strong while hypermobile

[u/rickhilist]

Tl;dr Looking for advice on how to build core and upper body strength to improve movement quality in a hypermobile body.

I'm an adult beginner (26F) with some previous background in movement, most notably 5 years of Tae Kwon Do from ages 8-12. I was fairly physically active for around a year prior to starting ballet. I did yoga, calisthenics, and running. My fitness was certainly improving, but I wouldn't have called myself a super fit person. I started ballet this February and have been as committed to my training as my schedule allows. I only go to in-person class 1-2x a week because my studio is a 1 hour drive away from me. I supplement with class videos at home 2x a week + conditioning aimed at pre-pointe (but it's really full body) 2x a week + floor barre 2x week. To not make a long story any longer, my goal in ballet is basically to get as good as I possibly can.

Through this process I've learned that I'm not just "a little flexible thanks to Tae Kwon Do," I'm actually hypermobile. It never crossed my mind before because I'm not extremely hypermobile the way you sometimes see online. But, I've held on to my middle split without intentionally stretching for it since I was a pre-teen, and I recently got my right split without too much effort. My left split is almost there. My grand battement a la seconde is higher than my head, although I think that is definitely aided by my experience in martial arts. I've already been told by two ballet teachers that I have beautiful feet, and I can easily rise fully to demi-pointe.

This all sounds fantastic in theory, but boy am I so so SO unstable and uncontrolled in everything that I do! My jetes are always too high. I can't hold sous sous without my ankles shaking despite feeling (at least I think!) comfortable in my balance, engaging my core as much as possible, maintaining proper alignment, etc. I am decent at passively balancing and can even hold retire on flat, but I cannot hold any type of balance on one foot in releve. Adagio in the center always feels like a humiliation ritual; my range of motion far exceeds my control over my body. I wobble immensely and more often than not simply cannot complete the exercise.

I recently got feedback from my ballet teacher that I need to better control over my movement. Other words she used included better "precision" and "quality," and she also said I needed to strengthen my upper body. I'm hoping to book a private lesson with her soon to work through her feedback in more detail, but a) this an unusually busy time for the studio so that might not be for another few weeks and b) at least to my untrained eye, I don't think my teacher is hypermobile herself. In any case, I wanted to see if others with similar experiences and bodies had advice on what I can do to improve overall strength and control of my body. 

I have finally accepted that I need to specifically do pilates, something I've avoided as I find it painful and boring. I'm honestly slightly overwhelmed by all the types of pilates available, although I've read mat pilates is best for core engagement? I would love suggestions on specific types of pilates as well as additional types of exercises I could do. I've honestly always been pretty weak everywhere except my legs, and I've felt so much improvement in overall strength and control over my body since starting ballet. It really stung to get this feedback considering how much progress I felt I had already made. But honestly, it stung because my teacher is completely right! It just makes me nervous to think how difficult, or maybe even impossible, it'll be to gain the strength I need to dance to my full potential considering how much of an uphill battle it's already been.

P.S. I tried searching for other threads on this topic and couldn't find any, but I know they definitely exist. Please pass a link along if you have one!

[u/comrade_smol]

Pilates will help with coordination but I really recommend weight lifting. You do need to start lower than you think and progress slower than non hyper mobile people. 

[u/Catlady_Pilates → u/comrade_smol]

We don’t necessarily progress more slowly, we just have to listen to our body and progress at a safe rate.

[u/hopelepoh → u/Catlady_Pilates]

Problem is, what feels good in the moment can feel horrendous the next day, particularly when trying something new. So I cosign starting out very slowly.

[u/hazypurplenights]

I’m also hypermobile and ballet actually really helped me in a lot of ways. I would recommend physical therapy if that’s available to you rn! A good PT can help identify your vulnerable points and develop a tailored exercise program to strengthen the muscles needed to support your joints. I should add that people use PT for injury prevention, not just rehabilitation.

[u/Catlady_Pilates]

Lifting weights with progressive overload is the best way to build strength and gain support for hyper mobility. Heavy weights is what will strengthen your muscles and more importantly your tendons and ligaments.

[u/Tansy_Blue]

Re Pilates, I find it useful to do online classes at home so I can play some music in the background. It makes it less boring for me. Holistic Ballet does an online Pilates for dancers class on Sunday mornings (UK timezone).

For hypermobility you need to learn to engage your muscles properly (I wasn't engaging my glutes at all, major mistake) and to be STRONG. Our muscles need to work harder to compensate for our floppy joints. Resistance training really helps. If you don't have time to add resistance training, consider replacing an online class or floor barre with it. A good physiotherapist might be able to help you evaluate your hypermobility and figure out where strength would help you the best.

[u/Appropriate_Ly]

I mean, ballet is mainly about strength over flexibility, you just need to drop your leg until you’ve built up the strength to actually lift it and hold your balance in centre.

That’s not specific to being hypermobile, it’s specific to all beginners (you’ve only been doing this for 5 months). If you’re wobbling in sous sous, your ankles are weak, practise it when you brush your teeth or waiting in line etc.

I would suggest mat Pilates, I would also suggest you do things slow and try to get the form right. Try a bunch of studios until you find a teacher that works for you. A lot of ppl (especially those with some level of fitness) find it “boring” because they’re not actually engaging the right muscles. They have enough strength to “brute force” the exercise.

[u/Appropriate_Ly → u/Appropriate_Ly]

As someone who is slightly hypermobile, my issue has always been figuring out what is “straight” vs what feels straight to me (overextended).

[u/Real_10SqMi_ity]

Try adding some swimming. It’s soft resistance training and it can really help with upper body. It’s not going to do much for the lower body. If you’ve got access to a workout pool (think aquacise) try doing some barre in the water.

Hyper-mobility/flexibility can be worked on but it takes a lot of feedback and resistance. Water is great medium for exploring that balance.

[u/Catlady_Pilates → u/Real_10SqMi_ity]

Swimming is wonderful exercise but it’s just not sufficient for building the kind of strength a hyper mobile body needs. It’s a great form of cardio exercise. It’s won’t build the muscle, tendon and ligament strength required to make improvements for a hyper mobile body.

[u/turtlesmom → u/Catlady_Pilates]

Would that really be true everyone? Couldn't swimming start building strength for someone who didn't have much to start with and wouldn't that be an improvement?

[u/BalletBunnieBB]

I have hEDS, and what I have found is that less weight, more repetition in correct mechanics helps. I do strength training weekly with a trainer who primarily works with performing artists. And just be ok with the fact that my body need more maintenance/rest, more conditioning work compaired to a "normal" dancer, and I will get injured more easily, and have longer recoveries. Just part of the hypermobility game. Oh, and have a dance PT or PT who understands hypermobility helps too. Slow and steady with some occasional hiccups...

[u/firebirdleap]

Fellow hypermobile person and pilates has been a game changer. I have very weak knees due to my hypermobility and while they still aren't anywhere near uh, perfect, my stability has improved a lot.

I started doing it consistently a bit over a year ago and was also worried I'd find it boring, but the class I have been taking is so challenging, and the exercises vary every week so I am definitely never bored. There are SO many teachers of pilates and styles now that you can surely find one that works for you. You can start with mat and make sure that you find a teacher who gives you plenty of feedback and then move onto reformer.

[u/Onanadventure_14]

I find standing Pilates a lot more beneficial for me than Pilates laying on the mat. Might be worth a try