Technique Tuesday: Fourth Position

Discussing fourth position this Technique Tuesday, which is much less intense than the ballet inspired move. The most important thing to note in any position is your posture and form. Fourth position calls for a staggered stance and turned out legs, because of this we are targeting the outer thighs (abductors) and the side seat (gluteus medius). Safely stacking the shoulders over the hips and knees over the ankles, to find your best posture.

One of the most common mistakes is to inadvertently fall into more of a curtsey or lunge. Look down and confirm your feet are staggered front to back about 12 inches apart and on their own hip width plane with knees turned out. If done correctly you should have weight evenly distributed in both feet and feel centered enough to let go of the barre. Curtsey lunge is much more dramatic and calls for the back leg to cross the midline and force the front thigh to take more weight. Classic lunge would have no turnout and be targeting more quad and hamstring work.

Eventually you will gain muscle memory and sink into all these positions effortlessly. But that only happens if you work on your form every chance you practice. Thinking about your posture and what muscles you are targeting, long before you worry about sinking deeper or working harder.

Go get it, #yesyoucan - Bee