This exercise serves as an essential part of the Progressing Ballet Technique (PBT) class, focusing on allowing muscles to contract and relax towards the end of the session. These movements aid in increasing circulation, strengthening muscles through isometric contractions, and enhancing awareness of muscle engagement during stretching. It is designed to promote flexibility, muscle control, and alignment, making it a crucial component of the cooldown process.

Preparation: Ensure students correctly place the centre of their foot in the band, stretching it out underneath the foot, transferring the band appropriately to support the stretching leg. The band is held in each hand and the student will lay supine with the feet in 5th position with the legs externally rotated.

Steps:

1. Instruct students to raise the working leg to 45 degrees, bend the knee (flex the foot) with the leg rotated while relaxing the bands, then extend the leg (foot pointed) and gently pull down on the bands.

2. Guide students to adjust the leg to 90 degrees and repeat the bending and extending process, gradually increasing the legs height while focusing on maintaining hip alignment.

3. Encourage students to move the leg as far back as possible without compromising hip alignment by adjusting the bands over the head for an enhanced stretch.

4.Students should lengthen the leg back to 5th position.

5. Students should repeat the sequence from the beginning and also on the alternate side for balanced flexibility.

Focus: Emphasise maintaining correct hip alignment and leg rotation throughout the exercise to ensure an effective and safe stretching experience.