My squad is having tryouts for a kick routine for our spring show and I was just wondering if anyone had any really good stretches or exercises or any other moves that will help to improve my kicks. I can kick pretty high already, but the only problem is, is that I feel like I have to work so hard to get my kicks that high (I hope that makes sense)like, when I watched kick routines at the state competition this past December the girls made it look so effortles. And I think that is why their kicks look so good. I don't know if kicks really are just easy for them, or if there's some special exercises or techniques they use to make it look effortless. I hope this makes sense. Any help would be greatly appretiated!

Thanks,
~*Emily*~

The best exercise to improve your kicks is... KICKS. Just kick all over the place, and make sure you're stretching properly. No exercise improves your kicks like kicks.

Kickety Kick Kick Kickerton Kicks... That was a lot of "kicks" ^ in that post.

I agree with Panic, just keep practicing your kicks, and when you are done, kick some more... then when you are REALLY done, stretch those legs out reeee al good. Just a trick, I am sure you have heard from everyone: make sure you keep your head up, it will really help you kick higher and it will also make your kicks appear higher. Good luck!

of course like the above posts said, kicking again and again everyday is super helpful because it's building those muscles and stretching your legs too. something that happens to me is that even if i practice forever, they never look really good but once i just stop thinking about it and just telling myself i'm an awesome kicker and just doing it, my kicks really do seem to get higher and have better technique. i don't know why that is but i'm not gonna question it lol. good luck and i'm sure you'll make it!

rachel

Everytime I kick my leg up in a kick routine I try to hit my face...and thats basically what I think about while i'm kicking. Also try doing some inner thigh strengthening excercises, as those will help you with the strength you need to get those kicks high. For the flexibility aspect, one thing that really helps me is lying on my back with my body flat, kicking my leg up to my face, and pulling it towards me as much as i can while keeping my other leg straight on the ground. This gets me into the "kicking" position, so i can get the right muscles to be flexible. Another tip is to think of brushing your foot off the ground rather than kicking it up, so it almost gets momentum from brushing across the ground.
Hope I helped!

improving your splits would help a lot.

Along with the previous posts wat also helps is going to like target and purchasing like 3 pound ankle weights and doing kiks wit those but not full out prep kick only plie kicks

When my team warms up we do thing called 50/3/4. Thats 50 kicks/3 toe touches/ 4 split jumps.

When I do the 50 kicks I think about ballet a little. I keep my technique of prep kicking. But On my kick I think of it coming from the inderside of my thigh. Using those muscles to push my leg up like a battetment. I noticed an instant improvement. Usually my kicks are about shoulder hight, and when I started thinking about the muscles my foot was level with my forehead when I kicked.

Good Luck

One way to help it get higher is squeeze your butt when you Kick.

Another is a stretch we did in Lyrical and it really helped:

Sit Indian style and place one foot on top of the opposite knee.Try to get your legs flat together. Now flap back over with your arms out in front of you and your head should be burried in your legs. Hold this for up to 5 minutes. Then switch legs. Hope this helped.
When doing this you will really feel the stretching in your butt.

Hope it Helps

DancerLindz