Releasing and Reconditioning With New Jersey Ballet’s SeHyun Jin

December 12, 2024

When SeHyun Jin joined New Jersey Ballet in 2018, she noticed a pain in her back during the company’s Nutcracker run. It turned out to be a herniated disc, and she traveled home to South Korea for surgery. “I didn’t really do any physical therapy there,” says Jin. “I just wanted to come back to America and get back to work. But because of that, I lost so much muscle.”

Back in New Jersey postsurgery, Jin started to pursue options for rehabilitation. She found Soo K. Jung, a local master instructor of BodyCode System, a training method that focuses on injury prevention and rebalancing the body through corrective movement patterns and myofascial release. Now, Jin is a certified BodyCode instructor herself and teaches weekly classes to her colleagues and adult ballet students at NJ Ballet. She also integrates several BodyCode exercises into her daily conditioning regimen to stay on top of weak spots and release tension.

On the Daily

Jin starts and finishes each day with a 30-minute routine she uses to warm up or cool down. She begins on her foam roller, focusing on her breath to help release tightness. “In BodyCode, we always say to follow your breathing,” she says, explaining that rushing through or “jamming” muscles on the roller is a common pitfall. Afterward, Jin does a thorough massage of her feet, focusing especially on the toe joints and across the top of the foot. It’s a step she never skips. “It wakes up all the muscles. It’s almost sacred for me,” she says. Jin also repeats this massage before performances.

Next, Jin uses massage balls—two smaller, spiky balls and one larger, squishier one—to prevent hip strain from turnout and release tension in her pelvis, lower back, and glutes. She then does some gentle stretches for her hamstrings and calves before moving on to abdominal stabilization (planks are her go-to) and, if she has time, wall sits to activate her inner thighs, quads, and feet. 

A female Master Stretch instructor stands next to her student, another woman with red Master Stretch tools attached to her sneakers. The student stands on one leg in a parallel arabesque with her arms on the barre, her torso parallel to the floor. The instructor uses her hands to cue the student's alignment.
Jin (left) teaching Master Stretch. Photo courtesy Jin.

Fancy Footwear 

Jin is certified in BodyCode Master Stretch, one of five branches that make up the BodyCode program. Master Stretch uses a tool that attaches to sneakers and is designed to help strengthen the toes, insteps, core, and hips. “The dancers love this,” says Jin, because it prohibits incorrect turnout from the feet or knees. When teaching Master Stretch, she often has her students roll up and down slowly in parallel, first position, second position, and cou de pied. They’ll do a few sets of 10 slow, controlled reps per position, focusing on precision and alignment. Depending on how busy her schedule is, Jin also aims to reserve time to do Master Stretch on her own throughout the week. “It is really helpful to strengthen the toes and for alignment,” she says.

Recovery Fuel

Jin sees nutrition as an important part of recovery. Amid hectic dance schedules, she likes to carry rice water, which gives her an energy boost and helps her avoid digestive discomfort. She also makes sure to hydrate with lots of vitamin C and electrolytes throughout the day, often sipping on orange juice between rehearsals. For dinner, she likes to focus on dishes that support muscle function and digestion, with plenty of carbohydrates and protein to help refuel after a long day of dancing. 

At-Home Stabilization

The following BodyCode exercise helps stabilize the abdominals and hips. Jin emphasizes the importance of maintaining core engagement throughout to avoid overarching and to protect the lower back. Keep consistent downward pressure through the supporting leg for stability, and focus on smooth, controlled movements rather than speed.  

Arch and Curve Exercise

  1. Begin in a tabletop position. Maintain length through the spine while checking that your shoulders stay aligned and that the serratus anterior (a fan-shaped muscle that helps stabilize the scapula) is activated.
  2. Draw your left knee toward your chin while engaging the abdominals. Focus on keeping your pelvis stable and imagine drawing your navel toward your spine as you move.
  3. Extend your left leg up toward the ceiling, keeping the knee aligned with the hips. This movement challenges core stability while working the hip flexors. Avoid swaying in the torso, and the standing arm should remain strong and push down into the floor. (The working arm will twist slightly with the movement, but aim for the fingertips to remain lightly placed on the ground.)
  4. Bend the working knee parallel to the floor (similar to a second position grand plié) while keeping the hips level. Think about reaching your foot forward as your knee moves back, and allow your gaze to follow your foot. 
  5. With control, return to the starting position while maintaining engagement in the standing leg and activation in the core. 
  6. Perform 6 reps on each side.