The tendu is one of the most important barre exercises for strengthening feet in ballet. How much you get out of doing the tendu depends on how well you use the floor. If you just let your foot glide over the floor, you will not benefit from the exercise, but if you lead with your heel and press your foot strongly against the floor through the full movement, working your arch, you will develop many of the muscles needed for pointe. Tendus can be done safely at home, as well as in class if you want to build strength faster.
The releve onto three-quarter pointe builds strength in feet and calves. Practice releves in all five positions. For the greatest benefit, roll up onto releve slowly, making sure your heel is positioned correctly. Add releves on one foot at a time and releves in the center for a more challenging training exercise.
Use an ordinary bath towel to strengthen your toes. Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place a towel so that one end is just under your feet and the other end stretched out along the floor away from you. Press down on the towel with your toes, and while you hold your heels still, arch your feet and use your toes to pull the towel back toward your heels.
Developing muscles for pointe work is very important, but don`t ignore the skin of your feet. To prevent blisters while actually taking class, get your feet accustomed to pointe shoes by removing the shank from a pair and wearing them around the house. Use petroleum jelly or lotion on your feet regularly to keep the skin supple.