Feet are our base for movement. If our base is week or unstable, other upstream issues occur. Many of the problems we see in the hips, knees, and ankles can show up due to foot dysfunction.
Do you train your feet? Do you massage or roll your feet? Do you train barefoot?
We suggest you perform foot exercises as part of a warm-up to ensure you get them in!
Foot exercises (borrowed from the January-February Fitness Journal):
Toe spreading:
- stand on a stable surface
- extend and simultaneously move your toes away from each other
- create as much space between the toes as possible
- repeat several times on each foot
Marble pickup:
- put a pile of mables on the floor
- pick up each marble with your toes, creating a second pile
- repeat several times, each foot
Toe yoga:
- extend the big toe wile toes 2-5 stay on the floor
- alternate, lifting and lowering toes 2-5 and then the big toe
- doe each foot seperately and them both feet together
Beginning and end:
- extend all your toes
- alternate pressing the big toe and the fifth toe to te floor, keeping the ankle centered
- extend all toes and simultaneously press the big toe and fifth toe to the floor, keeping the
middle toes lifted
- repeat each foot
Rolling your feet - Ball rolling can be performed while standing or sitting. Rolling can be done daily or event multiple times a day! Use a lacrosse ball or a tennis ball.
**********
Yoga is done barefoot for good reason.
Train without shoes. Roll.
Comments