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Strengthen Your Feet for better movement in sports

Strengthen Your Feet for better movement in sports

You can train your feet just as you can any other muscle group. In fact, It would give fantastic results by training your feet, including a significant increase in overall strength and mobility! So if you want to get more 'jacked' while fixing your feet, try some of these methods listed below to strengthen your feet and lower leg muscles.

Static toe flexion With the feet flat on the floor, press the toes downwards into the floor. Do not allow them to curl, or the ankle to move whilst performing the exercise. Hold for the count of 3, repeat 10 times. Perform this exercise 3 times a day if possible. Progress the exercise by holding the contraction for longer.

Spreading the toes Place feet flat on the floor. Spread the toes as far as they will go and then return them together. Repeat this 10 times, rest and the perform a further 2 sets of 10 repetitions. Aim to repeat this exercise 3 times a day, as above.

Forefoot press Place the back half of a foot on a suitable book, and the forefoot on a set of weighing scales, ensuring the foot is horizontal as far as possible. Press down with the forefoot onto the scales to see who much force you generate. Repeat 10 times for each foot. Perform this exercises daily. It is an excellent way of seeing exactly how the strength of the foot is improving.

Toe lifting Place feet flat on the floor and try to lift each toe up in turn. Aim to keep the others flat on the floor - not easy, is it? Perform three sets of each toe. Try to perform this exercise twice a day - at leat once.

Pencil lifting Pick up a pencil in the toes. Hold for count of 6, repeat 10 times. Aim to perform this exercise 3 times a day. An alternative version of this is to repeatedly scrunch up a towel in the toes.

Walking on the toes Simply walk on tip toe. Do not wear shoes but perform the exercise barefoot. Aim for 8 sets of 15 to 20 seconds with 20 seconds rest between. Complete the exercise 2 times a day. Progress by increasing the duration of the walks.

Walking on the heels As above but walk on the heals. Aim for 8 sets of 15 to 20 seconds with 20 seconds rest between. Complete the exercise 2 times a day. Progress by increasing the duration of the walks.

Place a rolled towel under your left calf. Move your foot up toward your body. Keep your knee straight. Hold this position for six seconds. Then move foot slowly downward and hold for six seconds. Return to starting position and do ten repetitions. Repeat the entire exercise with the other leg.

Sit up straight with your back firmly against the back of a chair. Slowly turn your left foot inward. Hold this position for six seconds. Then turn foot very slowly outward and hold for another six seconds. Repeat this exercise ten times. Repeat entire exercise with right foot. (To make exercise a strengthening exercise, add weights.)

Sit up straight with your back firmly against the back of the chair. Slowly move your left foot in a circle moving clockwise. Repeat this movement six times. Then slowly move the same foot in a circle counter-clockwise. Repeat this movement ten times. Repeat the entire exercise with the right foot.

Stand in front of a table. Place your hands on the table and raise yourself up on your toes. Remain on toes for six seconds. Then slowly return to standing position and rock back on heels. Hold position for six seconds. Repeat this ten times.

Stand with forearms on wall, left toes close to wall, right foot behind. Toes on the right foot face inward (toward the middle of your body). Roll weight gently to outside border of the right foot. Lean body forward with back leg straight. Keep heel on floor. Stretch is felt in the calf. Hold for six seconds. Repeat with opposite leg and hold again for six seconds. Repeat entire stretching exercise ten times.

You can strengthen your feet by gradually introducing shoes that allow greater mobility and eventually progressing to walking and exercising barefoot on softer surfaces such sand or grass.

Healthy, functional feet are integral to athletic performance, full body strength, mobility, and good health. You can start taking better care of your feet by choosing the appropriate footwear and training them as you would any other lagging body part. If you can try the tips mentioned above you will develop stronger, healthier, more flexible feet and will most likely notice a significant improvement in every other ground based activity you perform.

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