HOW: Get set up in seated position and make sure you’re barefoot when performing this exercise. To begin the exercise, lift your arch while focusing on putting pressure into the ground with the knuckle of your big toe and trying to pull that knuckle back towards your heel without excessively curling/bending your toes. Hold for the time prescribed, relax and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel your foot and arch muscles working with this exercise. It can be normal for your foot to cramp, especially if this is new to you.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not excessively curl/bend your toes, don’t let the knuckle of your big toe lift off the ground. Try to keep the rest of your leg above your foot/ankle ‘quiet’ and relaxed.

HOW: Get set up in seated position with your foot placed on top of a towel and make sure you’re barefoot when performing this exercise. To begin the exercise, curl/bend your toes to bunch up the towel under your toes/foot. Lift your foot up in the air and place it back on the towel to reset, and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel your foot and arch muscles working with this exercise, you may also feel muscles in your calf working as well.

 

COMPENSATION: Try to go through your full range of motion at your toes, don’t rush the exercise. Try to keep the rest of your leg above your foot/ankle ‘quiet’ and relaxed.

HOW: While keeping the little toes relaxed, bring the big toe in towards the midline of your body and back. Avoid allowing the foot from collapsing in or pronating, isolate this motion to the big toe!

 

FEEL: You should feel the big toe muscles working and a stretch in your big toe.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your foot flat but don’t let it collapse in as you bring your toe inward. Don’t let your other toes off of the ground.

HOW: Get set-up seated if you’re performing this for the first time, the goal is to progress to standing. While keeping your arch lifted by doming your foot, spread your toes apart as far as you can, hold for a moment then return to starting position. When performed correctly, your arch will raise in height and all of your toes will spread apart from one another.

 

FEEL: You should feel your foot and arch muscles working with this exercise, you should also feel your arch tighten up and the muscles in between your toes working.

 

COMPENSATION: Try to keep the rest of your foot and your heel on the ground, try to keep your toes in line with one another, do not excessively extend/flex your big/little toe, do not move your foot side-to-side

HOW: Get set up in a standing position and make sure you’re barefoot when performing this exercise. To begin the exercise, lift your arch while focusing on putting pressure into the ground with the knuckle of your big toe and trying to pull that knuckle back towards your heel without excessively curling/bending your toes. Do this as you simultaneously try to rotate your legs outwards, see video for details and tips with this. Hold for the time prescribed, relax and repeat.

 

FEEL: You should feel your foot and arch muscles working with this exercise. It can be normal for your foot to cramp, especially if this is new to you. You will also feel the muscles on the outside of your thighs and hips helping to facilitate this motion.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not excessively curl/bend your toes, don’t let the knuckle of your big toe lift off the ground.

HOW: Get set up balancing on one leg with good arch position. Begin the exercise by leaning forward and shifting your weight and center of gravity towards your toes. Go just until the point that you can control and not let your heel lift off the ground. Push the front of your foot into the ground to return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: This should feel like a control exercise, specifically your calf and foot muscles working to control your center of gravity shifting forward. You should also feel your calf and foot intrinsic muscles working to return your body to starting position.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your body straight, don’t fold at your hips or arch your back with this exercise. Use your calf and foot muscles to do the work.

HOW: Place a folded towel on the ground in front of you. Position both of your big toes on the towel with the balls of your feet still on the ground. Use a wall for balance support as you keep your knees straight and raise your heels off of the ground with your toes pushing into the towel. 

 

FEEL: You should feel a stretch in the bottom of your big toe and underneath your foot. 

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your big toe on the towel, not all of your foot. Keep your knee straight when raising your heel.

HOW: Stand up on your tip toes and lift both your heels off the ground. Maintain this tall, tip toe position, and walk forward. The goal is to stay up as tall as you can and not let your heel drop when you put weight on it.

 

FEEL: You should feel all the muscles in your calves working, you may also feel you quadricep thigh muscles working as well.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your heels drop! Also, do not let your knees bend. Think of staying up as tall as you can!

HOW: Stand up tall on your tip toes. Then bend both of your knees slightly. Maintaining that slight amount of knee bend, slowly take one step forward. As you put weight on your leg, do no let your heel drop. Really push the balls of your feet into the ground. Slowly transition all your weight to that leg, then pick up your other leg and repeat. Pretend you are wearing high heel shoes.

 

FEEL: You should feel your calf muscles and quads working hard to maintain the position.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your heel drop as you put weight on it.

HOW: Step backwards and out to the side like you were to perform a curtsey, lower yourself into a lunge position. Keep most of your weight on your front leg, use the back leg for balance.

 

FEEL: You should feel a good glute stretch and your hip muscles activated. You should feel your glutes and quads working to lower yourself and stand back up.

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t put too much of your weight on your back leg as you step back, focus on good knee position with the front leg by not letting it cave in or bow out too much.

HOW: Lean against a wall with your back flat against it and your feet out in front of you. Slightly bend your knees and sit into a small squat on the wall. From here, lift your toes up as high as you can. Do this up and down motion for the prescribed amount of reps. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your lower leg and thigh muscles working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t bring your ankles directly under your knees, have them out a bit further to get more ankle motion.