FEEL: This should feel like a massage and soft tissue work along the base of your foot.
COMPENSATION: Follow along with the video for tips and other instructions.
FEEL: You should feel all different parts of your ankle stretching and activating.
COMPENSATION: Move just from the ankle, not the toes.
FEEL: You should feel your calves getting a workout, but also your glutes and quads working as well to help keep your legs straight.
COMPENSATION: Do not let your knees bend as that is a different exercise. Do not shift your weight side to side. Make sure you go through your full range of motion at your ankle. This is not a balance exercise, so hold onto something to help with balance as the goal of this exercise is to strengthen your calves!
FEEL: You should feel your calf muscles working to lift your heels off the ground.
COMPENSATION: When you lift your heels off the ground, ensure that you do not lose contact with your big toe against the ground. Continue to push hard through your big toe to lift your heels.
HOW: Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent up and your feet flat on the ground. Lift your heels off of the ground while pushing your toes into the ground. From here, continue to push into the ground with your heels floating, while you lift your hips up into the air creating a bridge. Hold that bridge for as long as prescribed and repeat.
FEEL: You should feel your calf muscles working as well as your core muscles engaged during the bridge.
COMPENSATION: Keep your back flat as you bridge up. Don’t let your heels touch the ground as you bridge up as well.
FEEL: You should feel your calf muscles working.
COMPENSATION: Don’t straighten your knee. Keep your toe pointed forward as you perform the raise.
FEEL: You should feel a stretch in the calf of the foot that is behind you, specifically lower in your calf above your ankle. You shouldn’t feel pain or a pinch in front of your ankle.
COMPENSATION: Be sure to keep your back foot facing 12 o’clock, do not let your foot turn out or in. Try to keep your heel down. Be sure to keep the knee bent