VIDEO: How To Strengthen Your Feet For Better Performance
If you have trouble simply balancing when you run, attempt single leg activities like lunges, or when you squat, it could be that weak feet are holding you back.
In this short & sweet post, I'm going to show you how to add a foot mobility drill into your routine to solve that problem.
WHAT: Try the 4 drills I've demonstrated in the video below to strengthen your feet for better performance. I've found them to be very effective.
WHY: With improved foot stability, your lower body will be more stable, your movements will be faster, and your ability to cut/change direction will improve.
HOW: For the first 2 weeks, do 1 set of each exercise every 3 days to ramp up. Then do 2 sets of each exercise every other day until you achieve the following strength standard. Just be careful. If your muscles aren't use to these exercises, you're probably going to be pretty sore the next day.
If you have a decent level of foot strength, you should be able to hold each position for at least 60sec while balancing with the aid of only one pole.
You might notice the slant board that I'm using. It's homemade... which should be no surprise... you all know I love a bit of gym equipment DIY!
The slant board is useful because it lets you train the foot at various angles to target different muscles and to mimic the demands of real life. After all, it's rare that the feet are always 100% even and on level ground. Plus, it adds a small element of that challenges and improves your balance. You can either buy one like this, or you can make one yourself for a lot less money.
If you have a drill, you make your own slant board!