Exercise of the Month
‘Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground’ Theodore Roosevelt
You’ll probably know from my group classes and sessions this month that we’ve been paying a lot of attention to the often neglected but oh so important area of the body- the feet.
If you spend a lot of time on your feet, perhaps for work, in daily life or as a keen runner, cyclist, walker or golfer, they’ll definitely thank you for a little regular attention.
In my teaching, the human body never fails to surprise and intrigue me and I’m fascinated about the relationship our feet have with the rest of the body. In classes we’ve been using the massage balls and bands to work on feet, and in 1-1 sessions I love to use a piece of equipment called the Foot Corrector and Joe’s toe gizmo when working on posture, gait etc.
Here I’ve provided a basic foot exercise for strengthening the arch of your foot that you can do daily at any time, even sat at your desk or on the sofa whilst watching TV.
Please take care, and contact me for advise first if necessary, especially if you’ve got any foot issues or injuries.
Enjoy and don’t forget to feedback on your experiences, I’d love to hear how you get on!
Sit comfortably but be mindful of your posture, ensure the weight is evenly distributed through the feet and they are in parallel.
Heels remain on the ground in a static position, start by spreading and reaching out through the toes and then pull in through the foot as you imagine you are picking up chunks of sand (a perfect visualisation for summer, and if you’re lucky you can practice this for real on the beach this summer), then letting it go, doming and arching the foot. Feel the work right up into the ankle too.
Progress to using a towel laid out flat under the foot and trying to crinkle and pick up the towel with the toes. Try to work evenly and consistently, noticing if you use one part of the foot more and trying to correct. If you manage to pick up the towel hold for a few seconds and release.
Not as easy as it looks, but practice makes perfect!
