As a runner, you probably understand that foot strength is important.
Having strong feet is essential to preventing lower body and foot injuries.
Most runners go wrong with isolating muscle groups – exercises like towel crunches, calf raises, and band work.
That’s why I love using this exercise as a Physical Therapist.
It’s runner-specific, meaning it uses chains of muscle groups that mimic the running motion.
Add 20 reps to your warm-up or cool down.
Check out the video for more:
How to Do It
Start by balancing on one foot. Rotate out and tap your heel. Then pull yourself back up.
To make it harder, try it barefoot. You can also jump on a pad for even more of a challenge. Two sets of 10 on each side are perfect for a warm-up or cool-down.
How It Works:
The exercise teaches your entire leg to work together and control the running motion.
It also teaches the foot, ankle, knee, and hip to work together. You fire chains of muscles when you run, so you want your exercises to mimic the same motion.
Don’t Make These Mistakes
Avoid stepping onto your foot. By tapping the heel, you’ll build strength in the right places.
Also, be sure to keep your leg in alignment. Allowing your knee to collapse inwards could cause injury.
Key Takeaway
Running fast & injury-free requires strong feet & legs. That’s why the exercise above is so powerful.
This is a great exercise to get started, but you will need more if you want to run your best.
With RunSmart, you can access a full program of runner-specific strength workouts tailored to runners over 40.
With our Physical Therapist-designed workouts, you can run fast and injury-free for many years to come.
Fast & Injury-Free Running Awaits
See how RunSmart is helping 3,000+ runners train smarter and save money!
