Power of Barefoot Training
By Coach Victoria
Our feet are our foundation. Some of you may know this, some may not, and majority of us may not even know why that is important.
Many times when we have knee pains, hips pains, trouble balancing, etc. the root of it all comes from the strength of our feet and ankles. Every day almost all day we are in shoes, whether it is thick cushioned tennis shoes, heels, or narrow toe box shoes. Our feet hardly get the chance to breathe and spread out in the toes for a large part of the day.
I won't bore you with the names of all the muscles in the foot, but did you know that the foot is made up of more than a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments, 33 joints and 26 bones!? When we start to think about the foot as a part of the body that can be strengthened, just as we do our biceps or hamstrings, we can then become more intentional with strengthening the muscles, tendons and arches along with improving our ankle mobility.
Remember, as we strengthen the ‘sole’ foundation of our body, we allow our ankles, knees and hips to work together, enhance our performance, and limit aches and limitations.
Here are 4 Tips to help you enhance your foundation!
Spend more time barefoot or in minimalist wide toe box shoes- if able, walk in your yard or house without shoes on, switch the type of shoe you wear on a daily basis to something that will bring your feet closer to the ground.
Lift barefoot- perform movements like the squat or deadlift without shoes on and notice if your heels or toes disconnect from the floor.
Wear toe spacers- this will allow the toes to stretch, spread, and strengthen.
Add accessory work at the beginning our your workout session that will enhance the
strength and function of the feet-
Example: 3 sets
Toe Splays- hold toes extended out against the floor starting at 10 seconds (each side) and increase over time
Short Foot- this helps engage the arch of the foot. Press the big toe down to the ground and pull the heel to the toe to shorten the foot. Do not let the toes curl, keep the toes down and planted to the ground.
Towel Curls- lay a small towel onto the floor and use your toes to curl the towel all the way to you. Do 5-8 reps each foot.
Single leg Stand - Grip the floor with the toes and actively engage the arch of your foot (as you did with the short foot movement) then perform the single leg balance as you shift your weight to the foot grounded and lift the opposite leg to a 90 degree angle. Hold for 20 seconds and continue to gradually increase the time under tension.
Give it a go and notice the movements your foot makes when you lift that you never felt when you had shoes on, then start your journey to getting bigger foot muscles than your biceps
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