Here are 5 top exercises for strengthening the muscles in the foot and lower leg. These exercises will be beneficial to runners, and really, all people. These exercises also have a huge carryover to jump training. I plan on sharing a jump/power focused article in a few weeks!
#1) Isometric Skater Squat + Lateral Band Resistance
This exercise strengthens the muscles in the lower leg and foot, and the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. The lateral band resistance forces the muscles on the medial part of the lower leg and foot to do more work.
Coaching Tips:
- Attach a band around a stable surface and around your ankle. The resistance should be coming laterally. Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee.
- As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract/flex your hamstrings and glutes on this side.
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Extend both of your arms. But if you are holding a weight, keep it tight to your chest.
- Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Perform a single leg squat. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form hold in the bottom position for 5-20 seconds.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Maintain the tripod foot base described above.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of a 5-20 second hold per side.
#2) Single Leg Partial RDLs/Deadlifts + Band Resisted Hip Flexor Marches
This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, the muscles in the lower leg and foot, and the posterior chain muscles.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your feet.
- Adopt a square stance. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Lift your leg so your thigh is at least parallel to the floor, and simultaneously lift/move your opposite arm like you are running or walking.
- Gain a moment of control, then perform a partial hip hinge. To hinge, pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards, or that you are trying to press your hips backwards against a wall.
- When you are performing the hinge and are extending your leg backwards, simultaneously lift/move your opposite arm like you are running or walking.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Maintain the tripod foot base described above.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per side.
Build STRONG legs, glutes, and core muscles, and improve your mobility and athleticism with mostly dumbbells and some bands! Currently being followed by THOUSANDS of people in at least 50 countries. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!
#3) Toe Lifts
This exercise strengthens the muscles in the foot.
Coaches:
- You may do this exercise using one or both feet at the same time.
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- While maintaining the tripod base and without losing your arch, press your big toe into the ground and lift your four outer toes. Return to the starting position, and repeat for 10-15 reps.
- When you are lifting your four outer toes, do not allow your big toe to leave the ground. When you are doing this you should feel the muscles in the medial part of your foot (arch).
Now for the second part of this exercise (the order doesn’t matter so you may also do this first):
- While maintaining the tripod base, and without losing your arch, press your four outer toes into the ground lift your big toe. Return to the starting position, and repeat for 10-15 reps.
- When you are lifting your big toe, do not allow your four outer toes to leave the ground. When you are doing this you should feel the muscles under the lateral part of your foot.
- Use a range that allows you to maintain proper form, and do not compensate (cheat) to achieve this range.
- Make sure your knee remains in line with your toes.
Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps of each.
#4) Lateral Step-Up With Heel Touchdown Only + Knee Drive
This exercise strengthens the adductors, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in the lower leg and foot.
With this step-up variation, your body will travel in both a vertical and lateral path. Many find these more challenging than regular step-ups.
Be sure to read the coaching tips as I give some advice that will make this exercise WAY more effective! Make sure you can do this exercise proficiently with bodyweight only before you add any resistance. Use a surface height that allows you to do the exercise using proper form.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface. Unlike during regular step-ups, stand so your body is to the side of the surface, versus behind. Your supporting leg should be to your side.
- Stand on one foot. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked/level position.
- As for the supporting leg, keep it extended, and flex your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this foot dorsiflexed for the duration of the exercise (point it towards you).
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.
- If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits. If you aren’t holding weights, extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Lower to the floor with control. Touch your heel to the floor as softly as possible, and do not allow any other parts of your foot to touch the floor. Pretend a raw shelled egg is on the floor directly below your foot. Touch the floor softly enough that the egg won’t break.
- Gain a second of control (you can do a slight pause), then press your body away from the surface and back to the top position, and do a knee drive.
- Aim to do most of the work with the leg that is on the elevated surface (75% or more).
- For the duration of the exercise, limit any forward and backward movement. Maintain a lateral path for 100% of the exercise.
- When you are performing the lowering, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
#5) Pistol Rock-Backs (advanced)
This exercise strengthens the muscles in the lower leg and foot, quads, glutes, and hamstrings, and improves ankle mobility. Avoid this exercise if it irritates any parts of your body.
You can modify this exercise by sitting on an elevated surface, or by placing a small weight plate underneath your heel.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into the bottom position of a pistol squat. Your non-working leg should be fully extended, and foot plantarflexed (pointing away from you).
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- While maintaining the pistol squat stance, sit back so your hips come into contact with the floor.
- Pause for a count, then press away from the floor and lift your hips so they are several inches above the floor.
- Maintain the tripod base for the duration of the exercise, but particularly when your hips are elevated above the floor.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 5-10 reps per side.
Build full body strength, mobility, and athleticism with mostly dumbbells and some bands. For intermediates to advanced in terms of training experience and ability, and also coaches. Home workout friendly, and great for gym workouts!
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