Workout 2: Foot & Ankle Exercises
Here are 4 of the best exercises to improve the strength and stability of your base (your feet and ankles) which are the foundation of being a good soccer player and avoiding injury. These exercises can help to improve foot issues such as Plantar Fasciitis and Sever’s.
Aim to do this circuit of exercises 5 times per week. It takes less than 10 minutes.
EXERCISE 1 – TOWEL RETRACTIONS x50 (each foot)
Place your feet on a towel and do this exercise one foot at a time.
Lift the heel of the foot you are working then use all of your toes to retract or scrunch the towel and hold for half a second before letting go. Repeat this process 50 times on each foot.
You can also do this with your heel on the ground as a slightly easier option.
EXERCISE 2 – LYMPHATIC HOPS x100
Start with both feet on the ground then lift your heels and use your toes and the ball of your foot (the front part), to hop.
Your ankles need to be locked and you should feel this in your calves, hamstrings and into your glutes.
If you cant do 100 hops straight off, break it down into chunks of 20-30 at a time until you can build up to 100 without stopping.
EXERCISE 3 – HEEL WALKS (2 minutes)
Balance all of your weight on your heels and lock your ankles. It should feel tense through your calves.
Walk slowly and maintain your balance. If you only have a small space, just walk then turn around and walk back. Do this for 2 minutes.
EXERCISE 4 – TOE WALKS (2 minutes)
This is the opposite of heel walks but the same process.
Balance all of your weight on your toes, get as high as you can without losing balance. A lot of your Weight will go through your big toe.
Walk slowly and it will feel tight through your ankles and calves. Do this for 2 minutes, splitting it up into sections if it’s too much initially to do it without stopping.
These four exercises are simple but they will have a hugely positive impact on your foot and ankle stability, balance and strength (as well as helping to prevent injury). This will transfer directly into improving your performance in training and games.