30/08/2021
Feet...they are the pillars of your movements đŠ¶đŸ
How splayed your toes are, and the arches (or lack thereof) tell me immediately your capacity to balance, stabilise, and create force production/power.
Why?
Balance - Narrow/cramped feet mechanically have less surface area to balance on, wider base of support can help maintain and increase balance and stability.
Splayed toes create a greater surface area and âtripodâ (heel, big toe, pinky toe) to work off.
Power - Cramped feet with poor movement lack increased capacity to lengthen and shorten tissue. How well you sprint can largely be determined by how well your tissue stretches and recoils, your feet are no different, springy feet means tissue that lengthens and recoils with ease, if you donât have that kind of tissue, your foot becomes more like a brick than a spring. Thinking a rubber band made out of concrete as opposed to rubber, we need elasticity to create force and tension, and thus power.
Stability - if youâre foot is put into a box we call a shoe, where your foot has to change shape and cram into a coffin, the muscles in the foot weaken as they are no longer being used due to hyperactive footwear. The idea is to use as minimal shoe is necessary for the job. Why? Well it means youâre actually using the muscles in the foot towards their foundational purpose...movement tasks and riddles. Your feet are genius, aid them with the right footwear, donât over do it and you will be rewarded with strong feet. It will translate into every movement in your life, and your movement and life will gain great stability through strong hooves.
Tools that help:
- silicone toe spreaders (Ebay $3)
- barefoot shoes (wide toe mouth to allow for ACTUAL feet, not triangles) $70ish
- walk barefoot as much as you can $FREE
- Use appropriate footwear but donât over do it, if the shoe doesnât bend in half, or you canât âfeelâ the ground, you better be going on some serious hikes otherwise you may be using a shovel to make a sandcastle.
Food for though đ§ đŁ
