Strengthen Your Foot Core With These 3 Moves

That’s the argument Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton argue in their new book. Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guideindustry-changing McDougal training-based follow-up born to run It’s packed with simple, practical advice on form skills, healthy recipes, tips for running with your dog, and why you want to run. run in shoes with little cushion (original book minimalist revolutionfollowed by maximalist backlash). The overarching theme that ties everything together is learning to run in a way that brings us joy.

And to love running, you have to feel good. McDougal and Orton argue that core strength is key to avoiding injuries. “We may be overly focused on the abdominal core, but from a running perspective, in terms of any sport, hey, the leg core is more important,” McDougal told Well+Good. Having a strong core of the foot not only means that you have a stable connection with the ground; how we use our feet

Whether you’re a runner or not, Orton says, this can affect your entire body. , hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and other key muscle groups that help you move more easily.

one chapter of born to run 2 is dedicated to three simple exercises that will help you do just that, and we’re sharing them here. . “They work very fast,” says MacDougall.

The key is to do them regularly for a few minutes a day. McDougall recommends using them as a warm-up before you walk out the door. He also admits that he and his wife slip them in while waiting for their coffee to brew or standing in line at the store. It becomes these kinds of really rewarding little habits and challenges that you can always indulge in,” he says.

Here are three exercises taken from the book:

1. One leg barefoot balance

• Balancing on a firm surface with one foot, front foot, and heel slightly raised will help your arch feel comfortable and strong.
• If necessary, use a wall, chair, or partner for stability.

Note: This is not a calf raise exercise, it moves your leg up and down. No movement, just steady.

Some: 30-90 seconds per leg or until exhausted.

Please pay particular attention to the following: where you feel. Some people struggle with leg strength. Others may have strong legs and feel the most fatigue in their calves and buttocks.

(You’ll feel it where you need it. “That’s where your weakest link is.”)

2. Side lift

• Balance and stabilize yourself barefoot on your right front foot using a wall, chair, or partner.
• Keeping your right leg straight, raise your left leg to the side (think of the scissors half open).
• Keeping your hips level, raise your left leg as high as possible before returning to the starting position.

Note: This is an exercise to stabilize the stance leg, not an exercise to increase the range of motion of the moving leg.

Some: Repeat 15 to 25 times and repeat on the opposite leg.

3. Knee lift

• Balance and stabilize yourself barefoot on your right front foot using a wall, chair, or partner.
• Keep your right leg straight and lift your right heel slightly.
• Then raise your left knee forward as high as possible before returning to the starting position. Keep your movements slow and controlled.
• The focus is on the stance leg, not the moving leg.

Some: Repeat 15 to 25 times and repeat on the opposite leg.

Exercise taken from Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide By Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton. Published on his December 6, 2022 by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2022 Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton.