Leg day: Don't skip these foot exercises
What's the story
Enhancing balance and agility is essential to keep up with your overall physical health and prevent injuries.
Foot exercises contribute a lot to make that happen by strengthening the muscles, improving coordination, and increasing flexibility.
Here, we detail five amazing foot exercises to improve your balance and agility.
They are easy to do at home, without any special equipment, and hence, accessible to all.
Toe raises
Toe raises for strengthening
Toe raises make an excellent exercise to strengthen the muscles in your feet and calves.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, slowly lift your heels off the ground, and balance on your toes.
Hold the position for a few seconds before lowering back down.
Repeat the movement ten times to begin with, increasing gradually as you gain strength.
This exercise improves lower legs' muscle tone and overall balance.
Heel-to-toe walks
Heel-to-toe walks for coordination
Heel-to-toe walks are great to improve coordination and balance.
Start by standing straight with one foot ahead of the other, so that the heel of one foot touches the toes of the other.
Walk ahead slowly, keeping the heel-to-toe pattern.
Concentrate on keeping a straight line as you walk across a room or hallway.
Doing this exercise regularly can greatly improve coordination skills.
Ankle circles
Ankle circles for flexibility
Ankle circles increase flexibility around the ankle joint, which is crucial for good balance during movement activities like walking or running.
Sit comfortably on a chair or floor with one leg extended outwards.
Rotate your ankle clockwise 10 times, counterclockwise another 10 times before switching legs.
Towel scrunches
Towel scrunches for dexterity
Towel scrunches also work on small intrinsic muscles in feet responsible not just for dexterity but also for stabilization when standing upright against gravity's pull.
Lay a towel on a flat surface, and scrunch the fabric with your toes to gather it towards yourself.
Repeat the process for several repetitions in each session to ensure optimal results over time.
Single-leg stands
Single-leg stands to test stability
Single-leg stands are a dynamic exercise that tests your stability, demanding focused concentration to hold posture without falling.
To perform, just stand on one leg and hold the position for thirty seconds before switching sides.
It is advised to practice this daily to see improvements in both static and dynamic balance.
This exercise not just tests your stability but also improves your concentrating and stabilizing your body under different conditions.