TOE GA
Your Big Toe (aka the Great Toe) is your body's pivot and anchor. Strong and straight big toes with weight disstributed efficiently along them iis crucial to healthy natural movement. Your big toes are 4x as thick and dense as your other toes and were designed to take a beating and be ‘used’ & ‘abused'.
These great exercises help reinvigorate this most important appendage. Somebody who has never worn shoes would naturally distribute their weight through their big toes whilst standing, walking and running. However, wearing cramped shoes with a lifted toe and too much sitting allows the big toes to get weak - time to start using them again as healthy big toe function has wonderful benefits all the way back up the kinetic chain (ankles, hips & back)
ANATOMICAL WALKING EXERCISES
In order to enjoy happy, healthy walking, the three anatomical rockers (ankle, heel and big toe) need to work together in unison, with a free range of flexible movement.
These simple exercises are designed to help wake up the ‘rockers’ and get your walking kit back to full functionality. Whilst trying this exercise, be careful not to overstride and be sure to engage your big toes! You wouldn't want to walk like this usually - it's simply an exercise to specifically get those rockers engaged.
DAILY FLEXIBILITY ROUTINE
Don't rush info full barefoot exercise until you have flexibility in your feet, ankles and hips. This simple daily exercise routine will help to revitalise your movement system and build up the strength and flexibility in the key areas to get you back to healthy natural movement. Enjoy!
ASSISTED SQUAT
If you’re squatting is stuck at the chair level - then take some time to hold onto something and gain some confidence in going low. Flexibility in your hips and ankles and stability in your knees is essential; so if you're feeling a little tight, allow yourself to gradually improve rather than trying to drop straight to the floor. Using the assisted method will help you to gain confidence in your strength and balance as you get closer towards a full deep squat.