Exercises to improve foot strength
Psychohist
I've received enough email requests for this article that I'm reposting it,
with slight updates.
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Ballroom Toe Exercises
Copyright 1996, 1998 by Warren J. Dew
Permission granted to make complete copies for personal use.
This post describes the toe and foot strength exercise I've mentioned for the
improvement of balance and talent in ballroom dance. I've used the exercises
extensively and with success for myself and with the MIT ballroom dance team.
An earlier version of this essay was posted in 1996. It has two parts: a
description of the exercise, and a discussion of the purpose of the exercise.
This essay may be copied from usenet for personal use without charge; just give
me credit if you use these exercises to good effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXERCISE:
First, get a patch of fairly dense, low pile carpet. A good quality bath mat
is what I use. Stand on this carpet with a ballet barre, chair, or other form
of support in front of you; rest your hands on the support. Flex and
straighten the feet and toes a few times to get the joints properly lubricated.
Now push yourself upward with the balls and toes of the feet, raising both
heels as far off the floor as you can. The front of the foot should be almost
vertical. Continue to rise, bringing the ball of the foot off the floor, until
you are standing on the pads at the tips of your toes, with ends of the toes
almost vertical. Try to keep the toes gently curved - don't let either of the
toe joints straighten completely.
If you can do this without using your hands on the support, you probably don't
need this exercise. More likely, however, you will reach the limits of your
toe strength before the feet and toes are fully extended, perhaps before the
balls of the feet are off the floor. At this point, still pushing as hard as
you can with your toes, push with your hands just enough to let your feet and
toes reach full extension. This makes the toe muscles work through a greater
range of motion, providing more muscle building benefit.
Now lower gently until you are again standing on flat feet. Repeat this action
twelve times. By the twelfth repetition, you may be supporting quite a bit of
your weight on your hands at full extension. That's okay, as long as you are
still pushing as hard as you can with your toes.
After you have completed twelve repetitions, you can stretch the appropriate
muscles by putting the toes flat against the floor and bending at the ball of
the foot and the ankle to bring the knee down to the floor. Do this once with
each leg, for 20 seconds or so. Experienced lady dancers used to wearing heels
may have shorter calf muscles and may not get the knee all the way to the
floor.
As with all muscle building exercises, this exercise works by actually damaging
the muscles somewhat. The body then rebuilds the muscles slightly stronger
than before. The rebuilding process takes a few days, during which time you
should feel some soreness in the calf or in the sole of the foot. To give the
body time to rebuild, it's best not to do this exercise every day. Once a week
should provide noticeably better balance in six months or so. If you're really
impatient, twice a week is probably okay. You will also need a few ounces of
high quality protein in your diet - meat, fish, eggs, or a combination of
leguminous vegetables and grain.
And the standard disclaimer: I am not a physician, nor do I play one on TV.
Improper use of these and other strength exercises can cause injury.
PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE:
In ballroom, we need balance the most while on a rise, standing on the 'toe'
(ball and toes) of one foot. Typically, people do this by putting their weight
on the ball of the foot, using mild pressure from the toes to stabilize the
position, providing 'balance'. Most nondancers cannot stand indefinitely on
the ball and toes of one foot, with the heel off the floor, without getting
extra stabilization - say from the other foot, a wall, or a dance partner.
One gets additional stability by strengthening the muscles that flex the toes.
This has two effects. The first is that one can now provide more corrective
pressure with the toes, for added stability. The second is that one can move
one's center of gravity further forward, supporting more of one's weight on the
toes, effectively using a larger area of the floor for support.
The primary muscles that provide this strength are the flexor longus hallucis,
which flexes the final joint of the big toe, the flexor longus digitorum, which
flexes the final joint of the other toes, the flexor brevis hallucis, which
flexes the joint at the base of the big toe, and the flexor brevis digitorum,
which flexes the middle joint of the other toes. The flexor longus muscles are
long, small diameter muscles deep in the calf. The flexor brevis muscles are
in the sole of the foot. To improve one's balance while on a rise, these are
the muscles that one must build. Strength in these muscles is often referred
to as 'foot strength'.
When I first started using this exercise - devoting perhaps five or ten minutes
a week - I saw a substantial improvement in my dancing within a few months. I
started being able to take a nice high rise in waltz, with the balls of the
feet off the floor, without falling over or leaning on my partner. Observers
commented that my dancing looked more stable. In backward movements, being
able to take weight on the toes, before the ball of the foot is on the floor,
provides more time for the swing and extension of the moving leg. I've been
able to shift my normal point of balance forward towards the toes; several
ladies have commented on the improved contact and lead.
MIT team members who use this exercise have seen improvements in competition
results. Most recently, I've had all the MIT rookies in the 1997-1998 school
year do this exercise as part of my weekly session with them; these rookies
dominated the finals and semifinals of the four and five round beginner events
during the second semester.
By the way, this exercise is similar to the traditional English ballroom 'phone
book' exercise, with modifications for more comfortable classroom use on a flat
floor, as well as modifications based on observations of Scottish highland
dancers (strongest calves in the world) and strength training advice from my
brother (an ex Navy SEAL).
r...@nicholson.com
In article <199806111725...@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
Also a rehash of my reply from a year or two back...
A European trained dance coach gave me a similar exercise on rise and
fall from high toe position many years ago. He recommended a high
window sill for support. The main difference was that I was to shift
my weight to a different side each rep and practice controlled lowering
over one foot at a time. Gradually (months, years) work up to where
you don't need the handhold for support OR balance. Also suggested
were stretching exercises before and after to keep the muscles from
bunching up too short.
To dance well, one has to have the strength and control to lower when
the music or technique book say so, and not just when ones ankle/foot
strength or balance gives out.
IMHO. YMMV. No warrantees implied, etc.
--
Ron Nicholson r...@nicholson.com http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/
#include <canonical.disclaimer> // only my own opinions, etc.
Personne
I'll testify to this technique for building balance.
I did these exercises for a period of 8 months--off and on.
I've always had trouble balancing myself on one foot for an
extended period of time, but now I can do an Arabesque
(standing on ball of foot w/ back leg extended horizontally),
w/o any trouble. Having the toes there for added corrective
pressure is key.
-YW