If you’ve ever been to one of those pretentious running stores at the outlets, chances are before you try on the latest foamed out neon screaming foot appliance, they put you on a treadmill for foot-photo-shoot & imprinting arch session to assess the shoe best equipped to deal with individual “foot type”. Although seemingly a prudent approach to choosing the right runner, it probable that this choice may in fact serve as a continuance to foot weakness and reliance on appliance. In short: the medicine is masking the problem while simultaneously encouraging it. Although I agree that the assessment is a great starting place, I recommend hoping off that camera’d treadmill and getting into the gym to fix the problem of weak feet (or perhaps buying some bare foot / minamalist trainers). Keep in mind, its often the goal of companies to sell the problem they solve through a product solution.
All greatness starts with a strong foundation. And with planning and consciousness, a solid one can be yours. Most movement and training involves some contact with the ground, and if your feet are weak, this can have impact on every level of the body. Your feet, and it’s healthy adaptation to the environment provides stability to the knees, hips, spine, and virtually all kinetic chain linkages. If there is weakness and dysunction cumulatively at the base, you can bet on eventual manifestation in said kinetic check points through various synergistic dominances, imbalance driven latencies, and altered length tension relationships. Our goal is to cultivate a healthy foot arch and reliance on using the muscles of the feet in our training and everyday lives. The wide spectrum of over “nerfed” shoe foaming, improper training, and unfortunate genetics lead many to a foot that is flat or hyper arched and a myriad of subsequent problems that gain severity as they emanate above the foot. Healthy feet should be viewed similar to suspension of a car: adapative to any environmental changes while providing strong base for further north kinetic movement. Let’s upgrade your 1970 pinto’s shot-ass suspesnsion to that of a 4×4 Tacoma.
The Fix:
Standing bare foot, shift body weight to one foot and lift heel off the ground. Push into the ball of the foot and raise the toes off the ground, spreading out the toes coming back to the ground while resting the second part of bipod slightly below the opposing side’s small toe. Lowering the heel, screw into three points of contact to complete the tripod (imagine a triangle of actuated gripping pressure): ball of foot, pinky toe, and heel.
Imagine a squeezing / gripping action between ball and small end toe. The three points of contact activates the base and is the ideal foot position to prime the mind with before any lift or movement pattern.
Ancillary Tools:
I recommend working out barefoot when possible to practice feet gripping. This may not always be practical at the gym or outside. Considering this, there are some great minimalist shoes that I use and provide foot protection while enabling this protocol. Links below on products I use and recommend to the tribe.
Benefits:
- Optimizing the arch encourages proper alignment of all joints above; reducing the overeliance and excess pressure absorbed by ligaments and synergist muscles.
- Feet being capable of conforming to the surface environment and keeping up with any open kinetic chain lower body exercises, promotes an injury free body trains efficiently and often.
- Fights against lower kinetic chain latency (the inactivity of glute muscles) leading to knee and low back pain.
Be a beast; reconnect with the earth and grab it with your feet.
