Great post on taking a broader view on ankle mobility from @timlebbossiere.
Give these a shot, and feel free to post any comments/questions below. If you found this helpful, please share/re-post it so others can benefit.
From TIm:
One of the things I’ve strived to get better at over the years is finding meaningful ways to improve ankle mobility because I think it is the hardest joint to get meaningful changes in
I think too often we just tell athletes to throw their toes on the wall and do a couple of reps of ankle dorsiflexion. That’s better than nothing, but we have to remember that the ankle dorsiflexes, plantarflexes, inverts, everts, and rotates.
Some of my favorite “different” ankle mobility variations:
1. Staggered Stance Squat – dorsiflexion on back leg
2. Lateral Lunge to Cross Behind Lunge – inversion/eversion of stable leg
3. Lateral Leg Swings – rotation of stable leg (if you keep your foot pointing straight ahead)
4. Anterior Ankle Stretch – plantarflexion in both ankles
To your success,
Kevin Neeld
SpeedTrainingforHockey.com
HockeyTransformation.com
OptimizingAdaptation.com
P.S. For more information on in- and off-season program design, training and reconditioning for injured players, and integrating sports science into a comprehensive training process, check out Optimizing Adaptation & Performance
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Kevin has rapidly established himself as a leader in the field of physical preparation and sports science for ice hockey. He is currently the Head Performance Coach for the Boston Bruins, where he oversees all aspects of designing and implementing the team’s performance training program, as well as monitoring the players’ performance, workload and recovery. Prior to Boston, Kevin spent 2 years as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the San Jose Sharks after serving as the Director of Performance at Endeavor Sports Performance in Pitman, NJ. He also spent 5 years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with USA Hockey’s Women’s Olympic Hockey Team, and has been an invited speaker at conferences hosted by the NHL, NSCA, and USA Hockey.
“When I am looking for ways to help my hockey players perform better on the ice and reduce their risk of injury, I turn to Coach Kevin Neeld. You may not be able to train with Kevin, but any hockey player can take a giant leap forward by following his techniques.”
Maria Mountain, Strength & Conditioning Coach/Owner, Revolution Conditioning