Got an idea for ankle training, but will it work? - JP Fitness Forums

goldwave84 · 07-23-2006, 10:28 AM

Hi all,
In my quest to improve ankle strength and stability, i did a fair share of reading up. One exercise was to balance on one foot alone for about 1 min while the other leg is raised up parallel to the floor. Now I was thinking, what if I stood on one leg, and did some simple weight exercises? Say bicep curls, or maybe shoulder exercises? What do you all think?

Ash

Kevin Larrabee · 07-23-2006, 10:30 AM

I wouldt do doo much weight, like weight for less than 8 reps. You could find yourself injuring yourself. Eric or Bill might be the best to ask.

goldwave84 · 07-23-2006, 10:39 AM

Hey Kevin- great work on the fitcast. I was thinking very light weights, more like 10-12 reps weightage. Read somewhere that by standing on one foot, it "re-activates" the supporting muscles that were "de-activated" after an injury.

Kevin Larrabee · 07-23-2006, 10:41 AM

I hear you there. All I am saying is the the risk might outweigh the reward of this. 10-12 might be ok. But again I would wait for either Bill or Eric to chime in.

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 10:42 AM

Instead of adding weighted upper body movements, why not do balance drills like the star drill. You could also do King deads and/or DB RDLs, all of which require the ankle to stabilize you while you move your body.

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldwave84

Read somewhere that by standing on one foot, it "re-activates" the supporting muscles that were "de-activated" after an injury.

You're talking about proprioception (knowing where you are in space), and it is an important part of rehab from ankle injury.

If you want Bill's advice, then post in the injury forum. He usually checks that on a regular basis.

Lisa

goldwave84 · 07-23-2006, 10:58 AM

Lisa, do you have any links to all those drills you posted? I looked up king deads, but didnt find anything specific.

Ash

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:01 AM

Hhmmmmm, let me see.....

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:05 AM

King deads are shown in Ian King's Twelve Weeks of Pain (the limpin' series) Stage 1, Part 2. Can't seem to find the link to that at the moment. Maybe someone else?

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:09 AM

In the meantime, here's the text of the description:

Quote:

This is a single-leg, bent-knee deadlift—one of my very own creations! Stand on one leg (starting with the weak side) and bend the other leg up until the lower leg is parallel to the ground. Place your hands on the hips or by your side. The aim is to bend the knee of the supporting leg until the knee of the non-supporting leg is brushing the ground. In reality, you may have to settle for a shorter range (you'll understand why as soon as you do this workout). If the aforementioned is the case—and I expect that it will be—look to increase the range from workout to workout.
You're allowed to flex (bend) forward at the waist as much as you want, and doing so will increase the gluteal involvement. Keep the working knee aligned neutrally throughout the movement. Take three seconds to lower, a one-second pause at each end, and two seconds to lift. No warm-up set needed. When you can do more than 15-20 reps full range, look to hold dumbbells in the hands. This, I suspect, is a long way off!

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:12 AM

Tony showed the DB RDL in his last article at t-mag.

The Angry Trainer

OldGuy · 07-23-2006, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldwave84

Lisa, do you have any links to all those drills you posted? I looked up king deads, but didnt find anything specific.

Ash

The links for the Limping workouts are in here. And a lot of other workouts

Workout routines

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldGuy

The links for the Limping workouts are in here. And a lot of other workouts

Workout routines

DUH! I knew that! Thanks OldGuy!

The King deads are shown in this one in particular:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459757

Lisa~ · 07-23-2006, 11:32 AM

I can't find a picture or link for a star drill, but it's easy to explain. Just tape (or pretend) an asterisk onto the floor. Stand on one foot in the middle of it. Reach our with your other foot and touch your toe to the end of each line, so forward, 45 degrees, out to the side, behind you 45 degrees, straight to the back, across in the back, across to the opposite side, across the front 45 degrees. Then do it with the other foot too. Get it?

John Izzo · 07-23-2006, 11:41 AM

ONe exercise that I have found benficial for ankle stabilization and mobilization is the hindu squat. I belive it was invented in the far east part of teh world. WIthout using balance apparatus or dyna disks, it is a humbling exercise for anyone with poor ankle coordination.

You can find it here: http://www.mattfurey.com/hindu_squats.html

OldGuy · 07-23-2006, 11:47 AM

John, those are nasty. but real good too. Good for a bodyweight routine

galya · 07-23-2006, 12:31 PM

I have my husband do those and they smoke him. He has a reconstructed ankle and tons of problems connected with that all the way to his spine, but the H squats are great for him!

John Izzo · 07-23-2006, 02:43 PM

Hindu squats are killer for proprioception of the ankles and it exposes all mobility [problems of teh ankle (evidenced by the pain your husband sees all the way up the kinetic chain).
I used to recieve massage therapy just on my calves and right after the deep tissue work, I would perform hindu squats. You would be surprised at the amount of control I had in supination and prontation of the ankle.