Toe Walking
2-3 Sets, 10-15 Reps,
Heel Walking
2-3 Sets, 10-15 Reps,
Heel Raise
2-3 Sets, 10-15 Reps,
Eccentric Single Leg Heel Raise
2-3 Sets, 10-15 Reps,
Single Leg Balance
2-3 Sets, 10-15 Reps,
Double Leg Woodpecker
2-3 Sets, 10 Reps,
Single Leg Pogos
2-3 Sets, 20 Reps,

Notes:

For those of you have shin splints, or would like to improve your lower leg strength and balance, perform these exercises. The exercises are in order of easy to hard execution. Do as many as you can, if you able do all of them. Make it your goal to master all the exercises. 
Toe Walking
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Stand up on your tip toes and lift both your heels off the ground. Maintain this tall, tip toe position, and walk forward. The goal is to stay up as tall as you can and not let your heel drop when you put weight on it.

 

FEEL: You should feel all the muscles in your calves working, you may also feel you quadricep thigh muscles working as well.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your heels drop! Also, do not let your knees bend. Think of staying up as tall as you can!
Heel Walking
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: While standing with both your feet on the floor, lift the balls of your feet in the air so you are on your heels. Try your best to maintain this position at your ankles, and slowly take steps forward (or backwards).

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles on the front part of your shin bones working to keep you on your heels.

 

COMPENSATION: It’s normal to not feel balanced in this position, do the best you can!
Heel Raise
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Get set-up in front of a wall or an object to use for balance if necessary. While keeping your glutes and quads tight to keep your knees straight, lift your heels off the ground in a slow and controlled manner, then slowly lower your heels back down to the ground. Repeat

 

FEEL: You should feel your calves getting a workout, but also your glutes and quads working as well to help keep your legs straight.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your knees bend as that is a different exercise. Do not shift your weight side to side. Make sure you go through your full range of motion at your ankle.
Eccentric Single Leg Heel Raise
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW:  Get set-up in front of a wall or an object to use for balance. While keeping your glutes and quads tight to keep your knees straight, lift your heels off the ground in a slow and controlled manner. Then shift all your weight over to one leg. Lift the opposite foot. And slowly lower your heel back down to the ground. Repeat

 

FEEL:  You should feel your calves getting a workout, but also your glutes and quads working as well to help keep your legs straight.

 

COMPENSATION:  Go slow! Control the lowering. Do not let your knees bend as that is a different exercise. Make sure you go through your full range of motion at your ankle.
Heel Raise Isometrics - Alternating, Wall Supported
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Stand in front of a wall and bring your hands up and place them on the wall for support. Raise both of your heels up. Shift your weight from one foot to the other while staying in the heel raised position. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your calves working.  

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your knees straight, don’t bend them as you shift from one side to the other. Don’t let your heels drop!
Heel Raise Isometrics - Knee Bent, Alternating, Wall Supported
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Start by placing both hands on a wall for support. Lift your heels off the ground on both feet and then bend both of your  knees.  Holding your heels up, shift your body weight onto one foot.  Alternate shifting your weight back and forth while using the wall for support. 

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your lower leg working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t straighten your knees, keep them bent the entire time. Lift your whole body weight with the heel raise, don’t roll forward onto your toes.
Single Leg Heel Raise - Eversion Bias, Wall Supported
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Start by standing next to a wall. Place the inside arm’s hand on the wall and lean against it with a slight bend in your elbow. Bend the inside knee up and put most of your body weight on the outside leg. Slowly push into the ground with the outside leg and raise your heel off of the ground. Towards the end make sure to really push with your big toe. Squeeze your calf at the top and slowly lower your heel back down and repeat. The majority of your weight should be on the inside of your foot, on the big toe.

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles in your calf working.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your knee straight as you perform the heel raise, don’t bend it. Keep your hand on the wall but don’t use the wall to help raise your heel.
Single Leg Balance
2-3 Sets
10-15 Reps
HOW: Position yourself standing in a corner with your back to it, or with a wall, chair, or sturdy object near you. Pick up one foot and balance on the leg that is in contact with the ground on a firm surface. Focus on standing upright and not letting yourself lean side-to-side or forward or backward.. It is ok to let your hip and knee bend a little bit.

 

FEEL:  You should feel like your balance is being challenged. If you’re having difficulty maintaining your balance, use fingertips on the surface near you as needed or try to focus on an object in the distance or near you with your eyes.

 

COMPENSATION: Try not leaning too much side to side or forward/backward. Put your foot down or grab the wall or sturdy object to avoid a fall if you lose your balance.
Double Leg Woodpecker
2-3 Sets
10 Reps
HOW: Get set up standing on both feet with good arch position. Begin the exercise by leaning forward and shifting your weight and center of gravity towards your toes. Go just until the point that you can control and not let your heels lift off the ground. Push the front of your feet into the ground to return to starting position and repeat.

 

FEEL: This should feel like a control exercise, specifically your calf and foot muscles working to control your center of gravity shifting forward. You should also feel your calves and feet muscles working to return your body to starting position.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your body straight, don’t fold at your hips or arch your back with this exercise. Use your calves and feet muscles to do the work.
Single Leg Pogos
2-3 Sets
20 Reps
HOW: Get set up in a standing position balancing on one leg. Begin the exercise by bouncing up and down on one foot on the balls of your foot and repeating as if you were single leg jump roping/hopping in place.

 

FEEL: You should focus on maintaining a rigid/stiff foot/ankle as well as your leg, think of this exercise like you’re bouncing on a pogo stick. You want to keep your leg and ankle stiff so that you ‘bounce’ like you’re bouncing on a stiff spring.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not let your knee excessively bend or your heel touch the ground, stay stiff and bounce on the balls of your feet.
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