Foot Strength & Barefoot Training

Strong, mobile feet carry every run. These toe and arch exercises build foot strength, improve control of the small muscles in your feet, and stretch the soles and ankles — useful whether you're easing into barefoot running, switching to minimalist shoes, or just want healthier feet.

Foot & toe exercises

Raise Inner Toes

With raised arches, lift your inner three toes, keeping the big toe and littlest toe down on the ground, then lower them back down. Repeat this slowly 5-10 times.

Raise Big Toes

With raised arches, lift only both big toes, keeping the other four on the ground, then lower them back down. Repeat this slowly 5-10 times. This exercise and the next one require a gradual re-learning of lost muscle control. When you first try, you might not be able to move certain toes independently. Keeping your spine straight and long, you can bend your knees and bend down forward to use your fingers to help hold the other toes down while you are learning the new muscle control.

Raise All Toes

Walk around the room for a few seconds to relax the feet, then stand straight and still in Mountain pose (Tadasana). Keep your feet parallel and closer than shoulder width. Straighten your legs and allow your spine to lift and lengthen as before, feeling the gentle balloon pull upward from the imaginary string atop your head. Balance your weight evenly in the middle of your foot, evenly on both sides and distributed from front to back. Feel this balanced weight on your feet and allow your feet arches to raise if possible. Once your Mountain is stable and straight: With raised arches, lift all 5 toes of both feet upward, then lower them back down. Repeat this slowly 5-10 times.

Tucked Toe Stretch

Now we are going to tuck the toes so that your soles raise facing directly behind you as your toes curl away from the soles. Lower your weight slowly and gently onto the length, not tips, of your toes. This will stretch the toes and soles. Avoid stretching too hard or releasing too much weight. Gradually, after practicing for a few weeks, gently increase the stretching in the toes and soles. Reduce the stretch at any feeling of strain or pain. Hold this stretch for 1-2 minutes.

Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana)

Kneel and sit back on your heels with the tops of your feet in contact with the floor. Your soles will stretch and curve into a good arch underneath you. Keep your big toes and heels together so there is no gap or space between the feet. If the front of your ankles are not flexible enough to rest comfortably on the floor without a space, use a small towel rolled into a tight tube shape to place underneath, and gradually use smaller cloths until you no longer need this prop. Sit with your back and spine straight but not tense. Let your spine lengthen upward without forcing it. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head up to a bunch of helium balloons. On your breath inhale relax and balance, then on the exhale allow your spine to lengthen and straighten, stretching gently upward. Aim to stay in this position for 5 minutes. If this is uncomfortable or you experience "pins and needles," you probably need a larger rolled towel beneath the front of your ankles.