From this position, shift your weight onto one foot. This can be performed with either a kettle bell, a weighted plate, or a barbell. It is very position-specific and therefore has good carry over to the exact movements we are going to perform. We recommend holding this stretch for 10 seconds for 5-10 repetitions.Īnother version of this stretch is one I like to use prior to training sessions that include any form of barbell squatting. Kevin Sonthana demonstrating the heel drop stretch. Before starting your workout, using this stretch after foam rolling is a great way to decrease any amount of stiffness in the lower leg. The heel drop stretch is a good go-to in order to make some quick improvements.

Once foam rolling is complete, stretching the muscles is the next step to addressing soft tissue restrictions. Physical Therapist Manu Kalia gives an easy explanation for this banded mobilizations. The goal is to alleviate any painful or pinching feelings deep in the joint. These types of mobilizations (simply termed mobilizations with movement) have been used for years by physical therapists. This backwards pull on the tibia will actually do the opposite of what we want to achieve. Often athletes will have the band placed too high on the ankle. In order to help improve this movement to increase mobility, the band must help push the talus bone backwards (1,2). If we look at the ankle, the talus bone of the foot moves backwards as the shin moves forward into dorsiflexion as we squat. A joint glide is sustained while the athlete actively moves into the specific range-of-motion we are trying to change. The rubber material of the band is elastic and strong enough to affect the tough joint-capsules.If you don’t have access to one, the Superband from Perform Better is a great product.īand distraction joint mobilizations assist with the way our bones glide over each other. One of the easiest ways to improve joint restrictions on your own is to use a band mobilization. Therefore, any pinching sensation or bony bock must be addressed first before moving onto possible soft tissue stiffness These types of restrictions will not resolve with conventional stretching and foam rolling. During the ankle mobility screen, a “pinching” sensation felt in the front of the ankle indicates a bony block. I also want to share with you my 3-step process in dealing with ankle stiffness.Ī restriction in joint mobility should be the first area to address. Today I wanted to share a few of my favorite tools.

The goal of this weeks lecture is to introduce a few simple tools to address these restrictions. Most restrictions are due to either joint immobility (such as a bony block) or soft tissue tightness (stiff muscles and/or fascia). We also discussed two common reasons for the development of ankle stiffness. Previously, we introduced a screen to test our ankle mobility. The deeper we squat, the more mobility we require at the ankle. Two weeks ago we discussed how the role of the mobile ankle contributes to our movement pattern in the squat. Welcome back to Squat University! During these past few weeks we have covered the ankle joint.

Ankle mobility