Don’t neglect your ankle, knee, foot, and toes!

Class Focus: ANKLE, KNEE, FOOT & TOES

This class is all about the ankles and feet. Especially important for all my runners. 

Equipment Needed: Something to sit on like a chair or plyo boxes

Time Markers:
1:00 CARs (warm up)
17:00 Ankle Inversion PAILs/RAILs (Elevated Seated Base)
33:02 Ankle Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs (Combat Stance Base)
45:58 Big Toe Dorsiflexion PIALs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Seated Base)
1:00:45 Intrinsic Foot Strength (Elevated Seated Base)
1:05:29 Finishing CARs 

We'll address Ankle Inversion and Dorsiflexion, Big Toe Dorsiflexion, and we'll do intrinsic foot strengthening drills as well.

These joints are incredibly underutilized in most training programs, but they will net big gains in terms of athletic performance once prioritized. 

Addressing ankle inversion (rotation) will be important to expand global mobility of the ankle joint. That's a very important joint position, especially as a runner/jumper, and anything relating to plyometrics. The nature of those movements places the ankle in rotational planes, and does so dynamically with high levels of force. We want our ankles to be strong in these ranges of motion, and to be able to absorb the demands of the movement. The most common ankle sprain is the inversion sprain. Though the more we train our ankle to be strong in Inversion, the less likely we are for injury.

I often see people hammer away at hip mobility drills to improve their squat, and they don't address their significant limitation in ankle dorsiflexion. Which is incredibly important as a squatter, and many other movements as well. Like running, jumping, lunging, kneeling, sissy squat, etc. Good ankle dorsiflexion allows you to express movements at the Knee and Hip far more efficiently. If we have limitations in the ankles, areas above and below (foot, knee and hip) will have to absorb more force to compensate. 

Big Toe Dorsiflexion is another important one when it comes to running, jumping, plyometrics, etc. Also incredibly important in the Sissy Squat, especially the deficit Sissy Squat. That's one of the main reasons my depth on sissy squats keeps improving. Overall, If your Big Toe doesn't Dorsiflex, and then you partake in movements that require that range, it's typically not a favorable outcome in the long run. 

We'll incorporate intrinsic foot strengthening drills as well. The goal being to create strong feet that are able to absorb force, and produce power up the kinetic chain. In our society we wear a lot of overly supportive shoes that end up atrophying the tissues in our feet, and we lose sensory feedback from the toes. Which can lead to problems with arches, and other dysfunctions like plantar fasciitis. It's important to strengthen all those lines of tissues, and to improve sensory feedback as well.

Those feet could be a little tender after this one. I don't recommend doing this class on the same day as your running session. That may be too much stress in one day. Maybe even taking the following day off as well if you're pretty sore, or at least going lighter. After the 2nd you should be good to go.

Hope you enjoy!

Class 5: Ankle Inversion & Dorsiflexion, Big Toe Dorsi, Intrinsic Foot Strength

This class is all about the Knees. We'll target Knee Flexion and Extension.

Equipment needed: Yoga blocks (or something to elevate your foot up), an extra cushion (we use an airex pad in the class), and something for balance like sticks/chairs/or placing your hand against the wall.

Time Markers: 
0:25 Knee CARs (Seated Base)
2:21 Knee Flexion + Extension (Seated Base)
3:55 Knee Extension PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Seated L Base)
22:18 Knee Flexion PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Half Kneeling Base)
42:40 Finishing CARs

This class will be a great option for those who have struggled with knee issues, or just looking to improve their overall knee capacity and resiliency. 

We will work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs for both Knee Flexion and Extension, but it’s important to listen to your body. If after 2 rounds you feel fatigued and you’re taxed, you don’t have to push for a 3rd round. You can sit the 3rd round out and fast forward until the liftoffs, or you can do a 3rd round at a much lower intensity. Then over time you can build up your overall capacity.

If knee flexion/extension is a priority area for you, you'll want to program in this class at least 1x a week, and maybe even 2x a week. For anyone with more serious past injuries to this area, it would be wise to listen to your body and monitor intensities at first. Then you can slowly build up from there, increasing the intensity gradually with each class. You don't have to go full intensity right off the back, it's always best to go at your own pace and then build from there.

Let’s get those Knee Gains!

Class 16: Knee Flexion & Extension

Knee IR and ER - Rotations GAINS

Equipment Needed: Something to prop your foot up (we're using a balance pad).

Time Markers: 
0:15 CARs (warm up)
3:00 Knee Capsular CARs (Seated Base)
4:30 Internal Rotation PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Modified 90/90 Base)
25:30 External Rotation PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Modified 90/90 Base)
45:15 Finishing CARs

Rotation is a fundamental motion of the knee, and it’s critical to the health and function of the joint. Often times in conventional resistance training we prioritize linear movements like flexion and extension, and we neglect rotation - which can be detrimental. To have strong, healthy, and resilient knees, we will need to strengthen both linear and rotational planes. Here we'll breakdown drills for both IR and ER.

This class will be a great option for those who have struggled with knee issues, especially to those who are limited in rotation. If the knee is a priority area for you, you'll want to program in this class at least 1x a week, and you can work up to 2x a week. For anyone with more serious past injuries to this area, it would be wise to listen to your body, and monitor intensities at first. Then you can slowly build up from there, increasing the intensity gradually with each class. You don't have to go full intensity right off the back, it's always best to go at your own pace and then build from there. 

We work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in both bases, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Let's get these knee gains!

Class 20: Knee IR & ER

We'll target Ankle Inversion, Eversion, and Dorsiflexion. This will be a slightly more advanced ankle class than past ones, and we feature 3 new bases.

Equipment Needed: In this class we use a slant board, kettlebell, and sticks for balance. Though for all these you can get creative with different props. 

Time Markers: 
0:40 CARs (warm up) 
2:30 Ankle Capsular CARs (Seated Base)
4:15 Inversion PAILs/RAILs (Seated Base)
21:15 Eversion PAILs/RAILs (Standing Base)
38:30 Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs (Standing Base)
46:15 Dorsiflexion/Plantar Flexion Kinetic Stretch (Standing Base)
49:10 Finishing CARs

We will work ankle dorsiflexion on the slant board bilaterally, and we'll be straight leg to really emphasize the stretch in the calves down to the posterior ankle. You can also do this movement unilaterally to isolate one side at a time if you prefer. If you don't have a slant board you can prop your foot up against a wall or get a little creative.

For ankle inversion we'll be in a manual block. I personally love blocking with my hands because it allows me to feel the movement with more specificity. A lot of bases are hard to do manual blocks, but this one should be fairly easy to hold.

For ankle eversion we use a kettlebell to prop your foot up, but you don't have to use a kettlebell and you can get creative with different props, or use a ledge.

For all these bases we'll work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs. Like always, if after the first two rounds you're feeling taxed, you don't have to do the 3rd round, or you can do it at a much lower intensity. Always listen to your body and go at your own pace, and slowly build up over time.

I hope you enjoy this new ankle class!

Class 26: Ankle Inversion/Eversion/Dorsiflexion

This class is for the Knees: IR, ER, and Flexion

Equipment needed: Yoga blocks. If needed - you can also use an extra cushion for your knee and some sticks for balance.

We introduce a new base setup for both IR and ER to give you more variety from other knee classes so you can pick and choose which base you like the most.

We work 2 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in each base. If you’re more of an advanced student and you’re ready for more volume, you can add an additional 3rd round to the bases if desired. You would simply just pause the video after our 2nd round of PAILs/RAILs and then do another one on your own, then resume the class.

This class will be a great option for those who have struggled with knee issues. If the knee is a priority area for you, you'll want to program in this class at least 1x a week, and ideally work yourself up to 2x a week. For anyone with more serious past injuries to this area, it would be wise to listen to your body, and monitor your intensity and range of motion at first. Then you can slowly build up from there, increasing the intensity and range gradually with each class. You shouldn't go full intensity and push your ranges right away - it's always best to start off slow and then build from there.

Let’s get these knee gains 🧈

Class 28: Knee IR/ER & Flexion

This class is all about the Knees. We'll target 3 joint positions for the knee: IR, ER, and Flexion.

No equipment needed.

Time Markers: 
0:13 CARs (warm up) 
3:00 Knee ER PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Seated Base)
 19:00 Knee IR PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Seated Base)
 34:13 Knee Flexion PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Supine Lying Base) 
49:20 Finishing CARs

This class will be a great option for those who have struggled with knee issues. If the knee is a priority area for you, you'll want to program in this class at least 1x a week, and ideally work yourself up to 2x a week. For anyone with more serious past injuries to this area, it would be wise to listen to your body, and monitor your intensity and range of motion at first. Then you can slowly build up from there, increasing the intensity and range gradually with each class. You don't have to go full intensity right away, it's always best to go at your own pace and then build from there.

Do you even knee day, bro?!

Short Class 4: Knee IR/ER/Flexion

Addressing Rotational Deficits for the Ankle.

No equipment needed. Some sticks for balance might come in handy for our ankle inversion base, but we can use a wall for balance as well.

Time Makers: 
0:16 CARs (warm up)
2:16 Ankle Inversion PAILs/RAILs (Standing Base)
18:00 Ankle Eversion PAILs/RAILs (Standing or Seated Base)
30:00 Finishing CARs

Prioritizing inversion and eversion will be important to expand global mobility of the ankle joint. These are very important joint positions, especially as a runner/jumper, and anything relating to plyometrics. The nature of those dynamic movements places the ankle in rotational planes, and does so with higher levels of force. We want our ankles to be strong in these ranges of motion, and to be able to absorb the demands of the movement. The most common ankle sprain is the inversion sprain. 

Often times I see people hammering away at just Ankle Dorsiflexion to improve their dorsiflexion, but they lack overall rotational workspace of their ankle joint. Addressing rotational deficits at the ankle will give you a great return on investment to expand your global workspace, and to allow more ranges of motion in more linear planes like Dorsiflexion. 

I hope you enjoy the ankle gains!

Short Class 9: Ankle Inversion & Eversion

Ankle and Big Toe Dorsiflexion Gains.

Equipment needed: For the Big Toe we can use two bases, one with zero equipment, one with a little creativity with books or something to elevate the big toe up (as shown in the video)

Time Markers: 
0:20 CARs (warm up)
6:20 Big Toe Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs (Standing or Seated Base)
11:53 Big Toe Dorsiflexion Lift Offs (Standing or Seated Base)
13:22 Ankle Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Combat Base)
29:33 Finishing CARs

These are very important joint positions that are often overlooked, especially the big toe. Having good Big Toe Dorsiflexion range of motion with strength and control, is incredibly important for all things dynamic. Example: running, jumping, cutting. It's also a very important joint position to achieve a Sissy Squat. The big toe is asked to flex in these movements, and do so with high amount of force, so it will be important to improve the capacity in this area.

Ankle Dorsiflexion is also very important for those same dynamic movements, but also very important for other movements like squats and lunges. I often see people hammer away at hip mobility drills to improve their squat, and they don't address their limitation in ankle dorsiflexion. Which is incredibly important as a squatter, especially to achieve the deep squat, and many other movements as well. Good ankle dorsiflexion allows you to express movements at the Knee and Hip far more efficiently. If we have limitations in the ankles, areas above and below (foot, knee and hip) will have to absorb more force to compensate. 

For everyone who wants to progressively overload these areas in the future:
Stick to the initial 2 rounds of PAILs/RAILs for at least the first 4 weeks of incorporating this class. After about 4-8 weeks, if you feel ready for more workload, you can increase the overall volume by doing 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs for each base instead of just 2. This will progressively overload the area, and continue to help you progress steadily towards those buttery gains.

I hope you love the class!

Short Class 10: Ankle and Big Toe Dorsiflexion

This class is all about those intrinsic foot muscles.

Equipment: Small tower, regular towel, and possible a weight.

Time Markers: 
** all drills are done from a seated base**
0:30 Intrinsic Foot Drills (warm up)
4:00 Intrinsic Strength Holds 
5:20 Big Toe (Small Towel Drill) 
7:24 Little Toes (Small Towel Drill)
8:40 All Toes (Small Towel Drill)
11:55 All Toes (Large Towel Drill)
14:23 All Toes Round 2 (Large Towel Drill)
15:43 Big Toe Round 2 (Small Towel Drill) 
16:50 Little Toes Round 2 (Small Towel Drill)
17:48 All Toes Round 2 (Small Towel Drill)
20:23 Big Toe Strength/Little Toe Lifts (Small Towel Drill)
21:45 Little Toe Strength/Big Toe Lifts (Small Towel Drill)

Tootsie training! Definitely an underrated and underutilized training area. Our feet have become increasingly weak in our society to do overly supported shoes. This causes the intrinsic foot muscles to weaken, and we lose important sensory feedback. Training our feet is becoming incredibly important, especially with the amount of problems people are having with their feet nowadays. Plantar fasciitis becoming a common problem for people, amongst other problems. With this class we put a much needed emphasis on the feet and the intrinsic foot muscles.

For most people they can doing this class as is, and for those who want to progressively overload after some consistent weeks of incorporating this class - you can progress to doing some of these drills more than what is shown in the video. The total time of doing foot drills in this video is around 23min. After some consistent training you can progressively overload to doing 30min, then 35min, then 40min, then doing the entire class twice (46min). The key is always progressive overload. After 4-6 weeks of consistent training feel free to progressively overload a little more. Gradually increasing the overall workload through weeks of training.

I hope you enjoy the class!

Short Class 14: Intrinsic Foot Strengthening

This Class is for Ankle Plantar Flexion & Dorsiflexion

Equipment Needed: Yoga Blocks, and something to prop your foot up (we’re using a balance pad in the video)

Time Markers: 
0:17 CARs (warm up)
6:00 Ankle Plantar Flexion/Dorsiflexion (Seated Base)
17:15 Ankle Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Half Kneeling Base)
23:45 Ankle Plantar Flexion PAILs/RAILs (Collapsed Kneeling Base)
31:45 Finishing CARs

Here we’ll introduce our first plantar flexion base, and offer some options to advance your dorsiflexion base. In the class we do 2 rounds of PAILs/RAILs, but if you get to the point in your training where you want to progressively overload this area, and if you’ve developed the capacity over 4-8 weeks or so - advancing to 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs would be absolutely okay. 

These are very important joint positions that are often overlooked. Having good Dorsiflexion and Plantarflexion is important for a lot of movements, like: Walking, Lunging, Running, Swimming, Biking, Dancing, Jumping. 

If we have limitations in the ankles, areas like the knee and hip will have to absorb more force to help compensate, which can lead to problems at those joints. So make sure to train those ankles to be strong and mobile!

Let's get this butter!

Short Class 28: Ankle Plantarflexion & Dorsiflexion

This class is for the toes and the intrinsic foot muscles 

Equipment Needed: Something to sit on and yoga blocks.

High-quality shoes, low-quality feet. This is a big problem in modern society. We wear overly supportive shoes, we don’t spend a lot of time barefoot, and over time all of our intrinsic foot muscles become very weak, which typically leads to problems and dysfunction in this area. Also having good toe mobility is very important when it comes to running, jumping, and other dynamic movements.

Because this area is typically weak and undertrained, you can limit your intensity on your PAILs/RAILs. Over time, as the tissues become stronger, you can gradually start increasing the tension to apply a little more stress/force. It's always best to start off light and slowly build up, especially in areas that are a little weaker.

Don't neglect those tootsies! I hope you enjoy this class.

Short Class 39: Toes and Intrinsic Foot Strength

This will be a Calf Specific Class where we train ankle dorsiflexion while in knee extension

Equipment Needed: Slant Board, and sticks for balance (if needed).

A lot of people deal with “tight” calves, and like I always say…tightness typically = weakness, so utilizing drills like PAILs/RAILs will greatly help remedy “tightness” by strengthening and expanding range of motion in this specific area.

It’s important to note - if this a weak and problematic area for you, you'll definitely want to go at your own pace and limit your intensity if you have to. We do 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in the class, but listen to your body and only do as many rounds as you feel is appropriate for yourself - maybe that’s 2 rounds, maybe that’s 1 round. Or maybe you limit the intensity on each round. It’s important to gradually build up to more workload and intensity over time. Progressive overload is key, especially in areas with past issues and weakness. Over time you will get stronger and stronger.

If this is a big priority area for you it would be great to target this class 1-2x a week.

Hope you enjoy this one!

Short Class 42: Ankle Dorsiflexion (Calf Specific)

This will be a single joint focus class for Knee Internal Rotation.

No Equipment needed

The fundamental motion of our knee is rotation. So in order to expand space (“mobility”) within the joint capsule we must first establish rotational capacity. The most important for the knee being internal rotation. This is commonly the most restricted range for most people.

In this class we’ll work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our IR base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

I hope you enjoy!

Short Class 58: Knee IR

This class will help you develop greater end-range control of your knees

Equipment Needed: Yoga blocks and extra padding for your knees. Ankle weight is optional.

We’ll work a series of different end-range control drills for every position of the knee (Flexion, Extension, IR/ER). Movements such as lift offs, passive range holds, and CARs. 

We’re not working any PAILs/RAILs in this class - which is often used to expand range of motion. The movements we’ll emphasize in this class will be to develop greater active control. So we’re teaching the nervous system how to produce and control maximum force at end ranges.

Creating control is just as important as expanded range, and for some people, the control element is even more important. For example, people who are hypermobile, or those who have far more passive range of motion than active. Regardless, having control over your ranges of motion is critical for strength and resilience. 

This class is tough, I hope you enjoy it!

Short Class 62: Knee End-Range Control

Single joint focus class for Dorsiflexion.

No Equipment Needed.

Ankle Dorsiflexion is very important for squatting, lunging, running, jumping, and many other movements.
I often see people hammer away at hip mobility drills to improve their squat, and they don't address their limitation in ankle dorsiflexion. Which is incredibly important as a squatter. Good ankle dorsiflexion allows you to express movements at the Knee and Hip far more efficiently. If we have limitations in the ankles, areas above and below (foot, knee and hip) will have to be forced to compensate.

We will work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our Dorsiflexion base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Hope you enjoy these ankles gains!

Short Class 65: Ankle Dorsiflexion

Single joint focus class for Knee Flexion

Equipment needed: Yoga blocks. Extra padding for your knee and sticks for balance are optional.

Many people struggle with bending their knee with good range and strength - so this class will be a good option for those needing to improve this area.

We’ll work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our Flexion base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Just FYI - in this knee flexion base your hamstring is being trained in a short position, which some people lack control in. When doing RAILs, beware of cramp city in your hammies. If you’re fully cramping, you’ll need to lower the intensity in which you RAILs. 

Hope you enjoy class!

Short Class 70: Knee Flexion

Single joint focus class for Ankle Plantar Flexion

Equipement needed: Yoga blocks.

We will work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our Plantarflexion base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Hope you feel buttered up after this class!

Short Class 72: Ankle Plantarflexion

This will be a single joint focus class for Big Toe Dorsiflexion 

Equipment Needed: Something to elevate your big toe - we’re using a book in the class.

This is a very important joint position that is often overlooked. Having good Big Toe Dorsiflexion is incredibly important for all things dynamic. Example: running, jumping, cutting, lunging, walking/hiking. It's also a very important joint position in a Sissy Squat. The big toe is asked to flex in these movements, and to do so with a high amount of force, so it will be important to improve the capacity in this area.

We will work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Hope you enjoy!

Short Class 76: Big Toe Dorsiflexion

This will be a single joint focus class for Ankle inversion 

Equipment Needed: We’ll be using sticks for balance 

The ankle inversion sprain is the most common ankle sprain. Injuries happen when the load going into the tissue exceeds the load bearing capacity of the tissue, so the tissue will yield under the pressure and get injured. So essentially the tissue was not strong enough to absorb that force. Luckily, we can increase the load bearing capacity of tissue - we just have to train it specifically. So if the injury is happening IN inversion, then we have to train the ankle IN inversion. That’s exactly what we do in this class. We go into ankle aversion and intelligently load these tissues. Over time, as we progressively overload this tissue, these areas will adapt and the tissues will become stronger - so it will increase their load bearing capacity. Aka their ability to absorb more force/load. This just means you will become more resilient so you can mitigate injuries in the future.

We’ll be working 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our inversion base. Like always, if after the first two rounds you're feeling taxed, you don't have to do the 3rd round, or you can do it at a much lower intensity. Always listen to your body and go at your own pace, and slowly build up over time.

It’s important to remember - when you’re training in areas of past injury/pain/dysfunction - it’s really important to keep your intensities levels low at first. The quality of tissue in these areas could be weak, so the amount of stress/force/load these tissues can absorb will be low at first. So keep those intensity levels low initially, especially during PAILs/RAILs, and gradually build up over time. Adhering to progressive overload.

I hope you enjoy the class!

Short Class 89: Ankle Inversion

This will be a single joint focus class for Knee External Rotation.

No equipment needed.

The fundamental motion of our knee is rotation. So in order to expand space (“mobility”) within the joint capsule it's important to establish rotational capacity. In this class we’ll target external rotation.

We’ll work 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our ER base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much, stick to just 2 rounds and slowly build up - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

Hope your knees feel buttered up after this one!

Short Class 92: Knee External Rotation

For anyone who struggles doing Toe CARs - this class is for you.

No equipment needed.

In this class I show you how to make modifications to your standard Toe CARs. We’ll work one foot at a time and use our hands to block the toe(s) that are not supposed to be moving. This can be helpful for people in the beginning who struggle to isolate the toe(s) they want to move. Over time, with practice and consistency, you will be able to develop the mind to body connection to move your toes without the help of your hands, and this class will help you get there.

Toe CARs are great for developing sensory feedback from the floor and to strengthen those intrinsic foot muscles. A big problem in modern society is that we wear overly supportive shoes and don’t spend a lot of time barefoot or training our feet specifically. Then over time all of our intrinsic foot muscles become very weak, which can become problematic. Incorporating these toe movements consistently is great for the overall health and function of our feet.

I hope this class was helpful!

Short Class 95: Toe CARs (Modified)

Short Class 97: Knee CAR (Modified)

For anyone who struggles doing Knee CARs - this class is for you.

Equipment needed: Resistance band (optional)

Knee CARs are typically the hardest joint to initiate and control, so if you’re struggling with this you're not alone. I've had many clients and students struggle with this in the beginning. 

A great way to start developing better control is just sticking with capsular CARs (internal/external) at first. So in this class we work a couple capsular CAR variations to help you develop greater control over your knee. 

This will take a lot of time and practice to get better at, but keep sticking with it and it will get much better with time. If you really want to improve this, it would be great to do these modified knee CARs every day or several times a week. Over time, as you develop greater control, you’ll be able to do your regular knee CARs.

I hope this helps!

Short Class 97: Knee CAR (Modified)

This class is for big toe abduction 

Equipment Needed: Rubber band

Something a lot of people struggle with is big toe abduction. For some people, their big toe will adduct inwards. This can happen due to poor footwear over the years. A lot of shoes have small toe boxes that squish your toes inwards and over time your toes adapt to this. Socks also have a similar impact, but not *as* bad.

So in this class we work on big toe abduction and we try to create better spacing between the big toe and the other toes. 

We’ll work our toe CARs with a rubber band to help pull the big toe out into abduction. When you’re doing these, try to keep the big toe out wide as best as you can. For most people they will struggle to keep it out wide and that’s okay, over time it will get better. 

Then we will work an abduction PAILs base where we hold our standard 2min passive stretch, but we only work the PAILs contractions. The reason for this is that RAILs on a big toe abduction base is going to feel almost impossible for most, so at first we will just work on the PAILs contractions to get the most out of our training session. 

For anyone who really wants to create better spacing for the big toe, it’s important to get consistent inputs on this. You can do this class 2-3x a week. You can start with 2x a week and then gradually build up to 3x a week if desired. You can also buy some toe spacers to wear around the house. When you first wear toe spacers it’s important not leave them on for too long, because your toes/feet will not be used to this and they can get sore. So only wear them for as long as you feel comfortable and over time you can build up to wearing them more. 

I would also recommend walking around barefoot as much as you can around the house. Try not to wear socks or shoes around the house if possible, unless you’re wearing those five finger socks, this way you can help promote better spacing of those toes.

Totally normal for your feet/toes to feel a little tender after this class! 

Hope you enjoy the class!

Short Class 104: Big Toe Abduction

This is a warm up class specifically for the Knees

Equipment needed: Yoga block and a Cable Resistance Band.

In this class we will warm up your knees through several different movements. This will be a circuit style class and we will be going at a slightly faster tempo. If you need to slow down, please feel free to pause the video and go at your own pace!

For one of the movements we utilize a resistance band, but if you don’t have one, you can use your hands to apply some additional resistance. For example, if you’re initiating knee Internal Rotation, you’ll use your hands to create counter rotation towards External rotation. Your knee will still rotate internally, but the counter resistance of your hands will make it more challenging. You can also do it without using your hands and just focus on rotating your knee back and forth from internal to external rotation, essentially treating the movement like a Capsular CAR - which means only focusing on the rotational aspect (internal/external). 

This is a great way to warm up your knees before other strenuous activities like weight lifting or aerobic training. 

You can also treat this class as a standalone option for those days you're limited on time and want to get a 'snack' sized mobility session.

Hope your knees feel buttery after this one!

Short Class 106: Knee Warm Up

This is a warm up class specifically for the Ankles

Equipment Needed: In one drill we need a wall or some other prop for balance.

In this class we will warm up your ankles through several different movements. This will be a circuit style class and we will be going at a slightly faster tempo. If you need to slow down, please feel free to pause the video and go at your own pace!

This is a great way to warm up your ankles before other forms of activities like running/hiking/plyometrics.

You can also treat this class as a standalone option for those days you're limited on time and want to get a 'snack' sized mobility session for the ankles.

Enjoy!

Short Class 109: Ankle Warm Up

This is a warm up class specifically for the Feet/Toes

No Equipment Needed

In this class we will warm up your feet/toes through several different movements. If you need to slow down the pace of the class, please feel free to pause the video and go at your own pace!

This is a great way to warm up your feet/toes before other forms of activities like running or lower body weight training.

You can also treat this class as a standalone option for those days you're limited on time and want to get a 'snack' sized mobility session for the feet/toes

I hope you enjoy the class!

Short Class 123: Foot/Toe Warm Up

This class is for Knee Extension 

Equipment needed: Yoga blocks, something to elevate your foot up like a balance pad/towel/yoga block, and ankle weight is optional. 

This is a good option for those who have struggled with knee issues or those who are just looking to improve their overall knee capacity and resiliency. 

We’ll be working 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our extension base, but always listen to your body and go at your own pace. If 3 rounds feels like too much or if this is an area that's been problematic for you, just stick to just 2 rounds at first and slowly up to the third round over time - or do the 3rd round at much lower intensities. 

If this is an area of past injury or weakness - make sure to keep your intensity levels low, especially during PAILs/RAILs. It’s important to gradually build up the intensity and volume over time, as the tissue in this area could be weak and may not be able to withstand high levels of force quite yet. Start off light, listen to your body, and gradually build up over time.

Let’s get those Knee Gains!

Short Class 135: Knee Extension

Alternative bases for Ankle Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs!

This is an educational class that will breakdown some different Ankle Dorsiflexion PAILs/RAILs bases. The most common ankle dorsiflexion base is the combat base, but for some people who have limitations in their ankle or hip mobility, that base might not be a great fit.

In this video I offer a modification we can make to the combat base and then I show you a few completely different bases which should be really helpful for those struggling with the combat position.

I hope this was helpful!

Short Class 137: Ankle Dorsiflexion Variations (educational)

This will be a single joint focus class for Ankle Eversion 

Equipment Needed: Something to prop your foot up (in eversion) and something to balance with. I’ll be using a slant board for my foot and sticks for balance, but you could also use a book or weight plate for your foot and place your hand on the wall for balance.

While we don’t naturally get a ton of range of motion in ankle eversion, it’s still very important to train this range because rotation is critical for the health of the ankle, especially during dynamic movements like running, jumping, hiking/walking, squatting, lunging, etc. 

We’ll be working 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs in our eversion base. Like always, if after the first two rounds you're feeling taxed, you can skip the 3rd round if needed, or you can do it at a much lower intensity. Always listen to your body and go at your own pace.

It’s important to remember - when you’re training in areas of past injury/pain/dysfunction - it’s really important to keep your intensities levels low at first. The quality of tissue in these areas could be weak, so the amount of stress/force/load these tissues can absorb will be low at first. So if this is an area of weakness for you: keep those intensity levels low at first, especially during PAILs/RAILs, and gradually build up over time. 

I hope you enjoy the class!