It's A Game of Feet

Coco Austin trains her feet under a load.

Almost a consistent theme with many as we mature is the pain in our feet. Sometimes it is caused by injury. Sometimes it caused by excessive bodyweight. I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting that it is caused a reduction of flexibility, strength and conditioning of our lower legs and feet. Modern times do not place extraordinary demands on our feet. We should not be surprised.

The use of the shoe as a protective tool is very, very, old. Realize the use of the word "protective" and not supportive. The shoe has actually changed our feet. Below is a famous illustration of someone who walks barefoot and another who lives in shoes. It's quite a difference. 

Obviously there is something going on here. Perhaps we can represent it with this analogy. Place your arm in a splint for 8 to 12 hours per day, every day. What do you think would happen? Atrophied muscles, loss of movement, loss of size and loss of function? Why should it be any different with the muscles of the lower legs and feet?

Let's compound the ideal of atrophied feet and increased load. Take feet that have been trapped in shoes during working hours and sometimes during non working ones too. As the muscles atrophy over the years and reduce their strength and flexibility,... you decide to increase the load placed upon them by gaining weight year by year. This can also load the lower leg, upper leg and torso area. Your posture will change with age and the stress on the weakened feet will increase. 

In some cases, increasing the load on the feet is necessary. Fashion and social style may indicate for example that women wear high heels. It is NOT a very healthy option, but with proper conditioning it can be folded into a lifestyle where fitness and looks do not have to be mutually exclusive. 

In another case a soldier may hike miles over rough terrain with unwieldy loads. The US Military has spent many years researching and altering the footwear of soldiers, who are young and strong, to manage this stress.

There is one simple alternative. Spend more time walking, hiking and running barefoot. This may not be practical in an urban area with broken glass, rocks and possible contamination risk. The "barefoot running" craze has stimulated a need for products that manufacturers are more than happy to develop. New shoes with little support have popped on to the marketplace. They are not the be-all-end-all, but they increase the choices we have to improve foot fitness. Here are two such examples.

The Inov-8 Shoe

The Vibram 5 Finger Shoe

These shoes are just two possibilities of a currently expanding market. Make sure to get a proper fit with either shoe. For more information on either of these brands, check out:

INOV-8 SHOES

VIBRAM 5 FINGER SHOES

Even with barefoot or protected walking or running, the addition of exercise for the feet can have quite a dramatic effect. Below is an illustration of just some of the structure of the lower leg and feet. There is plenty muscle tissue to work with.

Let's work our way through some lower limb drills that may relieve pain,  increase flexibility and develop some strength.

1. Stretching the front of the ankle is very important. When we spend some hours in traffic,.. the front of the ankle gets fixated into position. It's a far cry from hunting in the plains for Bison and running to avoid being eaten by Sabertooth tigers. Using a foam roller or even a rolled up towel can increase the range of motion. Focus on sitting in this position for about a minute. If it is painful, start with several short holds.

2. The next drill is to squat on your toes, then flex the plantar muscle on the sole of the feet. You end up rocking forward and back. [not up and down like a squat]. Usually bodyweight is sufficient in the early stages, but you can add a barbell plate in your lap for an extra challenge. You will also need to hold on to a fixed object for balance.

3. The third drill is to increase the strength of the muscles on the front of the lower leg. The shin area. The requires a wooden block. Place just your heels on the block and lower your toes towards the ground. Let the muscle stretch then contract it slowly to a position we call dorsiflexion. Repeat until you feel fatigue.

4. The standard calf raise is the next drill. Keep the knees locked and place the ball of the foot on a wooden block as shown or even a doorway. Lower the heels and let the calf stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Then reverse the action and stand on your tip toes. Continue this process until you are fatigued. This drill will also enhance the shape of your lower legs.

5. This drill is a stretch for the muscles surrounding the toes. This is often neglected. Simple insert your fingers between your toes. Then squeeze and let the muscles relax and stretch. 

6. There are small muscles around the ankle that are addressed in other drills. The use of a Theraband however, adds unique resistance to the foot. Simple loop the band over the end of the foot, flex and relax until you are fatigued. 

7. Finally, using a golf ball we can do some soft tissue work by rolling it on the sole of the foot. This drill alone is quite beneficial. 

You can use all of these drills or just the ones that give you the most benefit. Tailoring an exercise program is using the Bruce Lee idea of "Absorb What is Useful, Reject What is Useless, and Add What is Specifically Your Own". Feel free to experiment. 


In addition to this article on exercise and barefoot running, here is a link to a great source of foot information. America's Podiatrist. 
It's time to start thinking of your feet as a part of your body that can age and this article is chock full of information to REVERSE it.

 

Oatmeal is the breakfast of choice!

This is a great way to prepare it
by Robin White & Tom Furman

Oatmeal Part One



Oatmeal Part Two



Tom and I like to cook our Old Fashioned Oatmeal in the microwave for 3 minutes on high, fill to top of oats with water, covered with a paper plate. I add my chopped strawberries and blueberries afterward. He likes his cooked on the bottom, so he puts his in with the oats covering it.

After the oats are steaming from the microwave, we add in protein powder, chopped almonds, wheat germ (all optional) and mix them altogether for a breakfast that will hold you for four to five hours and is very nutritious and healing to the body.

Oatmeal is high in Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an essential fatty acid (EFA) in the omega-6 family that is found primarily in plant-based oils. Some clinicians and preliminary clinical research suggest that gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and may be useful in the treatment of: Diabetes, Eye disease, Osteoporosis, Menopausal symptoms, Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Eczema, Allergies, Rheumatoid arthritis, Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alcoholism, Cancer, High blood pressure and heart disease and Ulcers. GLA is also found in the plant seed oils of evening primrose, black currant, borage, and fungal oils. Spirulina (often called blue-green algae).

Hope you'll try this recipe. Let us know your thoughts!

How To Avoid Getting Old

by Tom Furman


"Be like water."-Bruce Lee "Be like a child." - Tom Furman

Years ago, someone said something that was funny, but true. " When you stop doing something, you will soon not be able to do it." There is much truth in this. The amount of time that you let pass between the practice of skills erodes pathways that connect from the mind to the muscles. Think of it as walking through a field of weeds. The more you walk through the field, the less the weeds grow and you begin to get a path that is easy to follow and provides little resistance. If you frequently "cut through other fields of weeds", you have little fear that the initial resistance will be permanent and you will have many paths to follow. It takes only infrequent trips to keep the path clear and movement effortless. This is similar to basic movement skills like running, jumping, squatting, lifting, climbing, pushing, crawling, balancing, swimming and so one. If you simply practice these movements with some frequency, duration, intensity, and progression, you will put off the aging process.

The first step is returning to the actions of childhood. When we were children we were told to sit on the floor to allow the adults to have chairs. We even preferred the floor. Most babies struggle from their parents arms to get on the floor and crawl on all fours, roll, push, pull, and balance on two legs. It's totally natural and lost in most adults. The starting point is more time on the floor and less on the chair. Watch TV on the floor, read a book on the floor, or just feel free to move around down there. This requires no money, little time, and no equipment. There can be no excuses about anti aging being expensive or gym memberships being inconvenient. Start with some simple sitting, and use back support like the couch to start. Try straight legged, bent legged, cross legged, etc. Spend time on your stomach, your back, your side, and all fours. Move from your back to your side to your stomach with some grace and support yourself without letting your torso sag. This will only take minutes a day and the results will be outstanding.

The second step is to try squatting. This is a lost art with most adults. Squatting is totally natural and contrary to the Urban Myth, very good for the lower body and knees. You should hold onto support at first. Heels should stay flat. This will take some time. Move slowly and if it takes several weeks or several months, that's fine. Focus on a chest up posture with your knees tracking your toes which should be pointed slightly outward. It's a good idea to push out with the thighs as if you were prying your legs apart. This will activate your buttocks and make squatting more efficient. The pressure should be felt in your hips and butt and not on the knees. The action becomes more balanced when you gradually gain movement and flexibility and your heels settle on the ground for a true squat that is practiced around the world as a resting position. An intermediate position is a half squat or lunge position. One knee up, one knee down. You can pad the lower leg or do this on a soft surface. Come in and out of the position with thigh strength alone. You should not need support. Practicing this movement will help your balance as well.

The third step is pulling. This requires you to get proficient at lifting your body off the ground by hanging on an overhead support. It's more commonly called a pull up. There are two reasons you can't do pull ups. You are either too fat or too weak. If your pulling muscles get stronger and you get leaner, pulling yourself will get easier. In the meantime, grab the edges of the doorway, lean back and do a pulling motion to upright yourself. There are many variations you can think of. The best place to practice this exercise is a ParCourse at a park. They are free, common, and provide great training equipment. They have plenty of stations to practice pulling at. Once you feel confident with "doorway" pulls, you can practice "cheating" pulls by jumping or stepping to the top of a pullup motion and holding yourself up there for a longer and longer count. Eventually you will gain the strength to pull yourself up with NO help. Then it's a numbers game. The more you pull, the better you get.

The fourth step is pushing. The greatest bang for the buck exercise is push ups. They require body alignment, abdominal strength, chest strength, shoulder strength, and tricep strength. If you can't do just one, start by stepping away from the wall and using that as a base for "push aways". Gradually work down to the floor for pushups from your knees. Keep the body in a straight line, with abdominals braced, and elbows close to your sides. When these become effortless, move on to the real thing. Both men and women are capable of these and should practice them BEFORE ever thinking of lifting weights.

There are many, many, steps beyond this but this will get you started. When you take natural movement and practice this to the highest level, you begin to look like the Brazilian based fitness called Ginastica Natural. Here's a clip and and idea of what "keep the pathways open" looks like.