Your feet play an essential role in how you move through the day\u2014yet, they\u2019re one of the few parts of the body that most active people neglect to train.<\/p>\n
Because your feet are in use whenever you\u2019re standing or walking, it\u2019s easy to assume that that\u2019s enough to keep them strong and mobile.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n But according to trainer Sara Haley<\/a>, most of us could benefit from doing more. \u201cBarefoot training is essential for everybody,\u201d she tells Fit&Well. \u201cImagine not having the agility and mobility in your fingers that you do? A lot of people don’t have that in their feet.\u201d<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n As the name suggests, barefoot training is movement without shoes or socks. Haley believes doing any type of movement barefoot can be beneficial.<\/p>\n \u201cYour feet take you everywhere you go, yet we constantly keep them inside cushioned shoes, which is kind of like putting a Band-Aid on something,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n As well as moving more without shoes on, there are specific exercises you can do to strengthen and mobilize your feet.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re walking around your house and you slip in bare feet, you can grip the floor with your toes. As we get older our balance starts to go,\u201d she says. Barefoot training can help with this.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father-in-law is in a walker now because of diabetes, but part of his problem is he can’t feel his feet so he can\u2019t balance and he\u2019s constantly afraid he\u2019s going to fall,\u201d says Haley.<\/p>\n Barefoot training not only helps with balance, but posture, too. \u201cBy training your feet, you train everything up from there, which helps with alignment and posture.\u201d<\/p>\n Haley has shared three moves she recommends to reconnect to your feet and strengthen them.<\/p>\n Toe spread<\/p>\n Reps: 10, plus 10sec hold<\/p>\n Stand or sit with your feet hip-distance apart.Stretch your toes apart to create a gap between them.If you can’t do that, place your fingers in between your toes to spread them out.Repeat 10 times, then hold them apart for 10 seconds.Toe grip<\/p>\n Reps: 10, plus 10sec hold<\/p>\n