Hey friends, happy Wednesday!

If you've been around here for a while, you know how much I love to talk about how the feet are connected to the pelvic floor. When we have strong and resilient feet, we will improve our pelvic floor strength and resiliency as well.

Today I wanted to bring you my top three tips for building strength in your feet:

1. Take your shoes off as often as possible. This is way easier to do in the summer, of course! If you're wearing slippers or socks at home, see if you can add in 5 minutes at a time of barefoot time around the house, then slowly increase from there. The more textures and uneven surfaces our feet are exposed to, the stronger and more stable they become, eliminating the inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia.
2. Work on your balance! There are so many ways to do this, and one super simple way is to stand on one foot and throw a ball back and forth between your hands while maintaining stability! My current favorite balance tool is The Foot Collective's Solemate! It's essentially a travel mini beam, muscle release roller, calf stretch prop, and multi-purpose balance tool. You can watch a bunch of videos on routines, play, and exercises here! You can even just use a broomstick wrapped in a towel before you purchase one. If you're local to Alaska, I'm going to be making a wholesale order on July 16th! If you order through me, you won't have to pay shipping, and I'll distribute them in Anchorage and the Valley when they arrive. 🙂 If you're interested in a local order, please reply to this email and let me know how many you'd like so I can send you an invoice! They are $89 each.
3. Lift heavy things, barefoot! When you're at the gym training, or working out at home, it's so important to be barefoot for heavy lifts or to wear a minimal shoe. All the cushion of running shoes and other trainers shift the load from your foot muscles to your other joints up the chain, and could potentially cause pain and strain in your ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. So next time you're squatting, deadlifting, doing calf raises, or basically any lift, take those shoes off and let the toes breathe! You'll find you can lift heavier, feel more stable, and work on your balance and strength all at the same time.

Have a great holiday weekend friends! Stay safe and let those toes run free!

Warmly,

Natalie