Limited ankle mobility can cause a variety of problems in the gym, but most notably with the squat movement pattern. Whether you’re doing front squats, back squats, or overhead squats, if you’re lacking in ankle mobility, then reaching full depth can be quite the challenge.
So if this is you, then you’re in luck, because today we’re going to cover three of our favorite ankle mobility drills that we use with our clients everyday to help them improve their ankle mobility, and transform their squat depth!
Foot Elevated Ankle Mobilization
- Place your foot on top of a bench or box, keeping your full foot flat on the object
- Use your hands and bodyweight to drive your knee as far over your toes as possible
- Hold this for 5-10 seconds, performing 3 sets of 5 reps
- You can progress this by placing a kettlebell on top of your knee for an added stretch
Long Pause Calf Raise
- Elevate your toes on a surface to allow for a bigger stretch at the bottom position
- Slowly lower down into the bottom of a calf raise
- Hold the bottom position for 5 seconds, before returning to the starting position
- Performed 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Straight Leg Calf Stretch
- Stand with your hands resting on a wall and the foot that you’re stretching back behind you
- Keep your knee completely straight as your push your hips and torso forwards, feeling a stretch in your calf
- Hold this for 30-60 seconds, performing 3 sets
- We often have our clients perform the ankle mobilization and or straight leg calf stretch once per day, and the long pause calf raises 2-3 times per week to really improve their ankle mobility.
The key to truly improving your mobility is consistently doing these exercises over time. It will probably take several weeks of very consistent effort before you start to see a big change in your ankle mobility, but don’t let that stop you from trying to maximize your movement potential!
If you are looking for a customized mobility or injury solution, then hop on a totally free 15 minute consultation call with our team to see how we can help.