For most people, locomotion is necessary for day-to-day life. Whether it’s walking to get groceries and running away from a neighbor’s dog to playing recreation tennis or jumping to snag the game-ending rebound in the NBA championship game. The one common body part and possibly the most important involved with movement is the ankle and its’ the health and performance. Without a strong support system, i.e. ankles, much of human locomotion would be less efficient, more susceptible to injury and experience decreases in performance. The following are principles and exercises that increase ankle strength, mobility, health and performance of the ankle and human movement. These exercises are performed first before almost every movement session we coach at BPS and as a whole is called our CAMPS – SSP (Support System Prep).
Principles:
- General Preparation
- The Ankle Series/Isometric Series/Toe Series – These are basic ankle movements designed to increase mobility and blood flow to the area.
- Absorption of Force
- Back Dorsiflex Series – These movements are all backwards to overload the ankle’s ability to absorb overloaded dorsiflexion forces.
- Accepting Body Weight
- Back Low Walk Series – Building on the absorption of force, the exercises here improve the ankle’s ability to handle the body weight with increased overloading forces.
- Redirecting Force
- Back Buttkick Series/Back Buttkick Reach Series/Back Reach Run – Now the ankles are prepared to re-direct force into basic plyometrics and backward high-speed movement.
- Heavy Eccentric Loading Force
- Walking Calf Series/Track Hamstring – A gradual progression of eccentric force is put through the calf, hamstring etc.
**To see the full SSP script and implement into your workout regime immediately, join BPSUniversity.com.
