Bonus Video: Ankle Stretch
Lesson 11 from: Align Method: Move Your Way to a Stress Proof LifeAaron Alexander
Bonus Video: Ankle Stretch
Lesson 11 from: Align Method: Move Your Way to a Stress Proof LifeAaron Alexander
Lessons
The 5 Daily Movements Overview
03:56 2Body Archetypes and How to Counteract Them
06:27 3Floor
07:30 4Couch Stretch
02:39 5Breathing
15:07 6Hip-hinging
10:52 7Hanging
07:22 8Walking
14:29Lesson Info
Bonus Video: Ankle Stretch
(upbeat music) Next exercise that we're gonna take with is opening up space around the ankles. So this is such a common dilemma for the modern human that is chronically stuck in this 90 degree angle with their ankles. So we're sitting in chairs all day and we're not really going through that full functional range of motion. A resistance band, the align band in this case is a beautiful tool to start to create some space in those ankles. So what we're gonna do is beautiful model, Anna is going to place the band around her left ankle and then she's going to step her right foot forward. Like you can call this a runner's stretch, if you'd like. You call it going into a lunge and driving the back heel down towards the ground. Perfect, so she's stepping away enough to create traction on the ankle from the band. So creating just maybe like you could say maybe 20 pounds of pressure against the ankle, 15 pounds of pressure against the ankle kind of just follow what feels good in your own body.
And first thing is I want you guys to have the foot facing straight ahead. So Anna's gonna turn the foot in slightly, but bango, just like that, gorgeous. And then you're gonna walk this foot just a little bit like around this position or so. Kinda like railroad tracks with the feet and turn this foot facing in as well. So both feet are facing the same direction. Now from here, Anna is going to, already I can tell she's getting really beautiful traction and space in the ankle from this position. And she's keeping the heel down on the ground, which is incredibly valuable. So we're opening up space around those toes, around that planter fascia, around the ankle, getting into the gastric anemia and the soleus and hamstrings and this whole backside is really getting opened up almost like an archery bow, really opening up space throughout that whole line. Now from here, we can add that same practice as before, we're gonna be doing a lot of this, the contract relax technique. So, and it can drive the feet down to the ground, drive the toes, drive through, through, through, through, through hold that for five, four, three, two, one, zero. And then a little bit deeper into that position. So this is gonna be, you go through three rounds of that in total or follow whatever feels good for you. So this is just a beautiful way to start to really focus on isolating this ankle joint. Something else that would be really pleasant to come into from this position is any constructed play with actually going into a deeper lunge as well. So again, you can be dynamic with these exercises. So start to drop the hips down, keep the ribs tuck. You can start to raise the heel up a little bit so you can actually go through the range. Yap, and just exploring some motion. So we can start to open up a little bit of space in the adductors, the side of the other hip. Start to get a little bit deeper into the hip flexors. In this left side, you could play with kind of pushing this right knee out wide a little bit. Yep, good. Yeah, keeping the foot in place and just be dynamic, be exploratory, have fun with it. And that's it. All these movements are gonna be very helpful for opening up some spaciousness in your lower body so you can be more comfortable on the ground.