Our feet carry us through life, yet we neglect them far too often. We usually only think about this part of our body when something is pressing or hurting.
Foot yoga, a new trend?
Don’t worry, we haven’t jumped on the latest trend bandwagon—foot yoga has been around at least as long as other well-known yoga practices; it had simply been forgotten for a while. The great thing about foot yoga is that you don’t need to be particularly athletic or spend much time on it. You can easily do the exercises for your feet alongside other activities—in your lunch break, between two appointments, or even right after waking up beside your bed.
Four simple exercises for healthy feet
1. Toe coordination
Stand upright and position your feet directly beneath your hips. Now lift only the big toe on each foot while keeping the other toes firmly on the floor. If this doesn’t work right away, simply do the exercise as well as you can. For advanced practitioners: Keep the big toe on the floor while trying to lift the other toes.
- Hold the position for approximately five seconds
- Perform the exercise on both the right and left sides
- Four repetitions per exercise
2. Balancing with your feet
Stand upright with your feet approximately hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and then lean forward a little—roughly as if you were skiing. It is important that the bend comes from your ankles and not your hips. In this exercise, the muscles in the soles of your feet and your toes will be engaged—you’ll notice how good it feels!
- Hold the position for approximately ten seconds
- Five to ten repetitions per exercise
- Repeat the entire sequence three times
3. Picking up marbles
For this exercise, you need marbles or other small objects (if you don’t have small children, take a look in your desk drawer: erasers and similar items work just as well). The marble exercise strengthens the muscles on the undersides of your toes and feet. To do it, sit upright on a chair and place your feet flat on the floor. Put approximately 15 marbles and a small bowl beside your feet. Now try to pick up one marble at a time with the toes of your right foot and place it in the bowl.
- Continue until all the marbles are in the bowl
- One round per foot
4. The tree
“The tree” is a great exercise for strengthening the muscles in your feet. First, stand up straight, then lift your left foot and place it against the side of your thigh. Important: Your knee should be turned outward as far as possible. If this is too difficult, you can also place your foot against your calf. If you have trouble balancing, simply choose a fixed point in front of you, such as a houseplant or a picture on the wall. Once you feel balanced, extend your arms forward and fold your hands in front of your chest. Pause briefly, then slowly and deliberately raise your hands over your head. Hold this position for approximately one minute (a little wobbling is absolutely allowed!), then lower your leg and repeat the same exercise with your right foot.
- Once per foot
- For advanced practitioners: Perform the exercise on a slightly softer surface (e.g., a mat).
