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pointing your toes


Edward Smith
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in nearly every skill in gymnastics to make it aesthetically and technically pleasing and correct the gymnast points there toes.

'according' to my coach I don't point my toes on many of my skills, I do try my best to point them most of the time but I just don't have very good flexibility in my feet for it. would you guys suggest any stretches or exercises that would help or just keep trying to point them and it will slowly develop?

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I do this one stretch in gymnastics that seems to work pretty well, I had this problem also. Since I don't feel like searching for a picture because I've never really seen this stretch nor do I have a name of it, I'll try to describe it the best I can, and it is a really simple stretch. First you start off with your knees on the floor, so you knees to the tip of your toes on parallel to the floor, next you simply lean back on your feet with your knees off the floor balancing on the top side of your feet and toes.

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John Sapinoso

^^^

make sure your heels stay together on that stretch

toe point is also foot strength, you can use therabands for resistance on a toepoint to strengthen it.

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Yea heels are together on that stretch, forgot to mention that, and just try to make a habit with pointing your toes the more you do it, the more natural it becomes.

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The kneeling toe point stretch described above is a very good movement. As mentioned, make sure to keep the heels together during the stretch. Also make sure to focus on extending the ankle forward, not simply curling the toes under. For many it is the flexibility in the front of the ankle that primarily limits their ability to have an adequate toe point.

Another stretch to consider is the seated toe point stretch. Arrange yourself so that you are kneeling on the floor with your feet up behind you on an 8" mat (or couch cushion, folded towels etc). Do not place your entire foot up onto the mat, but only the portion of the foot beginning from the lowest knuckle; essentially from just below the toes upward to the end of the toes. Now simply sit down on your feet. Your own bodyweight will provide necessary work for the stretch.

This movement may be rather uncomfortable at first, so it may be necessary to gradually increase the amount of bodyweight being brought to bear down upon the extended ankles.

It should also be mentioned that tight anterior tibialis (the muscle that runs up and down along the front of the shin), in combination with micro-traumas to the muscle's attachment to the bone, are the primary cause of shin splints. As gymnasts, shin splints can occasionally be an issue for some athletes. Aggressively stretching the tibialis coupled with high-rep low-intensity sets of toe raises (where the toes are lifted off the ground, rather than the heel as in calf raises) will usually resolve shin splints in short order.

For the toe raises, I recommend 2-3 sets of 50-100 reps. The higher reps are designed to promote increased circulation through the traumatized area and subsequently increase the speed of healing.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

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Guest Ido Portal

One thing to take into consideration when working the mobility around joints in general and ankles especialy is the development of strength and stability along the flexibility gained.

If this ISSUE is not adressed, you will have ISSUES with your ankles.

Working the Gastoroc, Soleus and Tibialis muscles is a must for someone that stretches his ankles as much as gymnasts. Make sure you increase the amplitude of movement in your strength work alongside the newly developed ROM from your stretching. This is one reason I especialy like exerices for the ankle that combines strength and stretching together. Spend an extra 10-30 seconds stretching under the load in the seated/standing or Donkey calf raise, or working with the DARD for the Tibialis. (Highly recommended)

A very good and simple exercise we happend to discover in my gym is the one legged tibialis toe raise leaning against the wall.

Simply stand with your back against the wall and stand on one leg - your foot somewhere around 20-80 cm away from the wall. Keep your leg straight and slowly raise your toes towards the ceiling, lower under control to the ground. If it is too easy, increase the distance of your foot from the wall and vise versa. Perform the required reps. Change legs and repeat.

This exercise is very simple and doesnt require any equipment. It works because of a small bone called Calcaneus that protrude from the backside of our foot - our heel. This small protuberance allows for a lever to occur around the ankle joint when we perform the exercise - hence lifting the toes up.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 11 months later...
Richard Duelley
high-rep low-intensity sets of toe raises (where the toes are lifted off the ground, rather than the heel as in calf raises) will usually resolve shin splints in short order.

For the toe raises, I recommend 2-3 sets of 50-100 reps. The higher reps are designed to promote increased circulation through the traumatized area and subsequently increase the speed of healing.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I find it most convenient to do these toe raises when in class, or sitting at my desk at work! I just sit there, take notes and tap my toes up and down for the entire hour and half. It made my shin splints go away and I keep doing it as a prehab movement.

-Ricky

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  • 4 weeks later...

'according' to my coach I don't point my toes on many of my skills, I do try my best to point them most of the time but I just don't have very good flexibility in my feet for it. would you guys suggest any stretches or exercises that would help or just keep trying to point them and it will slowly develop?

I completely agree with all the suggestions for stretching and strengthening the ankles and toe point. My two sense I would like to add as something to keep in mind when trying to point your toes during your skills or routines - think of pulling your achilles tendons. It's difficult to feel if your knees are bent, but while the legs are straight, if you're tightening the achilles correctly you should be able to feel the tendon get 'stiffer.' Let me know if this doesn't make sense, it's just another thing I used to tell my kids to think about instead of constantly saying point your toes.

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  • 5 years later...
James Marcon

Hi,

 

 

I really need some help. Does anybody know of any sites that focus on toe pointing or foot pointing (no nudity)? I just like the presentation of a pointed foot, I like dancers and rhythmic gymnasts with great foot pointing too.

 

I know that's pretty specific but I've been trying to find anything that shows a lot of pointing and haven't really found that much so far. I wasn't sure where I should put this post/thread, so I apologize if this isn't the right place , but any help or suggestions that would pointing (no pun intended) me in the right direction would be appreciated... Please help,

 

 

Thanks guys,

James

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