For Improved Balance in TANGO - 1

Hello All;
I have been experiencing the advantages of stronger feet and ankles on my dancing and began thinking on it for a while.

In short, since our feet and our ankles are the ones which carry all of our body weight, it is so obvious that: 
"The stronger and whippier our ankles/toes/bottom of our feet are, the more balanced and fast we become. As we become lighter and confident with our balance instead of struggling with them, our dance will get richer and turn into something more fluent."

Here are some simple exercises for both men and women:

Begin with feet firmly on the floor, parallel to each other, shoulder distance apart.
 
1.Toe Fan

 

Lift and lower your toes. You want your pinkie toe to rise to the same level as your big toe. Repeat 4 times. Then, on the lift, spread your toes as wide as you can 4 times.

This exercise will strengthen the muscles in your front lower leg compartment (shin) as well as your toes.  Increased strength and flexibility in your toes can lead to a stronger pushoff for runners/walkers and better balance.
 

2.Great Toe Down

Leave all 10 toes up. Press just the big toes down and up. Repeat 8 times. Then do the same with the pinkie toes 8 times. Then alternate big toes and pinky toes 8 times.

This exercise develops smart neuromuscular connections (reconnecting) with your feet. Smart feet are the base of a strong, healthy kinetic chain, and can lead to greater function all the way up the body.

 3.Rock Out

Rock onto the outer edge of your foot and then the inner edge a few times loosening up the ankles.

 
This flexible strength exercises for the ankles may lead to a reduction in ankle injuries.
 

4.Heel Raise
Lift just the heel of your right foot so you’re on the ball of that foot. Slowly drop it down to the floor. Repeat 8 times. Then, with the heel lifted, roll the ball of the foot from side to side. Repeat on the other side.

In addition to developing flexibility in the forefoot, this exercise helps to stimulate the reflexology points in your feet that correspond to the heart and lungs—a great exercise to do prior to a cardio workout

5.Doming
Grip the ground with your toes and release. (Grip it rather than curl the toes under.) Repeat 4 times.

This exercise stimulates the movement of the arch lifting (called “doming”). 

Once you’ve finished these exercises, reward your hardworking feet with a frozen-golf-ball massage. “The icy, textured hard ball can get into the tiny muscles of the foot and give you a deep massage. Simply pop a ball in the freezer for a few hours, then roll under each foot while sitting down.

Take a few minutes to do these moves each day. You should find this will improve your balance, flexibility and alignment so you’ll get more from your dance :)

PS: More to come for stronger Ankles.

sources:
1. http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=5_exercises_for_stronger_more_flexible_feet
2.http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/4-foot-exercises-00000000013639/