All athletes need quick and strong feet in order to improve sprints, vertical jump, and all competition. It’s important to strength your foot and ankle complex for overall better performance. Keep reading for some of my favorite drills to run faster and jump higher.
Stronger feet will help you sprint faster and jump higher. There are many muscles that make up the entire lower body, but those of the feet and ankles are the first to come in contact with the ground. It’s important to have the ability to absorb force and create force upon impact. I like to think of your tendons as springs that help you to “pop” in response to any play.
No matter what sport you’re in, moving off the whistle is essential. It all starts with ground contact. It doesn’t matter if you have the highest vertical jump, if you’re the slowest to leave the ground mid-game for a layup…
Drills For Foot and Ankle Strength
My recommendation is that every session, you utilize some kind of pogo jump variations during your warmup. Whether it be horizontally, vertically, or laterally this easy but effective drills works to increase the threshold of the foot and ankle complex. Think of it as a foundational skill for any athlete at any level.
Here’s a detailed explanation of how to do pogo jumps.
Not only does this drill help you get more touches in to improve footwork and responsiveness. In doing so you increase the threshold of work and power that this area of muscles is able to produce. When you increase the speed and power at which you make each repetition, the more deadly your speed becomes.
GAME TIME SPEED
It takes more than just a few pogo jumps to get your speed to an elite level…
In fact most elite athletes that I work with are on a strategic program to increase their speed, agility, and power. I’m offering my advanced speed course for one week – FREE. Just use the link below to start with the three essential pillars of speed development.
