Foot doming is a great exercise for feet that tend to pronate or collapse inward at the arch. Done correctly, it’s a pretty subtle motion. And because it’s such a small motion, it can be hard to learn. Below, I show you how to master foot doming in three steps.
You can start by working in a seated position, but eventually you’ll want to do it in standing. Standing (and walking or running) are where you most want the deep intrinsic muscles of the arch to activate. Strengthen in standing and you’ll be less likely to pronate or collapse inward as you move through your day. This strength will have a positive effect on your efficiency of movement and the alignment of your hips and knees.
Begin foot doming on a smooth floor with a towel. For all three steps, stand with your heels directly below the hips.
You can skip down to the video below or read through the steps first if you like.
Step 1: Exaggerate
- Angle the front of your feet out (like a duck).
- Grip the towel with your toes and pull the front of your feet in towards each other.
Although this is not ‘real’ foot doming, it allows you to get a sense of the motion in a big and easy to execute manner.
Step 2: Tone It Down
- Angle the front of your feet out just slightly.
- Make sure all of your toes are relaxed and flat on the floor.
- Without using your toes, scoop the towel inward.
You should start to really feel what’s happening at the arch of your foot now. The base of the big toe is actually moving towards the heel. This is why foot doming is often referred to as short foot. The length of your foot actually decreases slightly with foot doming.
Step 3: True Foot Doming
- Toes are pointing forward, relaxed, and resting flat on the floor.
- Draw in and up with the arch of the foot, pulling the base of the big toe towards the heel.
Try the three steps with this video:
For access to more videos like this, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel here.
Stay fit!
Related Posts: