Extras

Hands, Fingers, Feet & Toes

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Core-Concepts

This routine focuses on building strength, control, and flexibility in your hands, wrists, fingers, feet, ankles, and toes—critical supports for balance, handstands, splits, and dynamic movement. You can perform these exercises on their own, or as a warm-up or recovery set between your focused flexibility routines.

  • Target your support structures: feet, ankles, toes, hands, wrists, and fingers.
  • Integrate these drills before or after flexibility work, or perform them independently while sitting or standing.
  • Focus on full range of motion, controlled reps, and steady breathing.

Total Time: 30 minutes

1a. Pointed Toes

toes-curls-2      correcting-pointed-toes

  1. Sitting with your legs straight out in front of you, flex your feet.
  2. Curl your toes first, as much as possible.
  3. Pull your feet downwards, maintaining your pointed toes, trying to get your feet flush with your shins.
  • I say to my students, as they pull their feet downward "push through the cramp zone!" The stronger your feet in a point, the less your feet will cramp.
  • When pointing your feet and toes, you want to point towards your pinky toe. Basically if your feet turn inwards it's called sickle toes, and it doesn't look pretty. So point those feet and toes outwards.

25x.

1b. Pointed Toe Turnouts

pointed-toe-turnouts

  1. Continuing from 1a, turn your legs outwards and maintain your pointed feet and toes.

25x

2a. Ankle & Foot Flexibility

ankle-opener-toes-stretch-easy

  1. Standing, curl your toes under on 1 foot.
  2. Push your ankle and heel forward, making your foot flush with your shin.

20x each foot.

2b. Pointed Toe and Ankle Strength

ankle-opener-and-toe-stretch

  1. Start by squatting with your toes curled under.
  2. Push your heels and ankles forward.
  3. When you're ready, start to straighten your legs.
  • You can use yoga blocks to prop your hands.

25x

3a. Flexed Hand Arm Twists

arm-opener-1

  1. Flex you hands backwards with your hands down by your side.
  2. Twist your arms back and forth as you raise them slowly, and back down.
  • Make sure you have good posture.
  • Keep your arms drawing backwards as you do this.

5x up and down.

3b. Clenched Fist Arm Twists

Arm-Opener-2

  1. Clench your fists like the incredible hulk, starting with arms by your side.
  2. Twist your arms back and forth as you raise them slowly, and back down.
  • Make sure you have good posture.
  • Keep your arms drawing backwards as you do this.

5x up and down.

4. Entire Arm Stretch

entire-arm-stretch

  1. Put your hand against a wall straight back behind you, at shoulder height, with your palm flat on the wall, and fingers spread wide.
  2. Start to turn your torso forward.
  • Make sure your arm is straight behind you, not too far forward or backwards.

20 seconds each arm.

5a. Wrist Rocks

wrist-stretch-1

  1. Kneeling, put your palms on the ground with your fingers facing towards you.
  2. Rock forward to try and get your palm firmly pressed against the ground..
  3. Rock backwards and try to maintain your palms against the ground.

20 rocks back and fourth.

5b. Wrist Rocks - Back of Hand

wrist-stretch-2

  1. Kneeling, put the back of your hands on the ground with your fingers facing towards you.
  2. Rock forward to try and get your wrists flat against the ground..
  3. Rock backwards and try to maintain your wrists against the ground.

20 rocks back and fourth.

6. Hand Strengthening

hand-strengthening

  1. Squeeze a hand grip weight of some sort.

Using a grip strength trainer.

    25x each hand.

    7. Wrist and Forearm Blaster

    wrist-and-forearm-strength

    1. Using a weight of about 25 pounds, roll the string around the bar.

    Using a wrist and forearm blaster.

    As many times as you can up and down.

    8. Finger Strengthener

    Finger-Strengthening

    1. Using your second or third finger joints in the hooks, try to clench your fist.

    They call this device an eagle catcher.

    25x each hand.