Squish Walk
Say it: “squish”
Standing with feet parallel and hip-width apart, press down and rise up onto the balls of your feet using the strength of your feet and the mobility of your ankle joints. Slowly bring one heel down to the earth. Alternate lowering one heel at a time, decelerating as you lower the heel. When practicing Squish Walk, play with different speeds and ranges of motion to support using your foundation to power the up and down motion. Use your core and upper extremities to support a relaxed and upright spine. Move with the intent to strengthen your feet and ankle joints! Benefits Increases flexibility in the feet, legs and thighs Builds strength in the foot, leg, thigh, and buttock muscles Enhances flexibility, agility, mobility, strength and stability in the ankle joint Improves balance
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Squish Walk
Dance Through Life – Action Item
Lift one heel and then release it to the floor, one foot at a time in a pleasing rhythm, as if you were squishing soft ripe fruit beneath. Practicing Squish Walk will encourage circulation, warming cold winter feet. Sense the front of your ankle and your calf: how much ease, how much effort as you squish? Are you pressing a big orange or soft grapes underfoot? Did you know the two bones of your lower leg articulate in a spiral when you raise and sink your heel? When the heel rises the tibia and fibula spiral imperceptibly outwards laterally, closing up the space behind you, and when the heel sinks, they spiral inwards, opening the space behind. Play with an awareness of this detail of bones spiraling in Squish Walk this week. Chris Freedman | Studio 206 Charlottesville, VA
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