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It might floor the average basketball player to realize that the some of the same exercises used for ballet benefit ballers too. When ballerinas lift their bodies onto their toes, they use the strength of the feet and calf muscles. Basketball players do the same thing when launching themselves through the air for a basket.

Ballerina's call this exercises "relevee" or more simply standing on "tippee toes." The rest of the world calls the exercises "toe raises" or toe rises. When a ballerina goes on relevee, they are lifting their weight completely onto the balls of the feet. The repeated performance of this exercise strengthens feet, thus allowing a ballerina to balance the complete weight of their bodies to the bones of the big and second toe. Now, its obvious basketball players don't balance on their toes. However, they do need to have strong feet and calf muscles to increase their vertical lift off the floor.

This very simple but effective exercise can dramatically improve on-court performance for two reasons. One, the player is strengthening the muscles used for quick turns, lifting, and launching. Second, a player is increasing their ability to balance effectively on one foot. Basketball players typically lift up to launch their shots or get rebounds with one foot.

Tae raises help an athlete find their center of gravity by teaching the correct way to balance their bodies. Not only does the exercise help stabilize and strengthen ankles, it also helps a player learn to re-establish their body center after landing. That allows for quick pivots and turns after rebounds, jumps, or shots. This exercise works the anterior tibialis, the muscle covering the front of the lower leg. This muscle also is integral to smooth movement of the ankle during foot placement and liftoff.

Toe raise exercise

1. Begin with a good 5-10 minute stretching session. Warm up the legs with lunges and jog in place for 5 minutes.

2. Stand with feet parallel on the floor, about shoulder width apart with a straight back.

3. Using both feet, lift your weight onto the balls of your feet. Use a slow steady movement. Hold for 3 seconds then return to flat feet.

4. Complete 30-50 repetitions.

Using this exercise to strengthen and increase flexibility takes a lot of time. Don't expect overnight results from your toe raises.

Variations

After your feet, ankles and calves are stronger, perform this exercises using one foot at a time. This increases your balance in addition to challenging you to hold your entire body weight on one foot.

One variation of the exercise involves standing with the heel hanging off the edge of a raised surface, thus increasing the resistance during the repetitions.

Once the muscles are more flexible, try using hand held light weights for added strengthening.

Learn more about this author, S. F. Heron.
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