Monday Mobility – Knees/Ankle [Victoria BC CrossFit]

Knee and Ankle Mobility

For the final instalment of this Monday Mobility series we look at the knees and ankles. There is a number of things that can contribute to a lack of mobility through our ankles and knees. As they are neighbours they have a very close relationship when it comes to movement, one often does not work without the other.

Do your knees collapse in when doing box jumps, step ups and squats?

Do you find it difficult to keep your heels down when squatting?

Follow along as Coach, Massage Therapist and Personal Trainer Kirby Bohan, BHSc takes you through some exercises you can do each time you are in the gym (or if you have a band handy at home). For more information, please contact Kirby directly.

A lot of our knee control comes from our glutes so working through some glute strengthening exercises would be worthwhile 

Having a good range of motion through the ankles play a huge roll.

 

This first exercise is a great one for helping with ankle mobility:

 

• Take a medium strength band and tie it to the bottom of rig
• Put one foot through the band and place the band flat across the crease of your ankle
• Step away from the rig with your foot and face forward putting tension on the band
• Keep your heel on the ground and gently push your knee forward
• Aim is to get your knee over your toes whilst keeping your heel down
• Pulse through this movement for roughly 30 pulses
• Repeat on opposite ankle

Using the same band, keep it on the rig but shift the band up to roughly knee level:

 

• Step into the band, facing the rig and place the band around your knee
• Step back placing a fair bit of tension on the band
• With the foot that’s in the band, roll up onto your toes, bending your knee
• Now roll your foot back placing your heel down (ensure to keep toes down also) and fully extend and lock out your knee
• This movement is to be done in a controlled matter
• Repeat 5-10x then swap legs