I'm getting back into my training, but when I do a track/sprint session where I'm up on my toes, my calves really tighten up.  I've been told this is because my foot strength is poor, and my calves have to work harder to keep stability in my foot.

 Does anyone know some general foot strength exercises that might help before I go see a podiatrist?

Thanks

Clint.

I don't know any specific foot strengthening exercises apart from skipping with a jump rope (barefoot, so that you don't land on your heels). Nevertheless, the advice you got sounds like only half the answer.

If you are just getting back into training then both your feet and your calves will be out of condition. Accordingly, both will need strengthening work, not just your feet.

Dylan.

problem you've got is that you don't know why you've got a week foot. i've had calf pain in the past and it turned out that one of my glutes wasn't working! at the moment, i'm recovering from a sore achilles on my right leg, due to a tight calf and lack of flexibility on my left.

from experience, i wouldn't try and work it out myself; i'd get to the physio (not the podiatrist) and let them tell you what needs doing. if you don't, you're in danger of half solving the problem and just causing more problems further down the line.

If you are uneasy about or interested in barefoot training, google search "barefoot running".  Even if you don't want to run barefoot, you will find a lot of great info on how to strengthen your feet and overall become healthier.

From standing, feet shoulder width apart, push up onto the ball of your foot, then using a desk or chair for support, push up onto the tip of your big toe. Only ballet dancers can really do this with their full weight, you will probably need to distribute your weight between your toes and a support. Do 15-20 reps

From standing, with your feet together, lift the inside edge of both feet until you are standing on the outside edge of your foot, lower. Do 15 to 20 reps.

From standing, with your feet wide (double shoulder width), lift the outside edges of your feet until you are standing on the inside heel and ball of your foot, lower. Do 15-20 reps.

Thanks for the after-stretching tip LPeirce! I'll try to incorporate that whenever I train and analyze results.

 Ediblecrayonz, thanks for the tip on stretching! I think your techniques are going to 'stretch' my warm up time from this point onwards.

Cheerz!

The next thing that I would offer is barefoot in the sand or lacking that the inside of the track around a football field. Last of all if your and newb and want to stay well and improve don't train linearly, i.e., don't repeat distances. Just because you did a distance the last day out doesn't mean your body is totally ready to repeat a distance the next time out. I think everybody would agree its the quickest route to injury.

Until you have a solid base train interval run v. walking, mostly walking to start, increase the running 10% per week until lordy lordy that's all you do is run, run, run.

One thing to consider the ancients did have all our technical advantage, impact gels, varying desity foams and all that.......

 My shoes are ancient, they were ancient when I started rebuilding my base  8 months ago. By the yardstick with which I was raise, I'm ancient. I run 10k's give or take 3-4 times a week in them at the moment. I stretch all the time.

Best o luck!

Damion Magee

How to Lose Weight 

Definately!