A strong tibialis is an overlooked component of the lower leg. The biggest impact (for me) is the onset of shin-splints which lead to stress fractures which lead to not being able to run. The problem is finding a good way to isolate the tibialis muscle so that when put back in tandem with the rest of the leg it fires properly and hence avoids the pain of shin splints in a run.
My problem is that I find most tibialis exercises unsatisfactory. Toe raises are the most obvious training for them, but the movement of the foot in the shoe and the difficulty of adding resistance makes them disappointing to me. I am seeking the quintessential tibialis exercise. What do you guys think? Throw some exercises out there, preferably ones I can do readily. For instance, jamming my leg in a 50 lbs. bag of rice and wiggling my foot around, while effective, isn’t feasible for me to do. Alright, brain storming time!
On the seated calf raise, put your heal on the foot platform and do toe raises. You can move in a greater range of motion than on the floor, plus with more weight.
[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
On the seated calf raise, put your heal on the foot platform and do toe raises. You can move in a greater range of motion than on the floor, plus with more weight.[/quote]
Not a bad suggestion, I just don’t have a seated calf raise at my disposal often.
Stack a couple of plates on the floor by a bench. Sit on bench with your heals on the plates. Put plates, DBs, whatever on your knees and commence toe lifts.
[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
Since you said it is brain storming time…
Stack a couple of plates on the floor by a bench. Sit on bench with your heals on the plates. Put plates, DBs, whatever on your knees and commence toe lifts.[/quote]
[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
Since you said it is brain storming time…
Stack a couple of plates on the floor by a bench. Sit on bench with your heals on the plates. Put plates, DBs, whatever on your knees and commence toe lifts.[/quote]
i think this is a solid idea
also check out the latest article by Waterbury… he offers some suggestions
all the time you spend running you can’t throw a few dollars of rice in a cooler and workout your shins.
Generally if your getting shin splints it’s because your overdoing after periods of underdoing it.
What I mean by this is sometimes people stop soon as they feel shin splints. But then this makes the problem worse because they’ll rest for a week then come back and try to workout just as hard. Gradual build up of distance and time is your best bet. I know this is difficult though because soon as i start running i want to do it constantly more and all the time.
Best way to build your shins strong enough to handle running is to sprint hard and often, as well as sprinting up and down hills. Of course build up to this don’t just go do it.
If you just want to work the muscle for the hell of it. Walking on heels with weight, jump squats, and sprinting backwards with weighted vests are great strengtheners but they are not as good as running for shin activation while running.
[quote]Airtruth wrote:
all the time you spend running you can’t throw a few dollars of rice in a cooler and workout your shins.
Generally if your getting shin splints it’s because your overdoing after periods of underdoing it.
What I mean by this is sometimes people stop soon as they feel shin splints. But then this makes the problem worse because they’ll rest for a week then come back and try to workout just as hard. Gradual build up of distance and time is your best bet. I know this is difficult though because soon as i start running i want to do it constantly more and all the time.
Best way to build your shins strong enough to handle running is to sprint hard and often, as well as sprinting up and down hills. Of course build up to this don’t just go do it.
If you just want to work the muscle for the hell of it. Walking on heels with weight, jump squats, and sprinting backwards with weighted vests are great strengtheners but they are not as good as running for shin activation while running.
[/quote]
You have a point. Being in pretty good shape generally means that if I choose to run, I can go for while and get shinsplints easily. The sprinting idea is really a better one one anyway. Sprinting does more of what I want out of running anyway, while not murdering your shins.
I believe strengthening the tibialis in isolation would serve to reduce the onset of shinplints which is why I am interseted in it.
The real truth, is that even though running is not a staple in my regimen I have a hard time accepting that I am getting older and just don’t bounce back like I used to. I hate the fact that I can’t do something. Having physical limitations doesn’t sit well with me. I want to be able to run miles, if I want to.