Dynamic Weight Bearing Ankle Dorsi Flexion

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart in an upright position.
2. Step one foot forward into a staggered lunge stance, approximately 2-3 feet apart.
3. Ensure your front foot is flat on the floor and your back heel is slightly lifted.
4. Place your hands on your hips or use a wall for balance if needed.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly shift your weight forward, driving your front knee directly over your toes as far as possible.
2. Keep your front heel firmly glued to the ground throughout the entire forward movement to maximize the ankle stretch.
3. Hold the end range for one second, feeling the tension in the Achilles and calf.
4. Exhale and push through the midfoot of the front leg to return to the starting staggered position.

Form checklist

• Keep the front heel in contact with the floor at all times; do not let it lift.
• Ensure the front knee tracks in line with the second and third toes, avoiding inward collapse.
• Maintain an upright torso to keep the center of gravity over the hips.
• Keep the movement slow and controlled to focus on joint mobilization rather than momentum.

Pro tips

• Think about closing the gap between your shin and the top of your foot to maximize the mobilization of the talocrural joint.
• Gently pulse at the end of the range of motion to encourage deeper tissue lengthening in the soleus.

Make it harder

• Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell on the thigh of the front leg to add external load to the dorsiflexion stretch.
• Place the ball of the front foot on a small 1-inch elevation (like a weight plate) to increase the starting angle of the stretch.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion work?

The dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion primarily targets the glutes, hip flexors, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors, erector spinae, and hamstrings as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion?

The dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion good for beginners?

Yes. The dynamic weight bearing ankle dorsi flexion is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• Deep Squat Reach Forward Reach UpBeginner · glutes, hip flexors, and quadriceps
• Barbell Snatch From BlocksAdvanced · adductors, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, serratus anterior, and trapezius
• Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps
• Box Jump Through The ArmsIntermediate · calves, glutes, and quadriceps