Your feet hold you up every single day
Are you holding up your end of the deal?
Get my FREE ebook, Fit and Fabulous Feet and learn simple exercises that wake up the 26 bones, 33 joints and the dozens of muscles that keep you upright, steady and out on the trail.
Let me ask you something. When was the last time you thought about your feet?
Not your knees. Not your back. Your FEET.
If you are like most women I teach, the answer is…when they hurt. Or when you caught your toe on the edge of the rug and did that little stumble-and -save dance, then looked around to see if anyone noticed.
Here’s the thing. We spend years working on our core, our glutes, our arms. Then we stuff our feet into shoes, aka sensory deprivation devices, and forget they exist. Meanwhile those feet are quietly doing the hardest job in the building…holding the whole thing up.
Your Feet are a small miracle
Take a peek at what’s going on down there:
26 bones in each foot. That’s about a quarter of all the bones in your body tucked into your two feet.
33 joints in each foot, every one designed to move, adapt and absorb the ground beneath you.
More than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, including a whole layer of small muscles that live inside your foot and help hold up your arches. I call them the foot core.
Thousands of nerve endings in the soles, constantly telling the brain where you are, what you’re standing on and whether that patch of ice is about to become a problem.
Your feet aren’t just something to stand on. They’re sensors. They’re shock absorbers, They’re the first part of you to know you are going to tip over…and the first part to save you.
But only if they are awake
…and strong!
Let that sink in. Your TOES. Not just your legs, not just your core…your toes!
What the research says about toes and falls…
Here’s the good news. Muscles can be trained at any age. Including the little ones you can’t see.
In 2009, researchers at the University of Wollongong in Australia testd the feet of 312 men and women between 60 and 90 years old. They measured how strongly each person could press their toes into the ground, checked for bunions ( yes I I have them) and other toe changes and then kept track of who fell
What did they find?. People with weaker toes were more likely to fall. In fact big toe strength was one of the most important factors in predicting who would fall.
Their recommendation was refreshingly simple: exercises that strengthen the toes and feet may help reduce the risk of falling.
Let that sink in. YOUR TOES. Not just your legs, not just your core…your toes!
Strong Feet = Better Balance
Balance isn't something you either have or you don't. It's a skill. And like any skill, it gets better with practice... or quietly fades without it.
Every time you stand, your feet are making tiny adjustments, gripping, spreading and pressing, so you don't topple over. When those muscles are weak and the nerves are sleepy (thank you, thick cushy soles), the adjustments get slower. And slower is exactly what you don't want on a wet wharf, a steep set of basement stairs or a muddy hiking trail.
When your feet are strong and responsive:
Your ankles have a stable base to work from
Your Knees and hips stop doing jobs that belong to your feet
You feel the ground so you react faster.
Walking the dog, keeping up with the grandkids and getting through the winter feels a whole lot less nerve -wracking
Is this for you?
• You've caught a toe, rolled an ankle or had a "whoa" moment on the stairs, and it rattled you more than you let on.
• You have a trip, a hike or a busy summer with the grandkids coming up and you want your body ready for it.
• Your knees, hips or back grumble, and you suspect the problem might start a little lower down.
• You do Pilates or yoga, but most of it happens lying down... and life happens standing up.
• Someone has told you your aches and wobbles are "just your age." (THAT STORY JUST ISN'T TRUE.)
• You want to stay strong, independent and living life on your own terms for a very long time.
What’s Inside…Fit and Fabulous Feet
• My go-to sequence of 22 foot exercises, with clear step-by-step instructions.
• Simple ways to check in with your feet so you know where you're starting from and feel the improvement with practice.
• How your feet connect to your ankles, knees, hips and balance, explained in plain English.
• Exercises you can do barefoot in your kitchen. No fancy equipment.
• Quick wins you'll actually FEEL the first time you try them.
Meet Your Guide
Hi, I'm Heather. I'm 70, I live and teach on the south shore of Nova Scotia near Lunenburg, and I've spent decades studying how bodies move... and how to keep them moving well as we get older.
My work, The Heather Dennis Method, is an Integrative Movement Practice. It draws on Somatic Pilates, ELDOA, Stretch EZE, Gyrotonic, Postural Restoration and Yoga. Translation? I don't follow a playlist. I look at how YOUR body works and teach you how to keep it strong.
And I'm not teaching this from a 30-year-old body. I know what it's like to live in a body with some mileage on it. That's exactly why I care so much about feet. They're where balance starts, and where staying independent starts too.
Questions you might have
Is it really free? Yes. Pop in your first name and email and the ebook lands in your inbox. I'll also send you a few emails with more tips, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
I have sore feet, a bunion or plantar fasciitis. Can I still do this? The exercises are gentle and you go at your own pace. If you have a diagnosed foot condition or a recent injury, check with your health care provider first, and always stay in a comfortable range.
I already do Pilates or yoga. Do I need this? That's a wonderful foundation. But most of it is done lying down or sitting, and your feet need to be trained the way you use them... standing up.
I'm not very fit right now. Then this is the perfect place to start.
Let’s Get Started
Your feet have carried you through everything. Every trip, every hike, every long day on your feet. Isn't it time you gave them a little love back?
Download Fit and Fabulous Feet today, kick off your shoes, and let's get those feet fabulous.