Easy TheraBand Exercises for Foot and Ankle Strength

If you are aiming to stick your landing after a tumbling skill, be stable at the top of your stunt, or hit multiple pirouettes, having strong feet and ankles will help you accomplish these goals! Strong ankles can be the difference between having a solid landing or an ankle roll injury in cheer. It can also determine whether you stay in releve for your pirouettes or fall out too early.

Therabands are beneficial for total body strengthening and stretching.  They are a resistance tool with multiple uses that are easily utilized for at home exercises because of their light weight and compact size.

Here are three exercises that both Cheer and Cheer Dance students can do from home to strengthen their ankles!

*As a general rule, you want to make sure that you are using the strength in your arms to pull the band and create the right amount of resistance. You should “feel the burn”when doing these exercises, but it should not be creating any discomfort or pulling of the tendons.

Point and Push!

       1. Place the middle of the band on the ball of your foot. Some of the band should be showing over your toes. Hold the band in both hands and pull to create resistance.

       2. Slowly, push the ball of your foot away from you while keeping the toes themselves flexed until you have pushed as far as you can go.

       3. Now you can point the rest of your toes all the way! 

       4. Again, slowly, reverse the process and flex your toes, followed by the rest of your foot. Think about pushing your heel forward as far as possible and pulling your toes towards your body. Repeat 10-15 times on each foot.

Side to Side Tick Tocks

       1. Tie the band so there is a loop large enough to comfortably fit your foot inside. Place one foot in the loop with the band high on the ball of your foot.

       2. Loop the rest of the band around the opposite foot. Pull the band tightly.

       3. Keep your foot flexed and push the band to the outside and then relax in. Repeat 10-15 times on each foot.

Full Circles

       1. Place the band on your foot in the same fashion as the Point and Push.

       2. Think about drawing outward circles with your toes on the wall in front of you. Foot flexing all the way at the top coming outwards and pointing down coming to the inside. Repeat 10-15 times on each foot.

       3. Reverse the circle direction!

  The authors

Dancing has always been the big love of Amy’s life. Born in Houston, TX, Amy began training in dance at a young age. She grew up in studios dancing competitively across the country. She trained and competed in ballet, jazz, tap, pom, and hip-hop.  Amy went to high school in Lafayette, LA where she was a member of the 19 time national champion St. Thomas More Sparklers and served as Co-Captain her senior year. She attended college at the University of Oklahoma where she received a B.A. in Material Dynamics and Computer Systems, and was a member and Captain of the University of Oklahoma Pom Squad.

After university, she continued her career in dance choreographing competition routines for several schools including NDA pom national champions Norman North High School, and receiving the Best Choreography Award twice over the past 4 years at NDA nationals. She is excited to share her love of dance with those at the Varsity Cheerleading Academy!