Four Progressions for Stronger and More Stable Ankles
by Jon Hinds CSCS, CPT

The progressions for developing more stable ankles and thus quicker reactions are as follows (do not progress to next movement until you can easily do the previous movement):

1. One-legged Holds (barefoot) approximately 3 weeks. Stand on one leg for 30 seconds without touching the other foot down, if possible, or holding onto anything else like a chair or wall. Switch legs and repeat. Start out doing this for 3 sets of 30 seconds on each leg without resting inbetween sets and progress to 3 sets of 60 seconds (add 10 seconds per week). You can do this exercise everyday but just start out 3-4 times per week.

2. One-legged Calf Raises and Holds (barefoot) approximately 3 weeks: same as #1 except now do 10 calf raises before holding for 30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat. Start out by doing 3 sets of 10 reps plus 30-second hold on each leg without resting inbetween sets (3-4 times a week). Progress to 3 sets of 25 reps plus 60 seconds hold (add 3 reps and 10 seconds per week).

3. Jumping Rope-alternating legs (barefoot if possible) approximately 3 weeks: start out with basic jumping rope except you alternate 10 jumps on each leg until you reach 100 jumps, adding 2 sets each leg each week. Use an adjustable Lifeline Jumprope

4. Resisted One legged Line Jumps over X Pattern (barefoot if possible). See diagram below. Approximately 3 weeks: Start out using a Lifeline Cable connected to a wall or poll with a resistance running belt connected around your waist and though the handles of cable. Label the boxes or sections: 1-2-3-4. With the resistance cable stretched, stand in box one, left shoulder facing towards wall or poll. Now jump back and forth on one leg from 1-2-3-4 and back to 1 and repeat this figure 8 four times. Switch legs and still facing the same direction repeat 1-2-3-4, four times. Now turn around so that the right shoulder is facing the wall or poll and repeat 1-2-3-4 four times on the left leg and then the right leg. Progress to wider jumps with the same number of repetitions.

Now you may have noticed that all of these movements involve a good deal of balance and thus stability. If so, your observation is correct. The reasoning behind this is simple. When we perform any function in life, especially athletics, we balance and stabilize . Machines do not allow us to balance and stabilize. So the most functional way to train an athlete is to improve their balance and progressions in training using the same stability mechanics but with added resistance. Use the Lifeline Resistance Cables. This enhances the degree of difficulty and adds tremendously to conditioning and performance for the athlete. Training in this manner achieves two very important points:

1. Increases the athlete's ability to stop, run, jump and cut quicker than by traditional means of training (i.e. calf raising machines).

2. By increasing the athlete's ability to stabilize quicker, the likelihood for ankle injuries decreases dramatically as well as for knee, hip and back injuries.

In closing, train how you play with quick reaction, balance and stability. If you have any questions on functional stability training or funtional equipment, please contact me, Jon Hinds, at 1-800-553-6633 or e-mail: lifeline@inxpress.net

tennistrainer@tennistrainer.com