Muscle of the Week

Ski Muscle of the Week #1:  The Anterior Tibialis (AT).  If you look down at your right shin, you’ll notice that the right side of the shin is a bit thicker or meatier than the left side of the shin.  This is the Anterior Tibialis, and its job is to bend the foot toward the shin.  In my humble opinion, it is one of the most important muscles for good skiing.  How many ski instructors have told you to keep your weight forward, or to press your shin against the tongue of your ski boot?  This is how you accomplish that task:  by using the AT to bend and straighten your ankle.   Having muscle competence with the AT will greatly improve your ability to balance, and most importantly, to recover your balance when you lose it.  Here are some exercises you can do to improve this muscle’s performance:

1.     Heel walk.  Raise up on both heels and walk.  Begin with only a few steps, then work up to two minutes.

2.    Toe flex.  While sitting, gently press your toes toward your shin.  This will help stretch your Achilles tendon.  Gaining flexibility here will improve your ability to strengthen your AT.  Start with one set of ten repetitions for each foot.

3.    Ankle Circles.  A simple way to improve strength and flexibility of the AT.  While sitting, rotate your foot clockwise, then counterclockwise.  And of course, repeat for the other leg.  Keep it gentle at first.  And perform it slowly, so that all of the tiny muscles in your ankle receive some benefit from this.

Ankle Circles on a Balance Board.  We’ll kick up the previous exercise a notch by making it a weight-bearing exercise.  Be sure that the outer edge of the board makes contact with the floor as you rotate your ankle.  Performing the circles slowly will help.  And make that board rotate clockwise and counterclockwise.