The 15 Best Mobility and Strength Exercises for Pain- and Injury-Proof Ankles

The Mouvers temple opens its doors to you to show you the way to anti-fragility of the ankles

If you suffer from ankle pain, whether you're an avid runner, CrossFit enthusiast, or combat sports enthusiast, then you'll need to strengthen and mobilize your ankles to avoid injury.

You can't escape it.

In this article, I'll review the 15 best exercises to improve ankle mobility and strength using my approach.

You'll get off to a good start by doing these exercises regularly in addition to your regular sports routine.

Quality over quantity.

Do these exercises slowly and in control to maximize gains, several times a week, or even a little every day.

I explain all this to you in detail in the “NEVER WRONG” and “RESTORE” training courses.

If you are in pain and want to seriously invest in your health to regain a strong, mobile, flexible, and solid body, then you know what you have to do.

Otherwise, feel free to try it on your own. Let's go!

1. Shrimp Squat

The Shrimp Squat is a unilateral strength exercise that intensely engages the ankle, knee, and hip.

Standing on one leg, the other leg bent behind, slowly descend while maintaining balance until the bent leg touches the ground.

You can increase the difficulty by holding your back foot with one and then both hands.

This exercise strengthens the muscles around the ankle, increasing stability.

Beneficiary sports: running, parkour, martial arts, crossfit, football, basketball

2. V Step

The V Step involves moving your legs with your feet in a V shape, alternating between heels together and big toes together.

You start with your feet together and finish with your legs apart, then you return to a standing position with your feet together.

Beneficiary sports: dance, basketball, football, martial arts, MMA.

3. Cross Leg Squat

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, you will lean forward, resting on the outer edges of your feet, then stand up.

Once standing on your feet, you return to a cross-legged position sitting on the floor.

Interesting to strengthen your feet.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, gymnastics, parkour, MMA, JJB

4. Calf Raise

A classic for strengthening the calves and ankles , the calf raise is performed by going up on tiptoe and then back down.

You can lean against a wall to increase ankle tension and mobility, or support yourself on a stair step.

Vary the amplitude to target different areas of the calf.

Beneficiary sports: running, football, CrossFit, basketball, combat sports, MMA, martial arts, swimming

5. Tibialis Raise

Popularized by Ben Patrick, the “knee over toes guy,” the Tibialis Raise focuses on the tibialis anterior muscle , which is crucial for ankle dorsiflexion.

Standing or sitting, raise your toes upward while keeping your heels on the floor.

Beneficiary sports: running, cycling, combat sports, basketball, football, tennis, MMA

6. Seiza

Seiza, a traditional Japanese posture, consists of sitting on your heels, knees bent, ankle extended under the buttocks.

This position stretches the ankles and improves flexibility.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, yoga, running, football

7. Seiza toe

A variation of Seiza, here you bend your toes under your feet before sitting on your heels.

This position stretches while strengthening the plantar muscles and increases toe mobility.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, dance, football.

8. Squat to Seiza toe

Move from a squat position to a Seiza on your toes.

Simply swing your knees forward until they touch the floor, if you can manage that.

Otherwise, stop when the pressure on your toes is too much for you.

This fluid movement improves ankle joint mobility and strengthens the toes while mobilizing them through their full range of motion.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, yoga, parkour, Crossfit, swimming

9. Scales

Scales involve standing on one leg while extending the other leg and arms forward or backward.

Your back and hips should remain strictly facing the floor.

You will feel a powerful stretch in the back of your thigh if you perform it correctly.

This exercise strengthens the stabilizing muscles of the ankle and the entire leg.

Beneficiary sports: All sports

10. Knee raise on Seiza

On the floor, in the seiza position, you will place your hands on each side of your legs, on your fingertips.

You will then raise your knees using your hands, more or less depending on your level of comfort, then return to the seiza position.

The ankles remain extended throughout the exercise.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, yoga, parkour, Crossfit

11. Bamboo Dance

Be careful, you need to be very conscious when doing this exercise.

Standing, you will perform knee bends to the side, placing one ankle on the inner edge and the other on the outer edge.

Don't be too zealous with this exercise, you have to be careful with your knees.

Beneficiary sports: dance, yoga, martial arts, basketball, tennis, football, Brazilian jiujitsu, MMA (mixed martial arts)

12. Cossack Squat toes to the sky

The Cossack Squat involves squatting sideways while keeping one leg straight with the toes pointed upward.

This exercise stretches and strengthens the ankles, as well as the hips.

Beneficiary sports: all sports

13. Knee drop on horse stance

Adopt the Horse Stance position, then fall under control onto one knee with an internal hip rotation.

Then raise your knee, performing an external rotation to return to the rider position.

This exercise strengthens ankle and knee stability.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, yoga, parkour, football, MMA, JJB

14. Knee Drop on Cossack Squat

Perform a Cossack squat (if you can't then this exercise is too advanced for you), then, in the low position, lower the knee of the bent leg.

If you are up to it, you can gently touch the ground with your knee.

You will then return to the bent Cossack position, then to the rider position for a repetition.

Beneficiary sports: martial arts, dance, gymnastics, Brazilian Jiujitsu, Muay Thai

15. Dance around the foot

This exercise involves making movements around the foot while maintaining balance.

Let your creativity run free and move your foot around you, in the ranges and movements you want.

Freestyle for one leg, anchor for the other leg.

This exercise develops proprioception and strengthens the stabilizing muscles of the ankle, as well as all those of the leg.

Beneficiary sports: dance, combat sports, parkour, MMA, JJB,

Here is the list of 15 exercises for strong and mobile ankles, for optimal performance in your sports practice.

Incorporate these exercises into your workout routine and you'll not only improve strength and mobility in your ankles, but you'll also reduce the risk of injuries like sprains and tendonitis.

Whether you're a top athlete or a sports enthusiast, these exercises will help you improve your performance and protect your ankles in the long term.

Don't wait any longer, take care of your ankles and continue to practice your favorite sports without pain or apprehension.

Don't forget that I offer training to guide you through your self-rehabilitation. You are not alone.

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS