2 Questions In One

[Seiryuzenshin]

Question 1:

I've just recently really started training with Muay Thai, and I am having ankle problems. I notice that when I strike my heavy bag with the top of my foot like you are supposed to, my ankle feels like it's going to pop out of place. I've always had "poppy" ankles but I REALLY dislike how this feels. Therefore, I was wondering if there were any effective excersises that strengthen the ankles.

Question 2:

In my Conditioning class we do these things called "track abs," and basically you start out by doing normal crunches, then you hold your legs six inches off the ground and do more, then you raise your legs until 90 degrees every ten crunches or so, then you work your way back down. My spine in my lower back area feels like its going to literally snap when I hold my legs up! It's rather frightening and painful. I don't have serious back problems besides the common pain when I first wake up, but after that I'm normally fine. Any recommendations for excerises that strengthen the lower back?

Thanks!

-Sei

[Guest]

That ankle problem sounds unusual. Try the following. Put the heel of one foot on top of the instep of the other. Push the instep up as hard as you can whilst keeping it in check with your heel. This contraction may help.

Re the leg raises. They are acknowledged to be very bad for the back. One way to do them fairly safely is to concentrate on keeping your lower back (the "arch" of your back) pressed into the ground. This is easier said than done, so you'll have to practice the position. But I'd recommend you ditch that exercise anyway.

[Seiryuzenshin]

Thank you for the reply, Bri.

I'm not sure I understand the heel/instep recommendation. Am I to push my instep towards my shin with the foot standing on the instep? Or am I to push up the instep with the foot being stood on?

Thanks

-Sei

[Guest]

Sit or lie down. Put one heel on top of the other instep. Push the heel down and pull the instep up. Then hold the isometric contraction. Neither foot is on the floor.