Lower leg,Foot,Fascia & Posterior Chain
Transfer of Energy through the ground is the most important component of any athletic movement in any sport. Then why are some athletes struggling in this area compared to other areas? The reason is Fascia fitness,Lower leg strength & stiffness which center around the same thing. The proper function of the lower leg,ankle complex & foot. Have you noticed how so many 70 & 80s players had great dexterity & pop off the ground.
This is because the shoes worn back than didn’t alter the natural lower leg strengthening that occurs when humans runs & move barefoot/close to it which forces you to go on your forefoot & midfoot which activates hip extension & glute function. Some people have feet/lower legs resistant to this regression & naturally extremely strong feet/lower legs without training(Lebron,Zach Lavine,Russell Westbrook,Ben Simmons). Many lower level athletes in today’s age lack this this & have to morph/strengthen their feet. Lets look at the shape of a track spike.
It has same shape as the natural foot with lack of elevated heel & stiff forefoot/midfoot. This transfers forces most efficiently & puts force on your lower leg & glutes instead of the shoe/heel & quads. Glutes are the driver of athletic movement in running & jumping. A stiff forefoot/midfoot posture promotes glute power & function vice versa strong & functional glutes inherently drive a more forefoot dominant posture. Tight quads & hip flexors are also a common problem which promotes lack of glute function & usage and low fascia fitness. Hip flexor or Psosas strength at the top movement is also important to drive glute dominated movement which promotes the proper function of the foot. Training barefoot & gaining specific strength in glutes,hip flexors,hamstrings along with front flexibility is key for promotion of efficient & natural athletic movement. If you have relatively weak posterior & lower leg you’ll have a lot problems athletically. Extremely Stiff & Strong Fascia & lower leg is a thing seen in every elite athlete in terms of speed & jumping. Prominent plantar, tibialis anterior, achilles, flexor hallucis longus, extensors can be seen in the feet & low legs of high level athletes.
Players who lack lower leg strength will struggle with pop off the ground,lose inches on vertical,waste energy, be more likely for ankle/foot injuries, have lowered function in glutes & posterior chain.
How to spot someone with poor foot stiffness & lower leg strength:
How developed are their glutes to the rest of their body, if poor development more likely to have low leg deficiencies?
Do they get quick pop off the ground on their jump shot/put back attempts or a muddled slow jump?
Is their heels off the ground on their jumpshot uncued & without thought.
Is their plant & lift on their one foot jump fast,smooth,pulling or slow,slappy,pushing?
