MOBO
Foot + Ankle Exercises
Your feet, your foundation.
As your primary connection point to the ground, your shoes, your pedals, your board, they deserve attention!
Your feet aren't bricks. They're highly adaptable levers that need to be trained to move and sync with your knees, hips, and core. Show up with deficits and you'll overload your plantar fascia, bones, and tendons. Show up ready and you'll crush it. Let's build that foundation so you can get after it.
Start here: We strongly recommend mastering the Foot 6-Pack first. But everyone starts somewhere different depending on previous injuries, imbalances, and skill level.
How this section is organized:
STABILITY – Control your foot through all the twists and bends it performs during activity.
MOBILITY – Ensure no restrictions force you into compensatory movement patterns.
Hint: most of you can go straight to STABILITY work. But if you have a history of ankle sprains or tend to balance on the outside of your foot, start with the "Is Your Foot Flat Test" in the mobility section, and use your WEDGE to get that foot supple. Then re-take the test and you’ll feel the difference…immediately!
Progression isn't always forward. Coming off a big injury or dealing with years of imbalances? You may need to REgress to PROgress. Cleaning up old habits with the Rehab + Regressions Section can unlock doors and help you advance faster if you're feeling stuck, or if the 6-Pack feels too challenging.
MOBO meets you wherever you are for success —from the ground up.
Banded Twist
Place your board on the floor to the right of the band attachment (the band will be coming at you from the left). Place your right foot on the board with your big toe on the board and your little toes falling into the toe box, and step up while raising your left foot in the air.
Grab the exercise band in both hands and press it in front of you with arms straight. Press your big toe down to keep the MOBO 100% still and level as you twist toward and away from the band attachment point. Keep your motion minimal, moving your entire upper body a maximum of your shoulder width. Perform 25 reps each foot.
Stability
Foot Rocks
To set up the board up for your right foot, place the board right side up, and insert the fins from the bottom into the EVEN slots and step on the board. While standing with good posture, touch the toe side of the board down to the ground, then the heel side. This is 1 rep. Repeat for 30 reps. Then remove the fins and insert them into the ODD slots from the bottom with the right side still facing up for 30 reps. Now flip the board over so that the left side up and repeat this entire sequence for the left foot.
Ensure the rocking is controlled as if you are touching the board to egg shells below on either side – not smashing them.
Band Pulls
Tie your included resistance band in a loop and pull it around and through the #1 slot on the board. Now step up on. The board with your right foot, and hold the band in your left hand. Lift your left hand out at a 45 deg angle. This motion will try to tilt the board up, its your job to push through the big toe to keep your MOBO level and quiet. Perform 25 reps and then switch sides.
Ball Toss
Grab a ball and step onto your MOBO. Either play by yourself and bounce your ball off the wall, or have a partner play pitch and catch. Your job is to drive down with the big toe to keep the MOBO stable. Try this for about 2 min each foot.
Everted Pass Around
Fins go in the OUTSIDE slots 3+4. The board will not rock, rather it will remain stationary. As you step on you’ll notice that the outer part of your foot is high, and the inner part of your foot is low. For those who sprain their ankles often, this trains your brain to use a safer position in the ankle called eversion. For this exercise you are just going to grab a kettle bell or gallon of water, and just pass back and forth for 2 min. You’ll breaking habits of shifting outward and focus on keeping weight on the inside of your foot.
Tippy Bird
For this exercise, 100% of the motion is a hinge from your hips while the spine remains 100% stable. Step onto the board with your right foot, with your left leg hovering off the ground. Push your hips back so that your trunk becomes near horizontal and the left leg moves out behind you. Use your hands as a cue to ensure your hips stay level. Drive back up to standing to complete 1 rep. The knee stays softly bent. You should always be looking in the same direction as your chest is pointing. Aim for 2 sets or 15 reps and then switch legs.
Once you’ve built a solid foundation with the 6-pack series, we recommend trying out some of the moves below.
Banded Foot Rocks
Tissues need load to improve, and its time to load the rock + roll in your foot. Set your fins into the EVEN slots, and loop your band through the free #1 slot in front. Step onto your MOBO + grab the band in both hands: lower down for more resistance, or higher for less. Aim to keep your trunk quiet as you rock the board back and forth for 25 reps. Now you’ll work the same foot again, but with the fins in the ODD slots and the band looped through the #2 slot in front. Knock out another 25 reps with good control. Now switch feet and repeat the 25 reps in EVEN and ODD again.
Mobo Calf Raise
Steer your foot while working your calf. Place your fins in the forward 1+4 slots. Stand on one leg with a soft bend in your knee. Keep that soft bend as you perform your calf raises. The toe box in the MOBO will help ensure you don’t collapse your arch as you drive up and down from the calf. Perform 25 reps each leg. Aim for 1-2 sec up and 1-2 seconds down.
Tripod Calf Raise
Tie a loop in the end of your resistance band so that its snug around both ankles when you step through. Place both of your big toes on the wedge. The band is trying to pull your ankles together. Focus on the tripod you are creating at the big toe, the inside ball of foot, and the outside ball of foot to twist your rearfoot outward just enough to counter the force of the band as you push up onto your toes to do a calf raise. Perform 25 reps taking 1-2 seconds to go up and 1-2 seconds to lower down.
Wedge Boosted Calf Raise
the wedge will increase the length of the muscles in your foot as you perform a calf raise to give you more tension and more control inside your foot. With fins in the forward slots, place the wedge on the MOBO under your big toe. Hold on to something for balance, and perform single leg calf raises with a softly bent knee taking 2-3 seconds to go up and 2-3 seconds back down. Aim for 25 reps.
Pass Around
Grab a 5-15 lb weight, or a full milk jug from the fridge and stand on your MOBO. Pass the weight back and forth from one hand to another while aiming to keep the MOBO stable. The faster you go the harder this gets. Aim for 2 min total each foot, and feel free to take breaks as needed.
Everted Twist
Again, a nice progression to train a supple and stable foot to stop being REactive and learn PROactive foot and ankle control. Fins go in the OUTSIDE slots (3+4). Anchor the band to your left and step up onto your right foot. Twist away and towards the band anchor focusing on keeping a grounded connection between the inside of your foot and your MOBO. Go for 2 min continuous. Another great way to get load over to your big toe if stiffness has been shifting you outward for a long time. Strategy matters!
Rehab Ideas + Regressions
Feeling unstable + wobbly? Early in rehab for a foot or ankle injury? Sometimes its better to REgress to build proper skill to PROgress. Details matter!
Foot Twist Assist
IF your balance isn’t ready for the single leg Band Twist, this version is a great stepping stone. Place your board on the floor to the right of the band attachment, and a stack of books to the left of your MOBO that is the same height. Place your right foot on the MOBO, and step up while placing your left forefoot on the books so your have as much weight through your left foot as you need for stability.
Grab the exercise band in both hands and press it in front of you with arms straight. Press your big toe down to keep the MOBO 100% still and level as you twist toward and away from the band attachment point. Keep your motion minimal, moving your entire upper body a maximum of your shoulder width. Perform 25 reps
Pole Foot Rocks
This variation uses some help from our upper body to ensure we build a solid foot balance strategy ad don’t cheat movements from our hips and trunk by leaning. This is move is a great way to get rid of old habits! Set your fins in the EVEN slots, and step up with hands on ski poles, brooms, or a chair for support. While keeping your body straight and still, drive the toe side of the MOBO down, and then reverse to drive the heel side down. Touch softly as if tapping on egg shells.
After 30 reps, move the fins to the ODD slots and repeat with the same foot on your MOBO to work the opposite axis of motion for 30 more reps. Then switch legs + repeat
Pole Banded Twist
Again, we’ll use help from our upper body to feel + build proper support from the ground up. Wrap one end of your resistance band around a ski pole or broom and grab it with both hands. With your fins in the EVEN slots, step up onto your MOBO. With arms outstretch in front of you, twist your arms, the pole, and your shoulders away and towards the anchored band. The key here is to learn REALLY good control of a small motion first – think just shoulder to shoulder in terms of motion. Perform 30 reps on each foot. If this seems easy, it means you are ready to progress to the regular band twist without poles (featured in top section).
Foot Sweep
If you’ve been dealing with shin splints, or posterior tibial pain, this is a great way to help remodel the posterior tibial tendon. Place a band around one foot so that it’s anchored from the lateral side (example – if working the left foot, band will come from the left side) and take a seat. Make sure to keep your knee and shin nice and vertical as your foot sweeps below. Aim for 24 total reps, but the key thing here is each rep must be SLOW. Take 3 seconds to sweep in and 3 seconds to sweep back out EACH rep. That’s not a typo! The speed of your movement needs to be SLOW to help tendons grow strong. (note: this video is moving faster just to show context and keep it from being too boring!)
Foot Rock Assist
If you can’t yet put full weight bearing on your foot, or your balance just isn’t ready, you can still train your foot with less demand. To set up the board up for your right foot: place the board right side up, and insert the fins from the bottom into the EVEN slots and step on the board with your right foot, and your left forefoot on a stack of books that is the same height as your MOBO. You only need enough weight on your left foot to help keep you stable. Now touch the toe side of the board down to the ground, then the heel side. This is 1 rep. Repeat for 30 reps, then remove the fins and insert them into the ODD slots from the bottom with the right side still facing up for 30 reps. Ensure the rocking is controlled as if you are touching the board to egg shells below on either side – not smashing them. Next flip the board over and repeat the sequence for your opposite leg.
Toe Yoga
You should be able to control your feet! Let’s improve your foot coordination by learning to separate your big toe and little toes. Actively raise the big toe while leaving the little toes down on the ground, Then drive the big toe straight down (without curling it – imagine you are trying to smash a nail under your big toe) and elevate your little toes. As you drive down through the big toe your arch should slightly raise, not collapse. You can put a ball or your shoe inside your foot as a visual to ensure your arch is not collapsing as your toes do all the movement. Do often throughout the day until you learn this pattern.
Mobility
Most of us balance on the outside of our foot, leading to reactive—not proactive—balance. Let's find out where you are, and if this is worth your time.
A: Stand on one leg. Notice if your balance point is on the outside, inside, or evenly across your foot. Then check the other leg – we aren’t always the same on each. Do you feel like your balance is:
Inside or even across the ball of your foot? Jump right on your MOBO and get to work.
Outside? Start with the 2 WEDGE releases below to open up your foot first.
B: Next check those ankles. Try a mini squat on each leg. If your ankle feels great, then get right into training. But if you feel stiffness in FRONT of your ankle, give the ankle belt mob a try.
Putting a supple foot into your stability training will give you the best chance of success.
Lateral Foot Release
Place the wedge under your foot between the 4th and 5th metatarsals (just behind the ball of the foot) about halfway between your heel and forefoot. Keep even weight on both feet with them pointed straight ahead, and heel on the ground. Then rotate the pelvis and trunk right and left for about 90 seconds. This may be sore on some of you for the first few sessions.
Ankle Belt Mob
Stiff ankles force feet to move wrong. Let’s help open up your ankle mobility to help your foot and ankle roll through like they should. Place your fins in FORWARD slots 1+4. Anchor a belt (not a band, but a belt) to something sturdy behind you that won’t move. Set your board up so that its just far enough from the anchor point so that the belt is taught when its around your ankle bones. Now let’s move! As you drive your knee forward, the belt will pull back and improve the roll + glide in your ankle complex. Do 15 reps pre-activity on your stiff side.
Transverse Arch Release
Place the wedge underfoot so that its in the middle and just behind the ball of the foot. Now stand with equal weight on each foot with heels planted on the ground. Now flex the toes up and down to mobilize the bottom of your foot.
Foot Mobility Test
Follow Along
