Tippingtoes, a gift bestowed upon the indolent by the heavens, is one of the simplest and most effective health maintenance methods. It brings health and happiness without being bound by location or time. But what benefits can this seemingly modest exercise provide for the body?
Although tippingtoes involves a small range of motion, it engages the muscles of the lower limbs, playing a crucial role in human upright posture and movement.
Strengthening Leg Muscles
Tippingtoes primarily targets the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, which together form the Achilles tendon. The soleus is responsible for balance and endurance during standing, walking, and jogging, while the gastrocnemius provides explosive power essential for sprinting and jumping.
Activating the Arch of the Foot
Out of the 206 bones in the human body, 52 are found in the feet. A defective arch can lead to issues such as knock-knees, poor posture, and unsteady gait. A classic exercise to correct the arch is single-leg calf raises, commonly known as tippingtoes. This involves standing and lifting the heel of one foot while balancing on the other.
Preventing Varicose Veins
The pressure generated by calf muscle contractions during heel raises helps propel blood back towards the heart, reducing the risk of varicose veins in the lower limbs.
A Time-Honored Practice
Tippingtoes have been practiced since ancient times, originally referred to as “Dun Zhong Fa.” Records from the early Western Han Dynasty in “Yin Shu” mention “benefiting the chest region by Dun Zhong” and “three hundred repetitions, alternating left and right.”
The 800-year-old health cultivation technique Ba Duan Jin concludes with an exercise called “Seven Tremors Behind the Back to Eliminate All Illnesses,” which also involves tippingtoes. This action stimulates the kidney meridian, induces whole-body vibrations, and gently massages the internal organs, contributing to health maintenance.
Benefits Beyond the Feet and Legs
Protecting the Heart
Measurements show that each contraction of the calf muscles squeezes out a volume of blood roughly equivalent to the stroke volume of a heart ventricle. Tippingtoes aids in the return of blood to the heart, providing sufficient oxygen to the cardiac muscle and benefiting cardiovascular health.
Nourishing Kidney Qi
When standing on tiptoes, the force is applied through the balls of the feet and the big toes. The medial side of the foot, where three meridians pass through the balls of the feet and big toes, is massaged during tiptoe exercises, warming and supplementing the kidneys.
How to Perform Tippingtoes Exercises?
Despite its simplicity, there are five key details to note when performing tiptoes:
1. Warm Up Thoroughly
If muscles are stiff, it can affect performance and increase the risk of strains. A recommended warm-up is toe curls: sit in a chair with knees extended, feet together, and curl your toes for 2-3 seconds, practicing 8-10 times per set, for 2-3 sets.
2. Maintain a Stable Rhythm
Lifting and lowering the heels too quickly can lead to insufficient muscle stimulation and loss of balance. The focus should be on a quick lift followed by a slow lowering of the heels.
3. Avoid Excessive Forward Lean
Leaning too far forward during practice can lead to loss of balance, especially increasing the risk of falls for the elderly. It also prevents the back and waist muscles from fully engaging, leading to uneven muscle strain and potential injury. During exercises, maintain a vertical alignment with the ground, keeping the tilt angle within 5 degrees front and back, and keep the chest open and head up.
4. Meet the Exercise Requirements
Two or three repetitions are insufficient to stimulate muscles effectively. Aim for at least 15-20 repetitions per set, performing 3-5 sets with a pause between sets.
5. Don’t Forget to Relax
After exercising, promptly relax the calf muscles to avoid soreness. A recommended relaxation exercise is to stand with legs together, step one leg forward about a foot’s length, cross them, and lean forward as much as possible.
Finally, a reminder for middle-aged and older adults: due to decreased balance abilities, it is advisable to perform tiptoes near or while holding onto walls or chairs to prevent accidents.