So, the number one asked question to me as far as running and kicking, this normally comes from like more of my master’s population and triathletes population that I work with, is does running impede my kicking ability? This normally kind of kicks into plantarflexion because everything that we do on land like if you’re standing right now or you’re sitting in a chair, your feet are in the opposite of the plantar flex state, which means that they’re in dorsiflexion. So unless you do ballet or unless you have swum a lot or you have flexible ankles. A lot of times people don’t have a lot of plantarflexion. If you’re at the gym, and your strength training or you’re squatting or you’re running, you’re strengthening the foot, yes and you’re strengthening the muscle groups of your leg, but it’s the opposing ones. So the good news is that you’re increasing strength in some of the same muscle groups like you run you’re using your hamstrings, your glutes, and your calves, these are all things that utilize in the Freestyle kick, which helps produce a stronger kick, but you’re not producing strength in the opposing muscle groups or muscle groups that require plantar flexion to happen. So, the good part and the bad part is you can see an increase in strength, but you see and decrease in plantar flexion, because you’re running and you’re strengthening, some muscles and then you’re shortening, others, so running can impact your ability to flex your ankle. Does it mean that if you run a lot, you can’t Freestyle kick? No, it just means that when you Freestyle kick at practice it’s going to be harder to do so.
