How to Improve Your Squat Series #1 Ankle Mobility

[@jackieperkins9311]

After doing this exercise this morning I did my best Asian squat EVER, age 57!!!! I had warmed up with other exercises that I learned from your channel. I was so shocked! I've been trying to do the Asian squat since I first saw a fellow student do it when I was in my first year of college in 1882. I've been doing several other of your mobility exercises since I discovered your videos a couple of weeks ago, and this one helped things start to really click. I'm going to be watching and practicing every video you've made. I can't wait to share with my sister who is an Alexander Technique specialist (also a violinist). Just fabulous, THANK YOU!!!

[@TaroIwamoto]

super exciting!! thanks for sharing!

[@marinishimura2317]

Amazing, I could do this till the age of 11 when I was in Japan but now at 70, not living in Japan for almost 60 years, no way but never too late is my motto, these exercises made a huge difference. Thank you, you are a really good teacher 🙏😊

[@TaroIwamoto]

yes! never too late!

[@twelfthhousestar]

Wow. When I especially applied the ankle mobility stretches, my heels almost touched the floor as I squatted. Thank you!

[@TaroIwamoto]

How exciting!! Thanks for sharing that with me! Now keep using it and it will get even better!

[@k.5425]

How's your squat now?

[@TomiOluwato]

I must say you know your stuff, Taro. Having watched your separate foot awareness video, even though you didn’t mention it here, I can see it implemented with the turning inwards and outwards of the foot. Sublime!! 👏🏽

[@jennifercaywood8726]

Such a blessing you share your knowledge. I am forever grateful for how your work has helped me. Thank you

[@dil7185]

Many thanks again , Taro ! Amazing how many videos you have done for us to prepare and help us do the Asian squat. Just tried this #1of your series . Not much difference in my ankles but will persevere every day and leave more feedback in a few days . My knees hurt less ! Yippee ! ....Am now moving onto #2 & let's see ...

[@enj1772]

Great teaching. Thank you.

[@gintaiwan]

I suggest that you add links for Series 2 and 3 to your intro. Thank you for your videos!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Good idea!

[@sigrid189]

Brilliant, thanks 🙏 big improvement.

[@TaroIwamoto]

Great to hear!

[@teresa6635]

I was hoping to see the squat at the end to see if I'm doing them correctly. I enjoyed the calf stretches. Some areas were tighter than others.

[@dianneleon2522]

Thank you, l will try these stretches. I enjoy your explanations and video very much!

[@charlesmckinley29]

Thank you

[@MrBaker-sw3yp]

So awesome, this guy is frigging amazing; I have been struggling for quite some time and his technique is better then anyone on the planet

[@spyridoulafrank]

Thank you!!! Do you have a video on how to achieve seated forward fold in yoga? I always struggle with this move! I can't keep my back straight while I am leaning on to touch my toes (which I never manage to touch). Your youtube channel is gold!

[@TaroIwamoto]

i believe i have a video called how to improve forward bending in sitting or something like that. A key is to learn how to differentiate hip flexion from lumbar flexion.

[@סצרדוטיבתיהקלרת]

תודה רבה על הנתינה המבורכת שלך💫🙏

[@gladysma308]

Thank you for your good videos. 4:41 2nd exercise

[@TaroIwamoto]

my pleasure:)

[@Hustrulill]

Thank you for the ankle mobilization technique.

[@TaroIwamoto]

my pleasure!

[@flaxfarm8497]

That was great, improved things to the point I was almost doing a proper squat and the exercises also help my very tight hip. Is there any more that could help me close the angle between my thigh and hip?

[@TaroIwamoto]

have you watched my other squat videos?

[@flaxfarm8497]

@@TaroIwamoto I have started. It is specifically that I can't hinge my thigh close enough to my body, it jams where it hinges at the groin, this is as a result of slight defect and injuries from many accidents The gentleness of Feldenkrais seems to help.

[@TaroIwamoto]

@@flaxfarm8497 yes slow and gentle movements help improve movement patterns and quality! It usually helps to bring knees out when you do that so your hips don't "jam" as much.

[@lov2playtn]

Great instructions!

[@TaroIwamoto]

Thanks!

[@finnomara4148]

Are you pushing backward on the tibia or on the talus as you bring the knee forward?

[@TaroIwamoto]

facilitating talus gliding back

[@adleor137]

Dear Taro, I actually have more a problem bending with my knees and upper thigh… do you have as well something for knees and stiff upper thighs? Thanks, your videos are really 😊 great

[@andreiclinciudev]

Hi Taro. I'm a little bit confused. I thought in Feldenkrais we're not supposed to stretch (I remember you saying this in a few videos!) I was expecting something like a movement sequence to release the calves, does such a thing exist? (I've been searching a lot for this) Nice video though. Thanks

[@TaroIwamoto]

Let me clarify a few things. Although I am a Feldenkrais practitioner, this channel is not about teaching Feldenkrais Method. This channel is about improving ones functions and health through movement retraining. I am not opposed to stretching at all. However, I encourage people to question why they stretch, and for what specific functions, and also look at their lifestyle, daily activities, and movement patterns and how they contribute to their tightness. Most people dont look at those relationships, but just stretch muscles, but those muscles continue to be tight unless the root cause is addressed. Does that make sense? so my hope is to educate people about their body and movement, not just to show them a bunch of exercises without educating them.

[@jacquelinethompson3937]

Would you recommend theses stretches for painful Achilles.

[@TaroIwamoto]

sure as long as these don't bother

[@Aboikirin]

I have loose ankle 😫, what exercises you recommend?

[@TaroIwamoto]

if you have ankle instability, working on ankle stabilization would be important

[@kmsm832]

Hi, tried these stretches. I felt pull in the straight and outward exercises. Good exercises. But there wasn't any feeling while doing inward turns. Is that normal?

[@TaroIwamoto]

I am assuming that you are saying that you dont feel much stretch when you turn your heel inward, correct? That is actually very common. It probably feels easy. My guess is thats more like your habitual pattern. As you walk and push off, your heel probably turns that way, do you know? So you can retrain how you walk and push off.

[@kmsm832]

@@TaroIwamoto o, I will have to look into it. Thanks for your response.

[@teahermankova5131]

I did rowing professionally and I was running every for 1 hour since age of 12. I can never do any squats. When i tried the ancle realise after the calf stretching , i see some ligaments in front part of my right instep really funny moving but also my right ancle is kind of protruding towards outside and the twist continues all the way up the body. Can I do something with the ligament on the right front instep which something is twisting the who right leg up to the pelvis , it seems. Thank you

[@TaroIwamoto]

It is unfortunately really difficult for me to say much without actually seeing you move.

[@lynda2531]

Is there an alternative to kneeling for the ankle exercise. Too painful for the knee. I've tried sitting on the edge of a chair, pulling my foot back so ankle is bent and then raising and lowering heel while pressing on ankle joint.

[@TaroIwamoto]

you can do this while lunging forward. you can anchor a strap or thera-band and put the loop of the strap/band around your ankle and lunge forward with the opposite leg while pushing the heel of the back leg into the floor (the one you're mobilizing). kind of hard to describe without showing you, but hopefully this makes sense.

[@lynda2531]

@@TaroIwamoto Thank you so much for the reply. Tried your suggestion and it worked for me. At 71 years old, I'm trying to gain/regain some flexibility. I've never been able to do a full squat. Limited now by knee pain and also feel like I'm losing my balance and will fall backwards. Your videos are extemely helpful, informative, and usable. I plan to keep trying to move up (or down I guess) to a full squat. I'm working on sitting onto a stool and getting up and down from there. I really can only even do that if I kind of slide down onto the stool from a couch or chair!

[@pameladeines5353]

Is it normal or OK that my ankles immediately go into spasms? Im used to spasms everywhere, nothing new.

[@TaroIwamoto]

that's not expected response, so you might want to do more gently with less spasms.

[@fatandy63]

Being thoroughly ignorant is the ankle mobilization connected to what some call squat divots or facets topside of foot front of shin

[@MrMattias87]

that soleus stretch, well i can't feel it. my knee doesn't go that far and my heel comes off the floor.

[@TaroIwamoto]

you can try placing a book or a folded towel under the heel.