Feet
- mi7104
- May 2
- 2 min read
I was very thankful that Brian at David Lloyd spoke to me about this. I always feel we can learn so much from the people we teach. Anyway, it turns out Brian's father used to be a cobbler, so therefore he knew quite a bit about the structure of the foot.
I think I had said in class to 'take your thumbs to your instep to open your feet like a book', ironically in Cobbler Pose.
Brain corrected me after the class saying I should have said the arch of your foot. Thank you Brian - I will not make that mistake again!
To be clear the instep is the area from where the toes end to the top of the ankle. The arch is the under side of the foot. However, when you align your heel and instep for triangle or warrior 2, it's the same area. Because of the name 'instep' it's very easy to think its the inside edge of your foot, as I had mistakenly instructed.
Apparently high end, bespoke shoe makers need to be really aware of how people's feet are formed as modifications can be made. For example for people with high insteps, high arches or flat feet.
People often talk to me about their feet as a yoga teacher and it occurred to me that I'm looking at feet quite a lot, as they're the foundations for a lot of yoga poses. Hence me now writing this blog and looking into it a bit more.
Also, I feel we often neglect our feet.
Take a moment to think, they are the support for our whole structure, support our weight, and allow us to move freely. Neglecting foot health can lead to pain, discomfort, mobility issues, and even impact other areas of the body.
Here's an NHS article about foot health if you want to ready more.
Most of you reading this are probably already at a huge advantage because you do yoga, and therefore exercise your feet. It is important we regularly exercise our feet as part of our fitness regime.
No doubt I'll be looking at this in class even more next week!
If you have any concerns I would recommend you seek advice from a qualified Podiatrist, the NHS has a link
I'll look forward to seeing you and your feet on the mat soon X
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