Strong Feet: Exercises to Strengthen Your Arch (Essential for Runners Too)

Stop treating your feet like passive platforms and start training them like athletes: a strong arch is your life insurance for running.

• Feet are complex (26 bones!) and must be trained, not just covered by shoes.
• The “Short Foot” exercise is key to activating the arch without cheating with your toes.
• The Weighted Towel Grab turns a game into a serious strength workout.
• Walking on toes and heels strengthens ankles and stability.

Imagine building a beautiful skyscraper with sparkling glass, fast elevators, and a penthouse pool. But then, you decide to build the foundation on quicksand.
That is exactly what we do when we spend hours in the gym sculpting quads and glutes, or doing planks for our core, but completely ignore our feet.

Feet are the only point of contact between us and the world when we run. They are our base. Yet, we lock them in protective shoes all day and expect them to do their job without ever training them.
The foot is a fascinating and complex machine: it is made of twenty-six bones, thirty-three joints, and countless tendons. If these parts don’t collaborate, the arch collapses, propulsion loses power, and injuries climb up the leg like poison ivy.

It’s time to take off your shoes and send your feet to the gym.

You Have Strong Abs, But Are Your Feet “Lazy”?

Let’s be honest: our feet have become lazy. We delegate almost all the work of cushioning and stability to shoes, making a naive mistake. The result is that the intrinsic muscles of the foot—the small ones between the bones—become uneducated and atrophy.

When we run, especially if we try to do it naturally or on varied surfaces, we need the foot to be reactive, not passive. A strong foot isn’t just for running faster; it is the first line of defense against overpronation and annoying problems like plantar fasciitis.
If you have chiseled abs but an arch that collapses on the first step, you have a structural problem.

The “Foot Core”: Why the Arch Is Your First Spring

In physical therapy, we often talk about the “Foot Core.” Just as the abdominal core stabilizes the spine, the foot core stabilizes the plantar arch.
The arch isn’t a static structure; it’s a spring. When you land, it must lower to absorb impact (natural foot function); when you push off, it must stiffen to act as a lever.

If the muscles are weak, the spring breaks. The foot stays flat, the ankle rolls inward, and the knee pays the price.
Here are three exercises to refurbish your springs.

Exercise 1: “Short Foot” – The Basic Technique

This is the king of arch activation exercises, but it’s also the one that requires the most concentration (initially, it will feel like trying to wiggle your ears).

1. Sit barefoot with knees at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor.
2. The goal is to shorten the foot by bringing the head of the first metatarsal (the ball under the big toe) toward the heel.
3. Warning: You must not curl your toes! Toes must remain flat and relaxed.
4. As you “shorten” the foot, you should see the arch lift, creating a dome.
5. Hold the tension for 5-10 seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times per foot.

It is a small, almost invisible movement, but you will feel the deep muscles of the sole burning.

Exercise 2: Weighted Towel Grab (Gym for Toes)

We all know this one: picking up a towel with your toes. But there is also the “pro” version.

1. Lay a towel on a smooth floor.
2. Place a weight on the opposite end (a full water bottle, a heavy book, or a light dumbbell).
3. Use your toes to grab the towel and drag the weight toward you.
4. Do not use your leg to pull, use only the flexion of your toes and arch.

This exercise builds grip strength that will help incredibly in the push-off phase of running.

Exercise 3: Toe and Heel Walking (Ankle Strengthening)

Simple, effective, and doable while walking from the kitchen to the couch. Remember running barefoot on grass as a kid? The landing didn’t start with the heel, but with the forefoot. This exercise recovers that natural strength.

• Heel Walking: Lift your toes as high as you can and walk only on your heels. This strengthens the tibialis anterior (great for preventing shin splints) and stretches the calf.
• Toe Walking: Rise onto your toes (like a ballerina, but without exaggerating) and walk, keeping your heels high without letting them collapse outward. This strengthens calves and the plantar arch.

Do 2 minutes alternating.

Dedicate 5 Minutes to Your Feet and They Will Take You Far

You don’t need an hour-long session. These exercises can be done while watching TV, brushing your teeth, or as a warm-up before heading out.
Having strong feet improves your proprioception and drastically reduces the risk of classic injuries. If you want to dive deeper into protecting this delicate area, check out our exercises to prevent plantar fasciitis.

Treat your feet well, and they will take you anywhere (and beyond).