Having strong ankles is important for any athlete as it’s the base that will help you have balance.
Every time you are attempting a takedown, passing someone’s guard or bridging, your ankles need to absorb the impact.
Having strong and flexible ankles is also very important when it comes to dealing with foot locks. In a sport like BJJ, you can experience submissions that put a serious torque on your ankle such as toe holds:
or the straight footlock:
To deal with foot locks, you will need to improve your mobility and stability. This will reduce your risk for injury.
How to do this:
- Practicing foot locks
- Passive stretching
- Incorporate range of motion ankle exercises for BJJ:
- Working on foot lock defense
An effective way of improving ankle flexibility for BJJ, is practice getting as far as you can with a controlled foot lock (from a trusted partner) during a 20 second hold:
Passive stretching ( Source: http://www.foot-pain-explored.com/):
1. Foot Pulls
Purpose: To stretch the muscles across the front of the ankle and improve plantar flexion at the ankle joint
Starting Position: Sit with the foot to be stretched crossed over your other leg, or resting on the floor/bed as shown.
Action: Grasp the middle of your foot and slowly pull the foot downwards to stretch the front of the ankle.
Repetitions: Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat 10-25 times
Variations: You can stabilize the foot further by supporting just above the ankle
2) Side Stretches
Purpose: These ankle stretches can be used to improve inversion and eversion, the twisting movements of the ankle
Starting Position: Sit with the leg to be stretch crossed over the other leg. Grasp the outer border of your foot
Action: 1) To improve inversion: Grasp the outer border of your foot and gently draw the foot upwards and inwards as if trying to turn up the sole of your foot until you feel a stretch down the outer side of your ankle
2) To improve eversion: Grasp the inner border of your foot and gently push the foot down and outwards as if turning the sole of the foot towards the floor until you feel a stretch on the inner side of your foot
Repetitions: Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat 10-25 times
Note: If only one of these movements is limited, just work on that one, but if the whole ankle is tight and stiff, do both movements.
3) Heel Sit Backs
Purpose: Stretch the front of the ankle and improve plantar flexion of the ankle and toes with this ankle stretch
Starting Position: Kneel on a bed/table with the middle of your foot off the edge.
Action: Slowly, sit back onto your heels until the ankle stretches at the front
Repetition: Hold for 5-10 seconds and repeat 10-20 times
Progression: Increase the stretch by sitting further back onto your heel and/or moving the foot further onto the table
3. Incorporate these range of motion ankle exercises for BJJ:
Jeff Glover takes his ankle flexibility seriously…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFW6pe6eUak&feature=youtu.be