How Foot and Ankle Function May Improve Strength, Balance, and Longevity (Part 3)

Part 3: Improving Force Production and Movement From Head to Toe

Written by Michael Crawley, BSc, BPT, CSCS

This is the final post in our three-part series on force production and movement, moving from the head down to the point where we actually meet the ground: the foot and ankle.

Part 1 covered how tongue and jaw position influence force output and breathing. Part 2 covered the diaphragm's role in bracing, balance, and recovery. Here's a quick recap before we continue:

Jaw & Tongue (Part 1)

• Tongue roof pressure: force production

• Relaxed tongue position: improved breathing

• Jaw squeeze: force production and balance

Diaphragm & Breathing (Part 2)

• Valsalva maneuver: force production

• Proprioception: balance and stability

• Restoration and recovery: nervous system regulation

To set the scene for this post, a quote often attributed to Leonardo da Vinci: “The foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.”

That's a good starting point for looking at the anatomy and biomechanics of the foot and ankle, and how they play a role in everything from changing direction on a football pitch to reducing fall risk later in life.

Anatomy

The foot is made up of 28 bones, which together form 31 joints. An intricate, layered system of ligaments, muscles, tendons, and connective tissue allows this complex structure to provide power, stability, and flexibility all at once (Tourillon et al., 2024).

The sole of the foot has four layers of intrinsic muscles, which support the foot's strength and balance while working together with the calf muscles.

This network of tissue and bone can act in two different ways, depending on what's needed:

• As a rigid lever with stiffness: more tension, with the joints locking into place for stability

• As a compliant, flexible extension of the lower limb: less tension, with the joints opening up to absorb load

This yin-yang presentation resonates with aspects from part 1 & 2 of this series. The tongue supports both force production and relaxation. The diaphragm supports both bracing, to increase tension, and restoration, helping ease the nervous system out of a fight-or-flight response. The foot works the same way, shifting between rigid and compliant depending on the task.

The foot is also home to an extensive network of receptors and glands (Viseux, 2020). Because it's our main point of contact with the ground, and central to balance, the foot is packed with receptors that detect pressure, pain, and temperature. While specific receptors (muscle spindles and golgi tendon organs) pick up information on extent and speed of muscle stretch.

Another interesting component specific to feet, is the extremely high density of eccrine sweat glands. From an evolutionary perspective this was to help dissipate heat but also improve control through increasing friction against a surface. This hints that we are supposed to spend time in our bare feet and tap into the innate qualities which help humans have better balance and control. (See our related post, Rethinking Barefoot Shoes, for more on this).

Biomechanics

Biomechanics can get complicated quickly, so we'll keep this simple. Several actions happen at the foot and ankle that relate directly to what's happening at the knee and above. Depending on the source, this can be broken down in more or less detail. For this post, here's what we'll work with:

• Plantarflexion: the heel lifting off the ground, as in a calf raise

• Dorsiflexion: the knee travelling over the foot with the heel down, as in a knee bend

• Eversion: the sole of the foot turning outward, away from the midline of the body

• Inversion: the sole of the foot turning inward, toward the midline of the body

• Pronation: dorsiflexion and eversion combining gradually

• Supination: plantarflexion and inversion combining gradually

Moving through these positions changes where pressure and sensation are felt in the foot and ankle, depending on the task or skill being performed. For a simple way to feel these actions in relation to gait, try this step-through drill.

For the next section, the key detail to remember is pronation. Pronation involves the inside arch of the foot coming down toward the ground, coupled with internal rotation at the knee and hip above it:

Pronation = internal rotation = force production

Zooming out, all of these actions happen constantly during everyday activities, not just training. With so many moving parts working together, the receptors mentioned above are constantly updating the brain on balance, surface changes, and body position. This is where anatomy and mechanics come together to support function, and ultimately, longevity. From here, we'll look at some practical applications.

Foot Pressure and Force

At Avos Strength, this is something our clients hear often, cueing foot pressure and points of contact, whether they're squatting, hinging, or working on single-leg balance.

As covered above, pronation goes hand in hand with internal rotation and force production. In a training context, the two key points of contact are the base of the big toe and the inside of the heel.

Here's a simple way to feel both sensations at once: stand with your feet parallel and rotate your hips and torso to one side, as if looking over your shoulder. You should feel one foot flatten, with pressure increasing through the inside arch, while the other foot tents up, with pressure shifting toward the little toe side. This is also a useful drill to try barefoot, to start building awareness and sensation in the feet.

Sticking with the squat example from Part 2: say you've worked up to a heavy set and you're attempting a 3-rep max on the back squat. You've already organized your breath to create abdominal tension, and pressed your tongue to the roof of your mouth. At the bottom of the squat, you can add one more cue:

“Push the ground away with the entire foot, with a slight bias of pressure toward the inside arch”

This taps into the mechanics of pronation, and helps integrate the foot, knee, and hip when moving a heavy load.

The same idea applies to a hinge pattern like the RDL, which can meaningfully improve sensation and loading through the posterior chain. Here's a simple cue sequence to try:

1. Start with pressure predominantly through the midfoot.

2. As you complete the hinge, shift the pressure bias toward the heels.

3. Return to the start position by shifting pressure back to the midfoot.

Rotating, squatting heavy, and hinging are just three examples that have been shown above. The same principles can be applied across a wide range of exercises and variations to improve body awareness, muscle tension, and force output.

Receptors, Balance, and Stability

As covered in the anatomy section, the foot has layers of small muscles and a wide range of receptors. Unfortunately, starting in our 40s, both the number and sensitivity of these receptors tend to decline (García-Piqueras et al., 2019), alongside some atrophy of the small muscles in the foot (Menz, 2014). This is part of why we put such an emphasis on training for longevity, balance and stability work included.

The good news: there are simple exercises that can help maintain range of motion, receptor function, and muscle strength.

A good starting point is training the foot's intrinsic muscles, by challenging the big toe and other toes to work both together and independently, lifting and pressing into the ground. To add a strength component, try curling the toes against the ground to move forward in a creeping motion.

• Foot intrinsic exercise

• Foot intrinsic creep

Single-leg balance is another simple, effective option: aim to balance on one leg for a set period of time. This can be regressed using a wall for support, or progressed by adding a ball toss for perturbation. To combine intrinsic strength, balance, and stability, try a mini calf raise with the forefoot elevated on an unstable surface. A couple of examples:

• Medicine ball single-leg stability

• Single-leg heel-gap stand

You can also get creative by layering in the foot pressure concepts from the previous section, or by changing surfaces (an Airex pad, a yoga mat, or artificial turf) to create a richer sensory environment for the nerve receptors to respond to.

This matters more than it might seem. Research has shown that improving strength at the big toe can improve sprint and jump performance (Tourillon et al., 2024), and that improving intrinsic foot strength can reduce fall risk and improve proprioception in older adults (Futrell et al., 2025). Worth trying, and worth sticking with.

How to Apply This in Training

• Producing force in strength exercises: cue medial arch pressure, pushing into the floor through the base of the big toe and inside heel

• Rotating and reaching in different directions with the arms: a simple way to challenge and improve foot mechanics and mobility

• Isolated foot intrinsic exercises, done on different surfaces: improves receptor sensitivity and helps limit atrophy of the small muscles in the foot

Key Takeaways

• The foot and ankle play a direct role in force production, largely through pronation and how pressure moves through the foot

• Foot receptors and small intrinsic muscles decline with age, but simple, consistent exercises can help offset that decline

• Improving big toe and intrinsic foot strength has been linked to better sprint and jump performance, and reduced fall risk in older adults

• Like the tongue and diaphragm covered earlier in this series, the foot is often overlooked, but it's a low-effort, high-value area to train

Wrapping Up the Series

That brings this three-part series to a close. The goal throughout has been to highlight simple, practical strategies for improving performance, supporting rehabilitation, and protecting long-term health across a wide range of people, from soccer players to those managing diabetic neuropathy and reduced foot sensation.

The tongue, diaphragm, and foot are often overlooked in training, but each is a low-effort, high-value place to start. All it takes is awareness, some practice, and consistency. Hopefully, you can reap the benefits.

If you're curious how cues like these show up in your own training, whether it's foot pressure, breathing, or tongue position, that's exactly the kind of detail our coaches build into every program at Avos Strength. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to see what that looks like in practice.

References

Futrell, E., et al. (2025). The effects of intrinsic foot muscle strengthening interventions for adults over age 65: A randomized controlled trial protocol. Frontiers in Aging, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fragi.2025.1622232

García-Piqueras, J., et al. (2019). Ageing of the somatosensory system at the periphery: Age-related changes in cutaneous mechanoreceptors. Journal of Anatomy, 234(6), 839–852. https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.12983

Menz, H. B. (2014). Biomechanics of the ageing foot and ankle: A mini-review. Gerontology, 61(4), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.1159/000368357

Tourillon, R., et al. (2024). Human foot muscle strength and its association with sprint acceleration, cutting and jumping performance, and kinetics in high-level athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences, 42, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2367365

Viseux, F. J. F. (2020). The sensory role of the sole of the foot: Review and update on clinical perspectives. Neurophysiologie Clinique, 50(1), 55–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucli.2019.12.003

How Diaphragm Function and Breathing May Improve Strength, Balance, and Recovery

Part 2: Improving Force Production and Movement From Head to Toe

Written by Michael Crawley, BSc, BPT, CSCS

Part 1 of this series looked at how jaw and tongue position influence force output and function. Part 2 turns to the diaphragm and breathing, and how they influence those same systems. As you'll see, good tongue and jaw function and good diaphragm function are closely connected, each affecting the other.

For a healthy individual, the diaphragm works through roughly 18,000 to 30,000 breaths a day. Breathing rate is largely involuntary, generated by the brainstem, but we can also consciously control it for more deliberate tasks.

Learning to influence your breathing can improve athletic performance, reduce some of the risks associated with aging, and support recovery. Before getting into that, here's a quick look at the anatomy involved.

Anatomy

The diaphragm's anatomy is complex, with connection points throughout the body. These connections include the sternum, ribs, and lumbar spine. The diaphragm also has openings that allow passage for major vessels such as the aorta and esophagus, creating a functional link between the thorax above and the abdomen below (Bordoni & Zanier, 2013).

Neural drive to the diaphragm comes from the cervical spine (C3, C4, C5), often remembered with the cue “C3-4-5 keeps the diaphragm alive.” Another key input comes from the vagus nerve, which helps regulate the depth and frequency of diaphragmatic movement, and plays an especially important role in the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) side of breathing. These details set up the mechanisms discussed below, and help explain how to bias breathing for different outcomes.

Diaphragm, Valsalva, and Force Production

You've probably heard the cue “use your core” in gym and sport settings. It's not a particularly useful instruction, and it often gets misread as crunching the abdominals down and forward. That doesn't support what we call The Stack at Avos Strength, and it doesn't create an efficient system for force production.

As you inhale and exhale, the diaphragm's movement changes lung volume, which can be used to increase intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). This pressure allows the breath, abdominal muscles, and back muscles to work together, improving spinal stability and force production (Guo et al., 2021).

The Valsalva maneuver (VM) is a forceful exhale against a closed airway. Lifting heavy loads, or lighter loads close to failure, naturally creates a brief VM (Hackett & Chow, 2013). Combined with increased IAP, this is thought to improve spinal stability and allow for more efficient force production.

Disclaimer: Confirm with a healthcare provider that increasing training intensity or intentionally using the Valsalva maneuver is appropriate for you before adding it to your training.

A common strategy is to crunch the abdominals aggressively, which shortens the abdominal muscles and pulls the chest forward. Ironically, this limits the diaphragm's ability to descend and air to enter the thorax. To make this more concrete, here's a simple bracing sequence using the squat as an example:

1. Standing / prep: A gentle breath in, ideally through the nose.

2. Standing / prep: A slow, relaxed exhale through the mouth to generate abdominal tension.

3. Immediately pre-squat: A slight re-inhale to increase pressure against the abdominal wall.

4. Bottom position: An exhale against a closed mouth or pursed lips if the weight is heavy or fatigue is building.

For a step-by-step walkthrough, see this short video: The Myth of Bracing.

There's nuance here depending on load and volume. For example:

• At higher intensity (4 sets of 3 reps at 80% 1RM), you might reset your brace and breath every rep, or every second rep, using step 4 each time.

• At higher volume with lower intensity (3 sets of 6 reps at 70% 1RM), you might complete the first 3 to 4 reps without resetting, and without needing a forceful exhale against a closed mouth. Step 4 might only be needed on the last rep or two.

This sequence isn't necessary for every movement. Relaxed, lower-intensity work without a deliberate brace and Valsalva maneuver is a perfectly healthy strategy for exercises such as:

• Jefferson curl variations

• Spinal flow and rotational work

• Lower-intensity isometric work with continuous breathing

Now, from force production to the softer, broader effects of the diaphragm and breathing.

Further Roles and Influence

1. Proprioception, Balance, and Coordination

Proprioception (your sense of position in space), balance, and coordination are constant, everyday requirements, drawing on input from the inner ear, muscles, eyes, and nervous system. As people age, this information tends to travel less quickly and smoothly, which raises the risk of falls and related injuries. Balance exercises, walking on uneven ground, and visual exercises can all help offset that risk.

The diaphragm plays a role here too. Through its relationship with visceral fat, the diaphragm is itself a source of proprioceptive feedback (Bordoni & Zanier, 2013). Nazir et al. (2026) found that diaphragmatic breathing exercises improved balance confidence, reduced fatigue, and improved gait velocity in older adults.

The exercise used to produce that improvement was simple:

• Twice a week: 2 rounds of 6 minutes of focused diaphragmatic breathing.

• Diaphragmatic breathing: one hand on the chest, one hand on the belly button. Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds, out through the mouth for 6 seconds.

No equipment, minimal time, and a meaningful reduction in fall risk. That's a good example of how much reach this type of training can have.

2. Restoration and Recovery

Many people are good at the hard side of training: pushing through a tough session, finishing a hard interval workout. Deliberate breathing plays an important role there, as discussed above, but recovery and downregulation matter just as much.

As mentioned in the anatomy section, the vagus nerve supplies the diaphragm and is tied to the rest-and-digest side of the nervous system. Slower, relaxed, mindful breathing after high-intensity activity can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Research has linked this to reductions in heart rate and respiration rate, and improvements in heart rate variability (Renaghan et al., 2023). See also Why Your Training Program Won't Work Without Sleep, Nutrition, and Recovery for more on why recovery deserves this kind of attention.

A simple way to introduce this: find a comfortable position (sitting, lying flat, or on your side) and take 10 to 20 relaxed breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Beyond supporting recovery, it also bookends the workout, creating a clear separation between the hard and the soft.

These are two of many ways the diaphragm and breathing influence training and daily life. There's a lot of literature on specific breathing styles (box breathing, Buteyko, and others), which can get overwhelming quickly. The simplest entry point is just adding short periods of focused, intentional breathing: relaxed in through the nose, slightly prolonged out through the mouth.

How to Apply This in Training

• Resistance training: Don't crunch the abdominals. Use a deliberate inhale-exhale to create stiffness before the movement. If appropriate, incorporate the Valsalva maneuver on higher-intensity efforts or more fatiguing higher-rep sets.

• Balance and proprioception: For older adults, add 2 sessions per week of 10 to 15 minutes of deliberate breathing practice to help offset age-related balance and fall risk.

• Restoration: Use relaxed breathing in a comfortable position after hard training to support recovery and help the body absorb the training stimulus.
  

Key Takeaways

• The diaphragm supports force production during strength training, largely through its role in generating intra-abdominal pressure.

• Deliberate breathing, not aggressive crunching, is what creates a stable, braced trunk.

• Diaphragmatic breathing can meaningfully improve balance and reduce fall risk in older adults, with just a few minutes of practice per week.

• Slow, relaxed breathing after training helps activate recovery through the parasympathetic nervous system.

• Simple, short breathing practices, done consistently, offer an outsized return relative to the effort involved.

Next Up

Moving down the body: the next post in this series will cover foot pressure and foot strength, and how they relate to force production, balance, and longevity, in the gym, in sport, and in everyday life.

References

Bordoni, B., & Zanier, E. (2013). Anatomic connections of the diaphragm: Influence of respiration on the body system. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 6, 281–291. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S45443

Guo, J., et al. (2021). Embodiment of intra-abdominal pressure in a flexible multibody model of the trunk and the spinal unloading effects during static lifting tasks. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 20(4), 1599–1626. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-021-01465-1

Hackett, D. A., & Chow, C.-M. (2013). The Valsalva maneuver: Its effect on intra-abdominal pressure and safety issues during resistance exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 27(8), 2338–2345. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e31827de07d

Nazir, S., et al. (2026). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing and diaphragmatic mobilization on physical performance, fear of falling, and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE, 21(1), e0339868.

Renaghan, E., et al. (2023). The effects of relaxation techniques following acute, high intensity football training on parasympathetic reactivation. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1267631

How Tongue Position and Jaw Function May Improve Strength, Balance, and Breathing

Part 1 of the Improving Force Production and Movement From Head to Toe Series

Written by Michael Crawley, BSc, BPT, CSCS

Introduction

When people think about improving strength and force production, attention is usually directed toward the obvious areas: the legs, hips, trunk, and shoulders. Rarely does anyone consider the tongue or jaw.

At first glance, this seems reasonable. The tongue is typically associated with speech, swallowing, and airway function rather than athletic performance. However, emerging research suggests that tongue position, tongue strength, and jaw function may influence force production, balance, coordination, and respiratory mechanics.

Force is rarely generated by a single muscle or body part in isolation. Instead, it is transferred throughout the body as multiple regions work together. A foundational piece of this is learning how to position the body to generate and transmit tension effectively. As covered in The Stack blog post, the alignment of the rib cage relative to the pelvis and head provides a structural template that underpins efficient force production. The strategies explored in this series build on that foundation.

This article is the first in a series examining how different regions of the body contribute to force production and movement quality. We will begin at the top, exploring the tongue and jaw, before working downward through the diaphragm and foot.

Series Breakdown

This series will explore three often-overlooked contributors to force production, movement quality, and long-term function:

1. The tongue and jaw

2. The diaphragm and bracing

3. The foot and pressure distribution

Together, these concepts provide additional tools that may help an individual break through a plateau in a lift, improve their strategies to strength train, or attenuate some of the deficits and systemic problems which develop with age. Each of these builds on the positional foundation established in The Stack.

The Tongue & Jaw: Pressure and Position

The embryological development and anatomy of the tongue can shed light on how it is a forgotten piece in strength training and human function beyond mastication and speech. The tongue consists of intrinsic and extrinsic muscle connections. This allows an intricate dance where the complex can adapt its activation and position differently during breathing and swallowing (Fregosi and Ludlow 2014).

The tongue has the same neural origins as the hyoid bone and associated musculature involved in head and neck stabilization. The hyoid bone is a floating bone acting as an interface for the origin of the tongue and connector of important neck and jaw muscles.

There is a functional relationship between the tongue and diaphragm, demonstrated through the coordinated activation of specific extrinsic tongue muscles during respiration (Sokoloff 2004). As a result, tongue function can influence how easily air moves through the airway and how efficiently we breathe. This will really be hammered home in Part 2 regarding the diaphragm and bracing.

The tongue and jaw do not operate independently. Resting tongue position helps influence both jaw alignment and head posture, with the ideal resting position being the tongue gently placed against the roof of the mouth.

The jaw is also closely connected to the neck and upper body through muscles, nerves, and connective tissues (Silveira et al. 2015). Because of these connections, changes in jaw position can influence how the head, neck, and shoulders work together.

This is important because force is rarely generated by a single muscle or body part. Instead, it is transferred throughout the body as multiple regions work together. The tongue and jaw may seem far removed from exercises such as squats, deadlifts, or carries, but their connections to the neck and upper body suggest they can still influence posture, stability, and force production.

The image below highlights some of the tissues that link the jaw, neck, and shoulder region. Next, we will discuss how tongue function changes over time and why this may be particularly important for the older athlete.

Importance of Tongue Function in the Older Athlete

When most people think about age-related muscle loss, they think of weaker legs, reduced grip strength, or difficulty getting up from a chair. What is often overlooked is that the tongue also loses strength and muscle mass with age.

This decline in tongue function has been associated with several important health concerns, including impaired swallowing, increased risk of aspiration, and poorer balance (Bordoni et al. 2018). In other words, tongue function may influence much more than speech or eating.

For older athletes and gym-goers, this creates an interesting opportunity. Maintaining tongue strength and awareness may be a simple strategy to support both performance and long-term health. While it is unlikely to be the most important piece of the puzzle, it may be one of the easier ones to address. Similar to strength training itself, small improvements maintained over time can have a meaningful impact on long-term health, balance, and independence.

This could be as simple as applying firm tongue pressure to the roof of the mouth during heavier lifts or practicing proper resting tongue position while performing breathing exercises and warm-up activities.

Evidence of Tongue Pressure and Strength Performance

At this point, it is reasonable to ask whether tongue position and tongue pressure actually influence strength and movement, or whether this is simply an interesting anatomical discussion.

While the research in this area is still developing, several studies have demonstrated improvements in force production, balance, and movement performance when tongue position or tongue stimulation is altered.

Some examples include:

• Saito et al. (2022) demonstrated that the rate of force development (RFD) of tongue pressure was strongly correlated with knee extensor strength and single-leg stand time in adults over 65.

• di Vico et al. (2013) found that tongue position significantly impacted knee flexor strength test performance. Participants generated approximately 30% greater force when the tongue was pressed against the roof of the mouth compared to a resting position.

• Wildenberg et al. (2010) found improvements in balance and postural sway following external tongue stimulation in older adults.

Taken together, these findings suggest that tongue function may influence more than just speech, swallowing, and breathing. It may also play a role in force production, balance, and coordination.

This does not mean tongue position should become the primary focus of a training program. Rather, it may represent another small but useful strategy that can be incorporated alongside sound strength training principles.

The diagram below demonstrates the recommended tongue position, with the tongue resting against the roof of the mouth and the tip sitting just behind the upper front teeth. The next question is why these changes might influence performance in the first place.

Why Might the Tongue and Jaw Influence Performance?

At this point, the obvious question is: why would tongue position or jaw activity affect strength, balance, and movement quality in the first place?

The honest answer is that we do not know exactly. While the relationship between tongue position and breathing is well established, the mechanisms behind its apparent influence on force production and coordination are still being investigated.

Several theories have been proposed, including changes in nervous system activation, interactions between cranial nerves involved in coordination, and connective tissue links between the tongue, neck, and chest (Bordoni et al. 2018). Regardless of the exact mechanism, multiple studies have demonstrated improvements in strength, balance, and movement performance when tongue position, tongue pressure, or jaw activity are altered.

Similar findings have been reported with jaw clenching. Research has demonstrated improvements in force production, grip strength, jumping performance, rowing strength, and balance when a jaw clench is incorporated during testing (Allen et al. 2017; Buscà et al. 2016; Alghadir et al. 2015).

However, there is an important trade-off. Unlike tongue position, excessive or habitual jaw clenching can contribute to issues such as teeth grinding (bruxism) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) irritation. For that reason, I generally place greater emphasis on tongue position and tongue strength than aggressive jaw clenching. The potential benefits appear similar, while the downside risk is lower.

The broader lesson is that force production is not simply a function of the muscles directly involved in a lift. The body operates as an integrated system, and seemingly small factors such as tongue position, breathing strategy, and jaw position may influence how force is generated and transferred throughout the body.

This is one reason why movement assessments should look beyond individual muscles and joints. At Avos Strength, our assessment process examines how multiple systems work together to influence movement quality, performance, and long-term function.

Summary

The tongue and jaw may influence more than speech, swallowing, and chewing. Research suggests they can also affect breathing, balance, coordination, and force production.

While these factors are unlikely to be the primary drivers of performance, they represent simple strategies that may improve movement quality and strength expression when combined with sound training principles.

For older adults, maintaining tongue function may also have benefits beyond the gym, supporting balance, respiratory function, and overall quality of life.

Takeaways

• Pressing the tongue firmly against the roof of the mouth may help improve force production during strength exercises.

• Resting the tongue gently against the roof of the mouth can support an open airway and efficient breathing during mobility, warm-up, and recovery work.

• Jaw clenching may improve strength, jumping performance, and balance, but excessive or habitual clenching can contribute to jaw irritation and teeth grinding.

• If choosing between the two strategies, tongue position is likely the lower-risk and more practical place to start.

• These concepts should be viewed as small pieces of the puzzle, not replacements for sound strength training, recovery, and exercise technique.

Next Up

In Part 2, we will move one step lower and examine the diaphragm, breathing, and bracing.

Topics will include:

• Basic diaphragm anatomy and function

• The relationship between breathing and trunk stability

• Bracing strategies for strength training performance

• Practical applications for both performance and long-term health

If you'd like a movement assessment to see how these systems are working together in your own body, book an initial assessment.

References

Alghadir, A. H. et al. 2015. Effect of three different jaw positions on postural stability during standing. Funct Neurol 30(1), pp. 53-57.

Allen, C. et al. 2017. The Effects Of Jaw Clenching And Jaw Alignment Mouthpiece Use On Force Production During Vertical Jump And Isometric Clean Pull. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 32, p. 1. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002172

Bordoni, B. et al. 2018. The Anatomical Relationships of the Tongue with the Body System. Cureus 10. doi: 10.7759/cureus.3695

Buscà, B. et al. 2016. Effects of Jaw Clenching While Wearing a Customized Bite-Aligning Mouthpiece on Strength in Healthy Young Men. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 30(4).

di Vico, R. et al. 2013. The acute effect of the tongue position in the mouth on knee isokinetic test performance: a highly surprising pilot study. Muscles Ligaments Tendons J 3(4), pp. 318-323.

Fregosi, R. F. and Ludlow, C. L. 2014. Activation of upper airway muscles during breathing and swallowing. J Appl Physiol 116(3), pp. 291-301. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00670.2013

Miró, A. et al. 2023. Acute effects of jaw clenching while wearing a customized bite-aligning mouthguard on muscle activity and force production during maximal upper body isometric strength. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness 21(1), pp. 157-164. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesf.2022.12.004

Saito, S. et al. 2022. Relationship between Rate of Force Development of Tongue Pressure and Physical Performance. J Clin Med 11(9). doi: 10.3390/jcm11092347

Silveira, A. et al. 2015. Jaw dysfunction is associated with neck disability and muscle tenderness in subjects with and without chronic temporomandibular disorders. Biomed Res Int 2015, p. 512792. doi: 10.1155/2015/512792

Sokoloff, A. J. 2004. Activity of tongue muscles during respiration: it takes a village? Journal of Applied Physiology 96(2), pp. 438-439. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01079.2003

Wildenberg, J. C. et al. 2010. Sustained cortical and subcortical neuromodulation induced by electrical tongue stimulation. Brain Imaging Behav 4(3-4), pp. 199-211. doi: 10.1007/s11682-010-9099-7

Are You Actually Fight Ready? What Most Fighters Get Wrong About Conditioning

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

You think you’re in shape.
Until round two.

Everything feels sharp early. Your hands are fast. Your feet are light. You’re seeing openings.

Then your output drops. Your shoulders start to burn. Your breathing spikes. Now you are surviving instead of fighting.

This isn’t a lack of toughness.
It’s a conditioning problem.

More specifically, it is a fight conditioning problem that most fighters never actually address.

The Real Problem Isn’t Effort

Most fighters do not lack work ethic.

They train hard. They push themselves. They leave the gym exhausted.

The problem is they are training the wrong things at the wrong time.

A lot of fighters live in what we call the gray zone. Sessions that are not easy enough to build a real aerobic base. Not intense enough to develop true fight specific power. Just hard enough to feel tired.

And feeling tired gets mistaken for getting better.

But fatigue is not a performance metric.

Fighting is not about how tired you can get. It is about how long you can produce, recover, and repeat high intensity efforts.

Why Fighters Misjudge Their Conditioning

Gym Conditioning Is Not Fight Conditioning

You can hit pads hard, push through circuits, and still gas out in a fight or sparring.

Because fighting is not continuous effort. It is intermittent.

Short explosive bursts.
Brief recovery periods.
Repeated over multiple rounds.

All energy systems are working together, not just general effort.

If your training does not reflect that structure, your conditioning will not transfer.

No Objective Testing

Most fighters judge conditioning based on how tired they feel or how hard a session was.

That is guesswork.

Without testing, you do not know if your output is dropping round to round, if your recovery is improving, or where your actual limitation is.

Without testing, you are guessing.

Over Reliance on Fatigue

A hard session feels productive.

But you can get better at tolerating fatigue without improving the systems that actually drive performance.

That is why some fighters look great in training but fall apart when the pace of a real fight hits.

What Actually Matters for Fight Conditioning

To perform at a high level, you need a system, not just effort.

Aerobic Base

This is your foundation.

A well developed aerobic system helps you recover between exchanges, maintain output, and sustain effort across rounds.

Repeat Power

Explosive combinations rely on your highest power output.

The key is not just producing power once. It is being able to repeat it with limited recovery.

Glycolytic Capacity

Longer exchanges and flurries are where most fighters begin to break down.

If this system is not developed, output drops and technique starts to fade.

Recovery Between Efforts

This is one of the biggest separators.

Fighters who recover faster between bursts can maintain pace and stay effective deeper into rounds.

Efficiency Under Fatigue

At a high level, conditioning is also about efficiency.

Can you stay relaxed when tired?
Can you maintain technique?
Can you make good decisions under pressure?

That is what real fight readiness looks like.

Why Testing Matters

Most fighters know they get tired.

Very few know why.

Testing does not give you every answer, but it gives you a clearer picture of what is happening. Especially when it comes to fight conditioning and repeat effort performance.

It can help show how your heart rate responds to work, how your output changes over time, and how well you repeat high intensity efforts.

It gives direction to your training instead of relying on guesswork.

Where We Come In

This is part of what we look at in our performance testing at Avos Strength.

We use simple, practical tests to get a snapshot of how your conditioning is functioning and how it compares to other athletes.

It is not about labeling you as fit or unfit.

It is about giving you better information so you can train with more intent.

Final Note

If you feel like you are doing everything right in training but still fading in sparring or competition, you are not alone.

Most fighters are working hard.

Very few are training with clarity.

Why Dorsiflexion Matters in Plyometric Drills

Written by Evelyn Calado, MKin, CSCS, RKin

In plyometric drills—whether it’s bounding, skipping, or pogo hops you’ll often hear the cue:

“Dorsiflex your foot!”

But why does that matter?

Dorsiflexion (pulling your toes up toward your shin) might seem like a small technical detail, but it has a big impact on performance, coordination, and injury prevention.

You can see in the above video how I dorsiflex my foot (by pulling my toes up) as I’m in the air, before I land again for the next pogo hop.

1. Prepares the Ankle for Stiffness and Quick Rebound

Dorsiflexion creates a rigid lever at the ankle joint, allowing the lower leg and foot to act like a spring. This increases reactive strength—your body’s ability to quickly absorb and release force—which is essential for explosive movements. The result? Shorter ground contact times and a faster, more elastic rebound off the ground.

📚 Weyand et al. (2000) showed that faster sprinters generate higher vertical forces during short ground contact times, a quality supported by stiff ankle positions.
📚 Nagahara et al. (2014) observed that dorsiflexion supports greater horizontal force during sprinting due to increased ankle stiffness.

2. Optimizes Force Transfer

A dorsiflexed foot puts your lower leg in the right position to transmit force efficiently. When your foot is loose or pointed downward (plantarflexed), energy leaks through the ankle, reducing your power output. Dorsiflexing locks the chain in place so every contact helps drive you forward instead of absorbing momentum.

3. Enhances Neural Readiness and Coordination

Dorsiflexion activates key stabilizing muscles like the tibialis anterior, reinforcing good joint alignment and movement mechanics. It trains your body to better coordinate the timing of your stride or jump, improving motor control for athletic skills like sprinting, decelerating, or changing direction. Over time, this improves both performance and efficiency.

📚 Fong et al. (2011) and others note that anterior tibialis activation is essential for controlled foot placement and efficient ground interaction in gait and athletic movement.

4. Encourages Safer Movement Patterns

A dorsiflexed position encourages midfoot or forefoot landings, reducing heel striking and lowering the impact forces on joints like the knees, hips, and lower back. It also places the ankle in a more stable and neutral position, which may reduce stress on the joint and contribute to safer mechanics.

• Improved dorsiflexion range correlates with better movement quality

  Malloy et al. (2015) found that limited dorsiflexion increases knee valgus angles during landing—a known risk factor for ACL injury.

• Restricted dorsiflexion is associated with compensations and faulty loading

  Research links poor ankle mobility to increased loading on the knees and altered jumping/landing strategies (Macrum et al., 2012).

• There’s indirect evidence of injury risk reduction

  While not a guarantee against injury, dorsiflexion encourages mechanics that are commonly associated with reduced strain on the ankle, shin, and knee.

• Causal proof is still limited

  There are no large-scale RCTs proving dorsiflexion prevents injuries—but its contribution to stable, efficient movement is well established.

Final Takeaway

Dorsiflexion isn’t just about how your foot looks—it’s about how your body moves. It helps you jump higher, land better, and sprint faster while reinforcing movement quality that may help reduce injury risk. In high- speed, high-impact movements, the little things make a big difference.

Train. Play. Repeat.

Curious how small technical tweaks can level up your movement? Book a session at Avos Strength and let’s break it down.