Acceleration Training Tip #2: Dorsiflex Your Ankle

Acceleration Training Tip #2: Dorsiflex Your Ankle

You've dialed in where your foot contacts the ground — now let's talk about how your foot arrives there. This is one of those small technical details that separates athletes who accelerate efficiently from those who waste precious energy on every single step.

The key? Pull your toes up toward your shin before your foot hits the ground. This position is called dorsiflexion, and it's not just a coaching cue — it's a mechanical game changer.

When your ankle is dorsiflexed during the swing phase, your foot is already preloaded and in the optimal position to strike at the back of the ball of the foot (see Tip #1). The moment you make contact with the ground, you can apply force immediately — no adjustment, no delay, no wasted motion.

Compare that to an athlete with a floppy, relaxed foot swinging through. Their foot has to "find" its position on contact, creating a split-second inefficiency that compounds with every stride. In acceleration, those fractions of a second add up fast.

The result? A seamless transition from ground contact straight into your push-off — keeping your acceleration sharp, efficient, and powerful from start to finish.

Think of dorsiflexion as setting the table. By the time your foot lands, everything is already in place to drive forward explosively.

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