It is often stated in strength training: get good at the big movements and you won’t have to worry so much about the small movements. This is due to the indirect effect of strength training: doing a barbell squat takes strong abs, arms, back, stomach…oh, and strong legs too! This is also why you might hear a coach say “Train movements, not muscles.”
However, when an athlete is weak in something, pathologically weak, we throw that recommendation out the window. Being in Austin, I get a lot of runners and dollars to donuts those runners have suffered shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and ankle issues. I also know that they’ve never, ever trained their shins. Enter the tibia dorsi flexion:
Or if you want to see it in action:
Or if you REALLY want to see it in action click here.
So while I love helping my clients there has to be something in it for me. These are toys for a trainer and I have one goal in mind:
Pretty crazy, eh? I’m not blessed with the longest calf muscles bellies (neither was this guy) so the more 3 dimensional girth I can add, the bigger and better they’ll look. I can think of a lot of natural pro bodybuilders who might get their first pro win with a little more lower leg definition and dimension but you rarely to never see this in a gym. So how is it? Well it feels like training your calves only smaller and more hot. My calves are always on fire when I train them and training my shins is no different. I think that as time goes on and they move out of the “holy shit you’ve never worked me like this before” stage that they’ll feel less molten.
If you’re a runner and you can get your hands on one for a good price (I got mine here for a steal) I highly recommend it.
Skyler Tanner 
Now your tweet makes sense. I figured you meant this.
Yeah and you guys got on my comments before I could finish the article…damn remove video posting! Thanks for the feedback.
I just built a dorsi flexion device last weekend and works well. I found these plans online. fyi-The article reads he put one together for $15… the parts I bought at Lowes cost me more like $30.
http://www.joeskopec.com/dard/dard.htm
I built one years ago but honestly never liked the way the vector of resistance felt. Plus, I don’t have any “standard” plates, all olympic. If it works for you, totally awesome…I’m really an equipment whore. 😮
Cool, I have never seen one of those. Looks great, solid and stable. Back in the day we used the Nautilus prone leg curl machine in a supine position hooking toes under the pad.
You can work the same muscle on a leg press machine (or squat rack, etc).
Put your heels on the front edge of the platform, choose an appropriately challenging weight, and dorsiflex your ankle (raise your toes).
It changes the class of lever, but it’s still the same muscle doing the pulling.
Also a great idea!
The machine you recommended is no longer available on Amazon, and I’m trying to find the original seller/manufacturer. Any ideas?
I don’t have the original manufacturer’s name unfortunately. There are others on the market that do the same thing…slightly more expensive but they exist.
Ok, I will definitely hunt one down. Thanks for the article and an excellent blog!