A Pilates instructor says this is the one area of the body most people aren't training enough and shares the simple move she recommends to strengthen it

A lot of people split their workouts to target different body parts, focusing sessions on muscles in the legs, arms, back and core.

But according to Pilates instructor Eloise Skinner, there’s one area most of us overlook: our feet.

“Strengthening the feet can benefit your entire body,” says Skinner.

She explains that your foot strength, along with the mobility of your ankles, can impact other joints in your lower body, including your knees, hips and even your lower back.

“If your feet are out of alignment, the joints above them could take excess strain or come out of alignment,” she says.

The trainer was previously a professional dancer, so footwork has always been a big part of her training and there’s an exercise she thinks everyone could benefit from, called rises.

“It’s quite a simple but very effective movement,” she says. “Just rising up on to your toes and back down strengthens the arches of your feet and helps you work on ankle stability.”

How to do rises

You don’t need any equipment to do this move and you can do it from a standing position.

“Make sure that your back is in alignment, so your pelvis isn’t tilted forward or tucked under,” says Skinner.

Sets: 3 Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet directly under your hips.
• Hold onto something for stability, like a kitchen counter.
• Rise onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels. Keep your pelvis tucked and your core engaged
• Hold for three seconds and then slowly lower your heels to the floor.

The benefits of rises

Rises are similar to calf raises, which are popular with runners. But unlike calf raises, Skinner says you can do this exercise with various foot positions.

“You can do rises in parallel with feet under your hips [...] and then you can do them with a wide leg position, which is more for your inner thighs,” she explains.

She also recommends doing them with your feet slightly turned out.

“Rises in turnout really help the inner thighs, and everything on the inside edge of your leg, as well as the arch of your foot,” she says.

When done correctly, the move can also engage your core, along with other lower-body muscles.

“It should engage all the muscles down the back of your legs, like the calves, hamstrings and into your glutes,” says Skinner.

Try adding raises to your regular workout routine, or do them throughout the day to strengthen the feet and the lower body.