Tibialis Raise
Toes to the shins, slow on the way down. The tibialis raise trains the muscle along the front of the shin, which is what slows you down every time your foot lands. Pull the toes up as high as they will go and lower under control. Rocking backwards off the wall is the fault. It needs nothing and it is the piece most runners are missing.
Setup
- Back against a wall, heels a foot or so out from it.
- Weight on the heels.
How To Do It
- Pull the toes up toward the shins as high as they will go.
- Hold the top for a beat.
- Lower the toes slowly to the floor.
Breathing
Breathe normally throughout.
Common Mistakes
- Rocking backwards using the wall instead of lifting with the shin.
- Rushing, when the slow lower is most of the benefit.
Programming It
Two to three sets of 15-25.
Why This Exercise Works
The muscle on the front of the shin decelerates the foot every time it lands, and it is trained by nothing else people do. Building it reduces shin pain in runners and improves ankle control in everyone, and it needs no equipment at all.
Where You Should Feel It
The front of the shin, burning quickly. Almost nobody has trained this muscle, and it is the one that decelerates your foot every time it lands.
Where It Fits in a Program
The muscle that decelerates you, and the reason shin splints happen when it is weak. Accessory work. It follows the compounds rather than competing with them.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the tibialis raise: lean further from the wall, or add a weight on the toes. To regress it: stand closer to the wall and shorten the range.
Who It's For
Runners, and anyone with shin splints. It needs no equipment and it is the most commonly missing piece of lower leg training.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a wall. This needs no kit at all, which makes it the one that survives travel, busy gyms and bad weeks.
Related Exercises
Common Questions
What muscles does the tibialis raise work?
The tibialis raise primarily trains the tibialis anterior, shins.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Two to three sets of 15-25.
What are the most common tibialis raise mistakes?
Most often: rocking backwards using the wall instead of lifting with the shin; rushing, when the slow lower is most of the benefit.
Do I need a wall to do this?
This version uses a wall, and it trains the tibialis anterior, shins. No equipment needed. When bodyweight stops being a challenge, change the leverage rather than reaching for a dumbbell.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The tibialis raise puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.