The Toe Splay and Contract exercise is the most fundamental foot exercise, designed to engage the intrinsic muscles of your feet. Interestingly, this is an exercise that newborn babies perform instinctively to strengthen their foot muscles in preparation for walking.

However, due to the restrictive nature of modern footwear, which often provides excessive support, we gradually lose the ability to perform this basic movement. This loss of natural foot function is precisely why we've included this exercise in our Barefoot Basics course.

It's all about going back to the basics, starting from scratch, and rebuilding our foot strength and mobility. This exercise is a stepping stone towards regaining the natural function of our feet, setting the foundation for improved foot strength.