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Save our soles
The workout also helps prevent injury and permanent damage for the shoe-obsessed. ‘When wearing heels, the toes and ball of the feet are on the ground and the heels are elevated,’ says Victor. ‘Over time, this tightens and overworks the calf muscles and shortens the Achilles tendon. You feel that after a long day of walking in heels, when that imbalance causes you aches and pains.’
Calf & achilles stretch
This quick stretch take seconds and will give instant relief and muscle balance. In bare feet, place the ball of the foot against a wall and leave your heel in contact with the floor while you lean forward into the wall. This will stretch the muscles of your calf. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds then repeat with the other leg. Stretch before, during and after wearing heels.
How to walk in heels
1. Stand tall, as if pulled by a string from the top of your head
2. Tighten abs by pulling your belly button in towards your spine, shifting your weight back to your heels
3. Walk heel-to-toe, not ball of foot
4. Sway hips slightly to help shift weight to heels
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Celebs like Reese Witherspoon use this high heels routine to help them strut the red carpet in style.
Ever wondered how the stars manage those towering heels so gracefully? Well, now we know the secret! They do the Legwork workout, and now that it’s been released on a 30-minute DVD, we can give it a go too!
Heel and toe
Created by women’s footwear designers Victor Chu and Cece Chin – in collaboration with ballerinas, fitness experts and podiatrists – the Legwork routine strengthens and tones leg muscles. ‘This is the workout all the top Broadway dancers and Rockettes [iconic New York dance group] do on a daily basis to keep in top performance condition,’ says Victor. ‘Without daily training there is absolutely no way they could dance 12 hours straight in heels for weeks at a time.’ Model Shalom Harlow agrees the Legwork workout helps to avoid spills on the catwalk. ‘Strong, toned legs are the foundation for healthy high heel walking,’ she says. ‘It’s a great tool for all women who wear heels.’
Work it out
‘The secret to walking sexily in heels is truly in the fitness – that strength provides control and endurance for sexy strutting,’ says Victor. ‘Strong leg muscles prevents achy legs at the end of the day.’ Along with exercises such as calf raises, ankle circles and plies, the classes and DVD have leg-strengthening moves like sitting in a chair in bare feet and grabbing a sock or a handkerchief with your toes – a great trick to help work your arches.
However, the focus goes beyond the toes… ‘We have a really tough core workout,’ says Victor. ‘Strong and toned abs are not only sexy and hot, they are critical for standing up tall. With proper posture, your weight is balanced on the heels and not pitched forward. The core prevents back pain, bad posture, long-term back problems, pain in the balls of the feet from leaning forward all the time as well as blisters and bruised toes.’
Related Links
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