Strengthen Your Ankles with Tib Bar Raises: A Simple Fix for Stability and Injury Prevention

Whether you’re an athlete or someone who just wants to stay active without worrying about rolled ankles or unstable steps, your ankle strength matters more than you think.

Strong ankles aren’t just about balance, they’re about confidence in every stride, jump, and change of direction. And one of the simplest, most effective tools to build that strength? The Tib Bar Raise.

Weak Ankles

Weak or unstable ankles can throw off your entire movement chain. From sprains and rolled ankles to poor running form and reduced power, ankle issues can be the start of a long list of setbacks.

Often, the missing piece is dorsiflexion strength, the ability to pull your foot upward—which is controlled by the tibialis anterior muscle at the front of your shin. It’s this muscle that the Tib Bar Raise targets directly.

What Are Tib Bar Raises?

Using a tib bar (like our Single Leg Tib Bar), you load weight onto your foot and raise your toes towards your knee in a controlled motion. This works the tibialis anterior, a key stabiliser for the ankle.

Ankle-Specific Benefits of Tib Bar Raises

Here’s how Tib Bar Raises strengthen and protect your ankles:

• Better Ankle Stability: A stronger tibialis anterior supports the ankle joint, helping you avoid wobbles or rolls under pressure.
• Sprain Prevention: Building strength through full range dorsiflexion trains your ankle to resist awkward landings and sideways twists.
• Improved Balance & Coordination: Ankle stability is a key player in balance. Tib Bar Raises train the smaller muscles and tendons around the joint to fire when you need them most.
• Support for Foot Arches: Strengthening the front of the shin also helps control the foot’s position, which can reduce stress on the ankle itself.
• Rehab & Recovery: If you’ve had a sprain or ankle injury before, Tib Bar Raises are a safe way to rebuild strength without loading the joint directly.

How to Add Them to Your Training

Start light and focus on control:

Basic Setup:

• Load the tib bar as needed
• Sit on a bench with your heel on the ground
• Slowly raise your toes towards your shin
• Lower under control

Prescription:

• 3 sets of 12–15 reps
• 2–3 times per week
• Slow tempo, especially on the way down

This works great as a warm-up, finisher, or part of a prehab routine.

The Bottom Line

Your ankles take on a huge load with every step, jump, or change of direction. Training them directly, not just the calves or hips, can be the difference between moving well and sitting out with another sprain.

Tib Bar Raises are a smart, simple way to bulletproof your ankles from the ground up.