|
Calf Stretches
|
A quick reference guide of 135 clear photos of every possible major stretching exercise. Click here for more information |
Our calves are one of our most used muscles. Over-use or over-exertion, without proper stretching can lead to an injury, either directly to your calf muscles or indirectly to your ankle and foot.
I recommend doing calf stretches as part of your warm up and cool down. Make sure your muscles are warm before you stretch in your warm up, by doing
loosening up and pulse raising exercises.
Your cool down stretches should be held for longer than in the warm up.
If your sport or exercise specifically involved your calves, spend even longer stretching them afterwards. Try gently massaging them too.
Although it may not seem it, your cool down is the most important step to avoiding injury. Most common injuries don't occur because of a poor warm up, but because of a poor cool down from the previous workout, which didn't allow proper recovery.
These stretches should be held for at least 10 seconds, without bouncing in the stretch. Make sure you don't overstretch. Take it to where you feel mild discomfort but no pain. Always come out of the stretch slowly.
Click here to see pictures and tips of stretches submitted by other visitors to this page.
Calf Stretches
1 - Stand with your right foot forward and left foot back, a step width apart and toes pointing ahead.
2 - Slightly bend your right knee (moving your weight forward), keep your left knee straight and heels on the floor.
3 - Feel the stretch in your left calf.
4 - Repeat by switching legs.
Tip - You can facilitate this stretch by leaning on a wall directly in front of you. Gently push against the wall whilst doing the stretch described above.
1 - Sit on the floor with both your legs straight out in front of you.
2 - Slowly lean forward and hold on to your left toes.
3 - Feel the stretch in your left calf.
4 - Repeat by holding on to your right toes.
1 - Stand with your right foot forward and left foot back, half a step width apart and toes pointing ahead.
2 - Slightly bend both knees (keeping your back straight). Keep both heels on the floor (feel your weight going through your left leg).
3 - Feel the stretch in your left calf (slightly lower than before).
4 - Repeat by switching legs.
1 - Kneel down and place your right foot next to your left knee.
2 - Place your hands flat on the floor in front of you. Slowly lean forward, keeping your right heel on the floor.
3 - Feel the stretch in your right calf.
4 - Repeat with your left leg.
Enjoy your calf stretches. Check out these videos people have submitted, to help guide you with your stretches:
<<< Neck StretchesQuad Stretches >>>
Show Off Your
Great Stretching Technique
And help others in the process.
This is your chance to add your pictures and tips for calf stretches. Your picture will have its own web page, credited to you, and linked directly from this page.
Competition Alert:
Click here to see the special prize you can win by showing off your exercise pictures.
Get Your Pictures In!
Once you've submitted your picture and it's approved, you'll have your own web page! Then it's braggin' time with your friends and family - send them the link and they can comment on your page - or even add their own page.
Submitting your pictures and tips is really easy. Please ensure it's specific to calf stretches (if you have another picture, go to the relevant page for that exercise).
Time to show off.. enjoy!
Check Out Other Calf Stretch Pictures
Click on the links below to see some great pictures and tips for your calf stretches. They were all submitted by other visitors to this page..
Helen's Calf Stretch 
My calf stretch! Stretching my gastrocnemius in the sunshine.
I am particularly interested in the way Hatha Yoga can improve people's health. I've worked …
Return to Warm Up Exercises from Calf Stretches.
Return to Better-Exercise-Fitness-For-Life Home from Calf Stretches.
