How to Stretch Your Calf Muscles

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Wes Whitley. Here today to talk about stretching out muscles of the calf and lower leg. Beginning these stretches the idea is to avoid pain and minimize the stresses, and impact that tight lower calves and higher calves can actually have. These stretches again working on both sides if the body, holding from anywhere from 10 to 15 seconds per stretch. Using a stable object as a wall or a door frame or even post if you have it handy, keep one leg beck which will be the leg that we're focusing on stretching right now. The leg should be straight in line with your body, the other foot forward for stabilization as you lean your body in towards that stable object you should feel a nice pull in the lower leg. Keeping the heel flat on the floor, intensify the stretch by moving your body closer to that stable object. Holding your stretches anywhere from 10 15 seconds, working your way up to 30 seconds or more. Allowing the muscle to relax, elongate and lengthen. Again emphasizing both sides of the body for proper balance. The next stretch, working on the lower area of the calf. Step one foot directly in front of the other. Bend your legs and knees as if you're going into a squat keeping yourself stable with your upper body. Again the back legs, the focus leg here so as that leg drifts forward with the knee in a bent position you'll feel a stretch in a different position typically in the lower part of the calf. Holding stretches again 15 20 up to 30 seconds per. Gradually ease into these stretches, progressing them on a daily basis as part of your normal warm up routines. Warming up the muscles effectively and efficiently then stretching the muscles will help prevent injury stress and strain as part of your daily every routine."