Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Stretch and Surrender: #50 Bent-Knee Calf Stretch

*This is the last entry in this series. I hope you have all found these stretches helpful.

Benefits: Stretches the calf and soleus muscles as well as the Achilles tendons.

METHOD: Stand with your forearms leaning against the wall. Bring your right leg forward, about one foot away from the wall, bend your knee. Keep your left leg about 6 inches behind the right. Make sure both feet are straight, not turned out.

Bend your left knee until you feel a slight stretch in the lower half of your calf muscle, and along your Achilles tendon. Don't overstretch. Keep your heels on the ground and your back straight. Hold for 15-30 seconds. Release, and repeat on the other side. Alternate 3 to 5 times on each side.

Tip: This is a wonderful stretch for activities involving the lower extremities.

No comments: