TIGHT CALVES NO MORE: 5 Stretches & 1 Gym Doggo to the rescue!
A horrible affliction is plaguing the nation.
Men and women alike deal with this on a regular basis. They cry to the heavens, “Why oh why, if only there was a way to solve this problem!”
Perhaps you are experiencing it, too!!
And, perhaps, I am being a little dramatic.
But if you’ve dealt with recurring calf pain – from achillies tightness, to shin splints, to regular Charley horses – you know firsthand that the results of tight calves can be extreme pain and discomfort!
SO MAYBE I’M NOT BEING DRAMATIC!
WHY IS THIS HORRIBLE THING HAPPENING?
If you sit at a desk all day or wear heels, you are more prone to experiencing tight calves.
This is because your calf isn’t going through a full range of motion throughout the day. A full range of motion with your calf muscles happens when you walk and your foot rolls from heel to toe, for example. This stepping movement allows your calf muscles – your gastrocnemius and soleus – to fully contract and relax.
This contraction and relaxation don’t happen when you sit at a desk all day and/or walk in heels often.
Instead, what happens is your muscles get tight and the fibers get shortened. These shorter fibres then pull on your knees to cause knee pain, or can pull on fascia in your feet to cause plantar fasciitis. YUCK & OUCH!
YES, I GET IT. MY CALVES HURT JUST READING THIS. BUT WHAT CAN I DO?
Thank you for grasping the severity of this situation! See, I wasn’t being dramatic?!
The solution is simple: stretch!
The rest of this blog is going to be devoted to teaching you 5 Calf Stretches you can incorporate into your daily routines.
Note: I didn’t say incorporate them into your warmups or cool downs? You can; but I suggest is you do them even when you’re not in Sweat Mode.
Aim to perform stretches throughout the day (ex. Every hour on the hour for 1 minute). These miniscule interruptions in your workday will have HUGE impacts on your calves – and by proxy, your feet and knees.
Seated Calf Stretch
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Loop a Synergee Power Band around one foot. Hold the band on either side with both hands.
- Gently pull your toes toward your shin until you feel the stretch in your calf.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Optional, but recommended: Pet a cute dog between sets
Lunging Calf Stretch
- Place your hands on your hips and step one foot back into a mini lunge, bending your front leg and keeping your back leg straight. Press your back heel down so it's flat on the ground. The further apart your feet are, the deeper the stretch will be.
- Once you've held this stretch for 30-60 seconds, change the angle of your foot positioning to stretch different parts of your calf.
- Repeat on the other side.
Standing Bent-Over Calf Stretch
- Stand with your feet about hip width apart and step one of them forward half a step.
- Bend your back knee and keep your front knee straight as you fold forward and grab onto your front foot underneath your toes.
- Pull up gently on your toes, feeling the stretch in your calf.
- Repeat on the other side.
Downward Dog
- Start in a plank position with your hands on the ground directly under your shoulders.
- Pressing through your fingers and palms, lift your hips upwards and shift your weight back to bring your butt to the ceiling.
- Press your heels toward the ground—the closer they get to the floor, the deeper the calf stretch will be. Think about opening your chest as you push it towards your shins as well, giving a great stretch to your lower back.
- To stretch the lower part of your calves, bend your knees slightly while you continue to press your heels toward the ground.
Heel Drop Stretch
- Stand on top of your Synergee Box. Put one foot flat and towards the center of the box and shift your other foot towards the edge.
- Place the ball of your foot on the box and have your heel hanging over the edge. Drop that heel towards the floor. Bend your other leg and try not to put much weight into it; use it for stability.
- Repeat on the other side.
Credits
This photoshoot featured special guest, Jemma!
If you’ve read our About Us story, you know that Synergee Worldwide Fitness Inc. is based inside Synergee Fitness, the gym.
Joey runs Synergee Fitness Worldwide Inc. and his mother, Gina, runs the fitness facility! Gina recently adopted Jenna, and the entire Synergee Tem is STOKED! So now we can say our business is family-focused AND dog friendly! Stay tuned for more Jemma Cameos!
