Stretch your calves

Although the calf muscles consist of various muscles, two muscles come into focus when it comes to training or stretching the calves. These are the large twin calf muscle, the gastrocnemius muscle, and the soleus muscle. The following exercises provide the opportunity to apply a varying training stimulus, allowing the front, back, or side areas to be stretched selectively.

Seated toe extensions (stretching)

When sitting and stretching your toes on the floor, you comfortably position yourself. Your legs are slightly bent, and your toes point forward. The upper body remains flexible, and your hands rest relaxed on your thighs. To activate the foot muscles, you slowly move your toes upward without lifting the heel off the ground. The posture remains stable as you extend your toes towards the ceiling, creating a pleasant tension in the lower legs through this motion.

Pressing your toes against the wall (stretching)

Foot pressing against the wall is a versatile stretching exercise that can be done anywhere. In this section, two different variations of this exercise are introduced.

Position yourself about a step away from the wall. The front leg is slightly bent, and the toes gently touch the wall. The supporting leg is stable on the ground, the upper body is upright, and you lean on the wall with your hands. To stretch the calf muscles, press the heel down towards the floor, feeling the muscles tense.

In this variation of foot pressing, stand just a few inches away from the wall. Your upper body remains upright, the back leg is stable on the ground, and the front foot lightly presses the toes against the wall. By consciously pressing the toes, you generate a pleasant stretch in the calf muscles.

Stretching the calf muscle while sitting with the band (stretching)

When sitting and stretching the calf muscle with a band, begin by positioning yourself upright on the floor. Place an elastic band around one foot and hold the ends in both hands. Keep your upper body completely upright, and direct your gaze forward. Now, gently pull the toes of the foot towards your body to stretch the calf muscles. Afterward, release the tension and move the leg into a slightly bent position, while the non-stretched leg remains relaxed in a comfortable position.

Stretching the calf muscle while lying down with the band (stretching)

For stretching the calf muscle while lying down with a band, lie on your back. Your legs are approximately hip-width apart. Wrap the exercise band around the foot whose calf muscle you want to stretch. Keep the upper body straight, and direct your gaze upwards. Your arms are almost fully extended, holding the ends of the exercise band. Start by slightly flexing the toes and pulling them towards your body. Then, allow the leg to bend and bring it into a flexed position. Afterward, push the band away with your foot and return the leg to an extended position, intensifying the stretch in the calf area.

Calf stretch in starting position (stretching)

The calf stretch in the starting position resembles the beginning of a athletic race. To initiate, place yourself into a lunge position. Now, tilt your upper body straight forward, so that it is parallel to the ground, and reach the floor with your hands in front of your leading foot. The back leg is fully extended, with the foot making complete contact with the ground, while the front leg is bent. To intensify the stretch in the back leg, press the heel and/or the tips of the toes firmly onto the ground.

Calf stretch while leaning against the wall (stretching)

For the optimal execution of the calf stretch while leaning against the wall, position yourself more than a step away from the wall. Now, lean your body straight forward without letting your feet leave the ground. Your hands are in front of your head, pressing the arms against the wall to support the entire body. The feet must rest entirely on the ground, and the legs are fully extended, automatically creating a stretch in the calves. Consciously press the heels onto the ground to intensify the stretch.

Calf stretch on the bench (stretching)

Calf stretching on the seating furniture provides flexible options at various locations. While fitness enthusiasts can use a bench in the gym, at home, chairs, benches, and similar items come into play.

Body Position

Start by placing yourself in front of a piece of seating furniture. The back leg is fully extended, and the front foot rests on the seating furniture. Tilt your upper body forward and reach with the hand on the same side under the foot on the piece of furniture.

Movement Execution

To intensify the calf stretch on the seating furniture, you should now extend the respective leg and keep the hand on the foot.

Calf stretching on the stairs (stretching)

For stretching the calves at home, using a stair step is a suitable option. This allows for an expansion of the range of motion and an intensification of the stretch.

Body Position

Start by standing on two different stair steps. The feet only touch the respective steps with the balls of the feet, and the heels hover in the air. The body is fully upright, and the gaze is directed forward. The leg is almost fully extended.

Movement Execution

To achieve a stretch in the back leg, lower the heel now. You can hold the heel there, stretching the rear calf. Then, switch sides.

Calf stretching on the calf block (stretching)

A calf block or an aerobic stepper not only enable effective leg training but can also be used in various ways for calf stretching.

To perform the calf stretch with a block, position yourself about a step away from it. Both feet are facing forward, with the rear foot firmly on the ground. Keep your upper body upright, and your gaze forward. Now, place the front ball of your foot on the calf block. To achieve a comfortable stretch in the rear lower leg, gently lower the heel.

In an alternative version of calf raises on the block, stand with the support leg on the calf block. Keep your entire body upright. The rear foot only touches the calf block with the ball of the foot. By pressing the heel down deliberately, you enhance the stretch. Afterwards, you can switch sides.

Lower leg stretching with the Theraband (stretching)

A particularly intense stretch for the lower legs is achieved by combining calf stretching in a lunge position with a Theraband. While in a lunge position, the front leg is slightly bent for stability, and the rear leg is almost fully extended. While keeping the upper body upright, a Theraband is attached to the front ankle and secured behind you. To intensify the calf stretch, shift your weight forward without lifting your feet off the ground. For an additional boost in the stretch, pull the toes of the front foot upward.

Reverse toe press (stretching)

The reverse toe press is a rare stretching exercise for the lower legs that is not often practiced. The focus here is on stretching the front or side of the lower leg. To perform this, stand upright with the foot of the front supporting leg firmly on the ground. The back foot touches the ground only with the toes. To intensify the stretch, you can move the top of the foot more strongly toward the ground.

Seated Calf Stretch by Touching Toes (Stretching)

Seated calf stretching through toe touching is a common exercise for stretching the calf muscles. In this exercise, athletes sit on the floor and extend their legs fully in front of their bodies. Initially, the back remains upright. Then, with a straight back, athletes bend forward to touch the toes with their hands. The leg remains fully extended to stretch the muscles at the back of the leg. Alternatively, athletes can stretch both sides simultaneously by touching the toes of both feet with their hands.

Lung calf stretch (stretching)

To perform the lunging calf stretch, step into a lunge position. The front leg should be slightly bent, while the back leg is fully extended. Keep the upper body upright, and the arms are positioned on both sides. To stretch the back calf, shift your weight to the front supporting leg, making sure the back heel remains on the ground.

Turning your feet to the middle (stretching)

For the middle foot rotation, start by assuming a comfortable seated position on the floor. Support yourself with your hands behind you and maintain an upright posture. Both legs are extended forward, with the toes pointing slightly outward. To stretch the lower legs, rotate the toes as far as possible towards the middle.

Common mistakes when stretching the calf muscles

Stretching plays a crucial role in effective training, particularly in building healthy muscles. To expand the range of motion, prevent injuries, and counteract muscle shortening, it is important to perform stretching exercises correctly.

✅ Excessive Speed: When stretching the calves, the movement should occur at a moderate pace. Excessively fast movements carry the risk of injuries.

✅ Abrupt Swing Movements: Sudden swinging movements pose a risk during stretching, as the muscles generate high opposing forces. Therefore, it is important to approach the stretch gently.

✅ Rocking Movements: Beginners should avoid rocking stretching exercises. If the stretch is unfamiliar, it can lead to pain. It is advisable to start with static stretches to increase muscle flexibility. Rocking movements can be incorporated only afterward.

✅ Overstretching: Physical limits vary individually. In stretching, it is crucial to always respect one's own boundaries and not proceed excessively ambitiously.

Alternatives and similar exercises for training the calves

The realm of stretching exercises offers a multitude of possibilities. The following variations not only allow for training the calf muscles but also contribute to strengthening the lower leg.