Exercise of the Week - Calf Stretch

If you've ever spent an entire day walking around, say on vacation, you've probably woken up with tight, achy calves or, worse, the dreaded calf cramp which can leave you a sobbing mess - or maybe that's just me.

The calf muscles, which include the gastrocnemius and the soleus, are vulnerable to tightness, cramps and injury because they are one of the most used muscles in our bodies. And if you run or wear high heels regularly, you're even more prone to tight calves.

One way to solve this problem is to stretch your calves regularly, especially after your cardio workout. I like to include stretches that target all the muscles of the calves and below are two of my favorites. The first calf stretch targets the gastroc nicely because the position allows you to use your body's leverage to get a deeper stretch. You can also do this move against a wall. The second stretch is a bit more subtle, but targets the soleus, which is the smaller muscle lying underneath the gastroc. You can click on the pictures for more detailed instructions.

For more, check out these Lower Body Stretches and be sure to leave a comment to tell us about your favorite calf stretch.