Streches for shrinking any claves
Reach for your toes when you're sitting down. Simply sit down with your legs close together and slowly lean forward as you reach your hands toward your toes. Flex your toes and move closer to them, as far as is comfortable for you, until you feel a nice burn in your calves. Hold this pose for 15 seconds and repeat it three times.
Do the wide stance stretch. Just stand with one leg stretched out in front of you with the other leg behind you, separating your legs as far as they can comfortably go. Then, bend your front knee and keep your back foot flat on the ground, feeling the burn in your back calf. Keep your torso and back straight, looking straight ahead as you continue to elongate -- and therefore, shrink -- that back calf muscle.
- Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds and repeat it on the other side. Do five of these stretches on each calf.
Do the step stretch. To do this, just stand with one foot flat on the ground, with the other foot flexed straight out in front of you, with about half your foot planted over the top of a stair. Lean forward and feel the stretch in the calf of the planted foot. Hold this stretch, making sure to keep your planted foot flat on the ground and the leg on the stairs completely straight, as you feel the burn in the calf muscle.
- Hold this pose for 15-20 seconds and repeat it on the other side. Do five of these stretches on each calf.
Do the Downward Facing Dog pose in Yoga. This basic yoga pose is perfect for stretching out the calves and can be repeated many times during a yoga practice or just done on its own to shrink down your calves. To do the downward dog pose, lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and your feet unflexed behind you. Use your hands to push yourself off the floor, shifting your weight to your heels while your hips move in the air. Your body should be making a reverse "V" shape, with your ears near your elbows and your heels as close to the floor as they can go.
- Hold this pose for at least 25-30 seconds as you feel the burn in both of your calves. This is one of the best exercises that stretches both calves at once.
- The closer you get your heels to the floor, the more effective the stretch. If you're up high on your toes, then you'll actually be toning your calves instead of slimming them down.
Do Yoga. Though the downward facing dog pose is great for stretching out your calves, making yoga a part of your weekly exercise routine in general can help you stretch out your calves and tone them down. There are many yoga poses that target the calf muscle and stretch it out without adding tone or bulk to the calf. Here are some yoga poses that are especially helpful for stretching out those calves:
- The warrior one pose. For this pose, stand with one foot in front of you and one foot behind you, with your hips centered and your arms lifted in the air.
- The triangle pose. Stand with your feet wide apart, with one foot in front and one foot behind you, and lean in toward the front foot with the hand on the same side.
- The forward fold. To do a forward fold, simply stand up with your feet close together and fold forward, reaching your hands toward your legs.
Do Pilates. Pilates is another great workout that is designed to not only build strength, but to improve your flexibility and focus. Pilates is a great workout that is traditionally done on an exercise mat, using a variety of apparatuses to help strengthen and stretch your body. Make Pilates a part of your weekly routine if you want to slim down, strengthen up, and reduce the size of those calves.
- The saw and the wall roll-down are two Pilates exercises that will stretch the back of your legs.