tight calves

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diannastadnyk
diannastadnyk Posts: 16 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have any suggestions for loosening up tight calf muscles? I've been running for a few months now and have recently started running stairs. My calves have gotten so tight that running now hurts.

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  • diannastadnyk
    diannastadnyk Posts: 16 Member
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    Does anyone have any suggestions for loosening up tight calf muscles? I've been running for a few months now and have recently started running stairs. My calves have gotten so tight that running now hurts.
  • havingitall
    havingitall Posts: 3,728 Member
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    stand on the bottom stair...toes on the stair and push down so yur heels are below the stair level, then go up on your tip toes.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
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    My calves get super tight so if I am resting inbetween sets I am always stretching them out.
  • MissesOfficer
    MissesOfficer Posts: 368
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    Are they cramping Mine used to do the same thing, I think because I wasn't used to exercise but in my research I found that dehydration & lack of certain vitamins (umm potassium maybe?) can cause these.
  • LuvinLife
    LuvinLife Posts: 89 Member
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    stand on the bottom stair...toes on the stair and push down so yur heels are below the stair level, then go up on your tip toes.

    Ditto

    My husband is an avid runner and manages a running shop. He swears by this stretch.
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    stand on the bottom stair...toes on the stair and push down so yur heels are below the stair level, then go up on your tip toes.

    Yep, I have very tight calves from running. I was having some achilles tendon issues and went to a PT. They recommended this stretch and I do it after every run. My calves feel a LOT looser. Also, yoga will help, especially really holding yourself in downward dog position and really focusing on pushing your heels to the ground.
  • diannastadnyk
    diannastadnyk Posts: 16 Member
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    Thanks everyone! I will be stretching lots now!
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
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    Sit with your legs strait out in front of you. Then straiten your back and point your feet. Lean over as if doing a hamstring stretch. Then hold yourself in place by either grabbing onto the bottom of your knees or ankles. Then point your toes toward the ceiling for a few seconds. After, flex your feet either toward the ceiling or towards yourself if that's not deep enough. You'll feel it through your calves, achilles, and hamstrings.

    After each rotation, take a deep breath and aim to lean forward even more without bending your back. Then move the toes/feet again.

    It's one of my favorite stretches, and really helped me get to the point where I could drive my heels all the way to the floor during downward dog.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    stand on the bottom stair...toes on the stair and push down so yur heels are below the stair level, then go up on your tip toes.

    Ditto

    My husband is an avid runner and manages a running shop. He swears by this stretch.

    I have been a cyclist for many years and now running is my game and this stretch is the best. If you don't have stairs you can stand on a phone book , step bench, couple of free weights or you can lay on the floor and gently put your leg up in the air, grab behind the calve and thigh and gently pull the thigh toward you face while FLEXING your toes toward your face as well. OR you can get on all fours and put one leg back and push that foot toward the floor keeping the heal up and it will give you the same stretch. HOLD all for at least 30 seconds. I sometimes have to stop after warming up and stretch this muscle and then continue running.
    :flowerforyou:

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