how to get calf flexibility

[everything]

I recently tore my calf and I suspect it's due to lack of flexibility. I've always had a tight feeling spot where the achilles tendon meets the calf. I want to correct this deficiency as much as possible for prevention and just to feel good.

How do you go about getting great calf flexibility?

[Bao]

How do you go about getting great calf flexibility?

Practicing Santishi standing is a good start.

[Dmitri]

Downward-facing dog

[P. Li]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFmCdZqjVqE

[everything]

awesome pic, thanks.

Downward-facing dog

yes I am horrible at downward dog. it should help a lot.

Practicing Santishi standing is a good start.

what will it do for calves? train the soleus?

p.s. I am still going to mainly do kettlebell swings so I'm not sure if I should follow a certain order, etc.

[Bao]

Practicing Santishi standing is a good start.

what will it do for calves? train the soleus?
.

It will do the same as the first ballet pic. Stand in a comfortable width, quite upright , put 90% on the rear leg. There should be a straight line from the back down to the heal. The calf should be stretched and it will feel tense. Just relax the legs as much as possible, let the weight naturally drop. It might sound simple, but it will be an intense practice if you're not used to it. And if you do it right of course.

[everything]

Thanks I will give it a try

[Steve James]

Try standing and walking on your heels.

[Finny]

Standard calf stretch - same as downward dog, hook one foot over other ankle, press heels back/down to floor.

To stretch lower/achilles - draw a measure on a floor, measuring distance from wall. Stand facing wall, one leg forward (imagine a standard bow-and-arrow stance) with front foot on measure, starting 8-10cm from wall. Press front knee to wall, keeping foot flat. Move foot further from wall and repeat.

Severed my left achilles on some broken glass around 2 years ago..took a long time. good luck with your recovery mate!

[Dmitri]

Try standing and walking on your heels.

...just watch out for straining the muscles opposite of the calf muscles (those that "pull" the foot/toes up). Just sayin'

[Franklin]

like everyone else said-- stretch the calf muscle...

(but I don't really see santi as a method to do this--
if you have your knees bent in the stance.. its not really an effective way to stretch the calf..
or at least I don't see it- or have experienced this after 20 years xingyi practice...)



another good one that people have not mentioned yet--
is a full squat--


it helps improve ankle flexibility --
lean forward a bit and then try to get the heels down to the ground..

move side to side with the weight-- to help open the hips

also good for the lower back



Franklin

[Bao]

..

(but I don't really see santi as a method to do this--
if you have your knees bent in the stance.. its not really an effective way to stretch the calf..
or at least I don't see it- or have experienced this after 20 years xingyi practice...)

(there are different philosophies and different ways to do santishi. I can only speak from my own experience, about 20 years as well, though on a very rudimentary level. Doing it the Sun style way as we practice it, you'll stand your way through the pain by reaching a much deeper relaxation. If your calves are tense, they will become softer, more relaxed by relaxing through the stretched posture. But again, it depend on what santishi stance: height and weight distribution.

[everything]

Thanks for the suggestions!

The other thing I'm wondering is if I can overdo the stretching or maybe overdo the kettlebell swings, putting some kind of stress or overstretch on something.

Severed my left achilles on some broken glass around 2 years ago..took a long time. good luck with your recovery mate!

Yikes!!! Wow. What was recovery like? I am healing quickly but want to be sure I have enough strength/flexibility going forward.

[Finny]

Yikes!!! Wow. What was recovery like? I am healing quickly but want to be sure I have enough strength/flexibility going forward.

Yeah, it was.. unpleasant. Not as bad as you cringe at in movies like Hostel, I could still walk. Had to, I was alone when it happened.

Current state:



As you can see, there's still a bit of scar tissue on the back of the Achilles, but it's greatly reduced.

The recovery was tough - a month or so in a 'moon boot' with a wedge in the heel to reduce flexion (the foot was pointed in the repair) followed by a few months building strength and flexibility to the point where I could walk without a limp. Though initially I attributed this to reduced flexibility, it became apparent that it was in fact more down to strength.

Maybe not fully recovered yet, I'm in the process of ramping up strength and fitness to try and return to some unarmed MA work. I can run at full pace no problem, and do a full squat as above. In the meantime the weapon stuff I do involves a lot of this, which I think helps:

[everything]

Damn dude, best of luck! Glad to see/read you're doing well.