Yoga relieves stress and tension in your whole body. Its concentrated breathing helps center you while its poses stretch out taught muscles. Concentrating on certain poses that focus on a specific area, such as your calves, can help relieve chronic tightness, rehabilitate injuries, and improve the performance of those muscle groups. As always, check with your doctor before beginning this or any other new fitness endeavor.
Tree Pose
This balance pose will strengthen your calves and improve your overall balance. Master beginner levels of this position before moving on to more advanced variations. Stand with your feet together. Shift your weight onto your left foot and lift your right heel off the ground while balancing on the ball of your left foot. Next try lifting the right foot up to rest on your calf. Finally, grab your right ankle with your right hand and lift your right foot and rest it as high on your thigh as you can. Hold all positions with your abs pulled in tight and your shoulders relaxed. Hands can be placedalongside your thighs with palms forward, in prayer position, or raised above your head. Do this pose on the other side.
Big Toe Pose
This standing position will stretch your calf muscles. From Tree Pose, separate your feet slightly and bend forward. If you can reach your toes, grab hold of them with your first two fingers of each hand. If you cannot reach your toes, try placing a yoga block on the ground in front of you and resting your hands on it. Stretch the top of your head to the ground, keeping your legs completely straight. Pull your abs in tight to your spine. If you have extremely tight hamstrings, you may have to use this pose to loosen up your hamstrings before you will feel the stretch in your calves.
Downward-facing Dog
Downward-facing dog is a versatile pose that stretches many muscles groups in your body. Your calves will definitely feel the benefit of this whole-body stretch. From Big Toe Pose, release your toes to place your hands on the ground. Jump or step both feet back until your body forms an upside down V shape. With your palms flat on the ground, press the front of your shoulders toward the ground. Look at your legs and keep your neck and shoulders relaxed. Activate your abdominal muscles, pulling them in tight. Reach your tailbone for the ceiling. Keeping your legs completely straight, press your heels into the ground intensifying the stretch to your calves.
Reclining Big Toe Pose
Reclining Big Toe Pose will focus most intensely on your calves. You need a yoga strap or towel for this. Lie flat on the ground with your left leg stretched out straight along the ground. Lift your right leg up to point toward the ceiling, forming a right angle with your body. Loop your yoga strap around the ball of your right foot. Pull your abdominal muscles in and relax the muscles of your neck and shoulders. Pull down on your yoga strap, flexing your foot toward your body and increasing the stretch to your calf. Keep your right leg completely straight. Repeat on the left leg.
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