Exercise

Bent-Knee Calf Stretch

A calf stretch taken with the knee BENT, usually with the ball of the foot on a stair edge and the heel dropping below it. Bending the knee slackens the gastrocnemius, which crosses the knee, so the stretch reaches the soleus beneath it instead.

Also called: Bent Legged Calf Stretch, Bent-Leg Calf Stretch, Bent Knee Calf Stretch on Stairs · Equipment: stretching · Pattern: isolation

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How to do it

Step by step

  1. Stand on a step or stair with the ball of one foot on the edge and the heel hanging off the back.
  2. Hold the rail or the wall for balance and put your weight on that leg.
  3. BEND the knee of the working leg and keep it bent — a straight knee makes this a different stretch on a different muscle.
  4. Let the heel sink below the level of the step until you feel the stretch low in the calf, just above the heel.
  5. Breathe normally and hold, then step off under control and repeat on the other side.
  6. Take the heel down only as far as is comfortable; there is no benefit in forcing it.

Log the bent-knee calf stretch in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.

General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.