Mobility and stretches
Active calf and hamstring stretch
- Kit
- No kit
- Works
- hamstrings · calves
- Also
- glutes · lower back · ankles
This is a slow, moving stretch that takes the back of the leg through its range instead of holding one position. You alternate between lengthening the hamstring at the hip and driving the heel down to reach the calf, so both work in sequence. It suits the start of a session to wake up stiff legs, or the end to unwind them after squats, lunges or running.
Form
How to do active calf and hamstring stretch
- 1Stand tall and take one small step forward, front heel on the floor, toes lifted slightly, back knee soft. Keep your hips square.
- 2Hinge from the hips and send your backside back, chest leading, until you feel a gentle pull up the back of the front thigh. Breathe out as you fold.
- 3Hold that hinge for a breath, then press the front heel firmly into the floor and pull the toes up towards your shin to shift the stretch into the calf.
- 4Come back up to standing, shift your weight forward onto the front foot and press the heel down with the leg straighter to reach lower in the calf.
- 5Keep cycling slowly between the hinge and the heel press, moving with your breath rather than bouncing, and do both sides during the set.
Watch for
Common mistakes
Rounding the back to reach further down.
Fix: Keep a long spine and hinge from the hips only, stopping when your back wants to curl.
Bouncing in and out of the stretch quickly.
Fix: Move at half speed, spending a full breath in each position so the muscle lengthens rather than resists.
Locking the front knee hard and forcing the range.
Fix: Leave a small softness in the knee and work at a stretch you can breathe through calmly.
Variations
Easier and harder
Sessions