Simple Workout for Calf muscles
If you experience any tightness in your calves - this is for you!
If you experience pain in your legs, ankles, knees, feet - this is for you!
If you experience bloating, burping or too much gas trapped in your stomach - this is for you!
If you want to know what other benefits there are in this workout which I am going to share with you - this is for you!
Our calf on the back of the lower leg is made up of two muscles, gastrocnemius which is the larger muscle and bulges out in a diamond shape and the other is the soleus muscle which is the flat muscle underneath the gastrocnemius. Both these muscles narrow down and merge at the base of the calf muscle. The connective tissues at the base of the calf muscle then merges into the Achilles Tendon which then inserts into the heel bone.
There could be many reasons for pain in the calves such as tight muscles due to lack of exercise, tired due to too much walking or simply standing in one place for too long. But the workout I am going to share with you is not only for pain in your calves, but will improve all the other organs because we are going to wake up every single nerve connected around it.
Sit down on the floor on your mat with your legs extended in front of you. Try to sit in a 90 degrees shape or if you find it a little difficult then sit against a wall for support.
Have your heels fixed on your mat and start slapping your legs on the floor alternatively with a gentle force applied. Just do this for 3-5 minutes in the beginning and gradually increasing it up to 10 minutes during the course of a few days/weeks. It is that simple and does wonders. You'll feel so light instantly. You just need to make sure that you don't rub your heels on the ground but lock them in place before you start this workout.
The slapping on the calves will increase the blood flow and will keep the muscles loose. You must have seen the athletes slapping their calves before a run...well, now you know why! It will also slow down the lactic acid buildup which is the acid in our legs that builds up when there's not enough oxygen in the muscles to break down glucose and glycogen.
The best time to do this workout is in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening before food when your stomach is not too full.
By doing this exercise, the blood flows thoroughly through the various veins in our legs, from heels to calves, to knees, to thighs, to abdomen, to heart, to liver and to the lower back. So, for general health improvement as well as for warm up exercises one can surely take benefit from this simple workout. If nothing else, you'll at least feel more alive in your legs and achieve a good mood because of the release of serotonin and dopamine, I can promise you that! So, no harm in doing so.
Also, if you ever find yourself with a blocked nose, try doing this exercise and you'll love your breath.
People who suffer from hernia, pregnant women and anyone with serious knees and stomach issues should avoid this exercise.
