Achilles exercises - Eccentric Extensions

[primaballerina]

For those of you starting out on Couch to 5K - I strongly recommend you find a suitable step (can be a door step)! and use something to hold onto, and do this excercise once or twice a day about 10 reps. at a time.

UP two, three four, DROP two three four... etc x 10

Ironically the standing on demi-tip-toe will hurt more than the drop (pictured right) but it will strengthen your achilles by lengthening your calf muscles.

Since I have been doing this my achilles 'twinge' I felt in the 'early weeks' has completely disappeared!

PB

(Model pictured: Portia, Doberman aged 4)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Thanks for these, but please though take care...move into the exercise slowly and gradually...

verywellfit.com/achilles-te...

[primaballerina in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks Oldfloss - care in any new movement or stretch is always good advice. And to have a number of exercises to choose from is great - thanks for the link.

I would DEFINATELY do these drops and raises on both legs rather than one at a time if at all possible until you are very advanced (or weigh less than I do!!)

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to primaballerina]

Go you.. it is just taking care and warming your bits up so to speak, before you do the actual exercises

[Pianism Graduate]

+1 for these... my issues have significantly reduced since doing these every day. I usually start off with 3 x 20 calf lifts nowadays to warm things up before I do these.

As Oldfloss says, be very careful and don't overdo it!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Pianism]

Main thing is to warm the muscles up, before the exercise..this is essential in all we do, Yoga or anything else... we can cause damage otherwise...my warm up this morning before my HIIT training was almost as long as the exercise

[Pianism Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Absolutely agreed!

[Bluebirds Graduate]

I usually do this stretch after the run and find it helps. A few stretches, holds and repetitions while balanced on the side of the treadmill does it for me.

[ALZMum Graduate]

Thanks for this helpful hint. I’ve just completed week7 run3 but have a tight calf muscle from a previous injury (many years ago). I’m resting from week 8 but will do these exercises in the meantime.