Building stronger calves isn’t just about boosting your athletic performance—it’s also about safeguarding against lower leg injuries.Sturdy calves do wonders for your stability and balance, crucial for maintaining posture and warding off knee, back issues, and falls. The Flexor Hallucis Longus muscle is especially pivotal during the “toe-off” phase of walking.
Try this effective at-home exercise to amp up your calf strength and activate the Flexor Hallucis Longus:
- Stand about a meter away from a wall, facing it with toes forward.
- Lean forward, placing hands on the wall for support, creating a slight angle with your body.
- Slowly lift onto the balls of your feet, elevating your heels off the ground until you’re on tiptoes.
- Hold for 1-3 seconds, maintaining a straight body and engaged core.
- Gently lower heels back down.
- Aim for 2 sets of 25 repetitions.
Tips for maximizing the exercise:
- Focus on lifting through your big toe to engage the Flexor Hallucis Longus.
- Keep knees straight throughout.
- Embrace slow, controlled movements for optimal results.
- To up the challenge, increase distance from the wall for a steeper lean, or try single-leg variations.