This Lower Leg Workout Keeps Your Calves, Shins and Achilles Healthy
Add these five exercises to your strength routine to sidestep injury.
It’s easy to put off strength training in favour of being outside, cruising down the road, and doing the sport you love. But to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and sidestep injury, you need some strength exercises in your routine. Doing a lower leg workout two to three times a week can be super beneficial to your running and help you power through your miles injury-free for years to come.
The fact is, running can create muscle imbalances or accentuate ones you already have. Weak calves, for example, put too much stress on the Achilles and break down the fibres that make up the tendon. Unstable hip and core muscles hurt your biomechanics and overload your shins, which can lead to shin splints and stress fractures.
So in order to run well and stay healthy, it’s essential to incorporate some strategic strength training (especially lower leg workouts) into your regular run routine.
So in order to run well and stay healthy, it’s essential to incorporate some strategic strength training (especially lower leg workouts) into your regular run routine. If you’re generally healthy—but especially if you have had shin splints, calf, or Achilles issues in the past—these five calf exercises will build the resilience and endurance you need to run well.
How to use this list: Perform the exercises below, demonstrated by Mat Forzaglia, certified trainer and founder of Forzag Fitness, twice a week. Do not perform these exercises if you are currently injured; they are preventative only. You will need a box or step and a set of weights or weight alternatives you can find around the house. An exercise mat is optional.
Plyometric Lunge
Start standing then take a step forward with right foot and drop into a lunge, lowering left knee to the floor and hovering just above it. Push through feet to explode up into a jump and switch legs in midair so you land in a lunge with your left leg forward. Use arms for momentum. Repeat the lunge jump on the left leg. That’s 1 rep. Repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Straight-Leg Calf Raise
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on the edge of a step. Shift weight to the right foot and lift left foot or cross it behind the right ankle. Balancing on the ball of right foot, lift right heel and pause; then lower. Repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg.
Bent-Knee Calf Raise
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand on the edge of a step. Shift weight to the right foot and lift left foot or cross it behind the right ankle. Balancing on the ball of the right foot with right knee bent, lift right heel and pause; then lower. Repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg.
Eccentric Calf Raise
Stand on a step with heels hanging off the edge. Raise heels to come onto toes. Then very slowly (to a count of 10) drop heels below the level of the step. Place hands on hips for balance. Repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.
Farmer’s Walk on Toes
Hold heavy dumbbells at the sides. Rise up onto toes and walk forward for 60 seconds, keeping heels elevated. If you feel that you could’ve gone longer than 60 seconds, increase the weight. Do 3 sets.
