Calf and Hamstring Therapy

Happy Movement Monday, Overwhelmed Yogis.

This week’s exercises are all about grounding and connecting to the rooting energy of early spring.

I’ve been doing the sequence I’m sharing with you today for years, and it still makes me feel like a beginner to yoga every time. And every time, I come away from three minutes feeling so much better.

Start by standing on a towel or blanket roll. The thicker the roll, the deeper the calf stretch. Press into the balls of the feet, especially the big toe mounds, curling your toes back toward you.

Standing tall right here is a great grounding exercise, and you don’t need to go further. But if you’d like to add your hamstrings into the equation, fold forward. Oof. This is humbling. A little bend in the knees is fine — and for most of us, expected. It’s important that your fingertips make contact with something.

Note I deliberately filmed this without any warmup. I’m using a towel rather than a yoga blanket and reaching for Suzie Taylor rather than yoga blocks… a few thick books would also work, or a furniture surface for more support. If your furry friend is squirmy, stick with a stationary object. But you can do this as you are, with whatever you have.

To get the hamstrings from another angle, step one foot back, wide enough that you can keep your hips square. Again, a little bend in the knees is fine, and you want your hands to make contact with something. Tack the hip of your front, stretching leg back to keep the side of the waist long and the hips square.

After doing both sides of the single-legged stretch, try both feet on the blanket roll again.

Hold each position for about 30 seconds, more or less depending on your comfort and the time available to you. The full sequence would take three minutes:

30 seconds standing upright on the roll

30 seconds folding forward with both feet on the roll

30 seconds right leg back

30 seconds left leg back

30 seconds folding forward with both feet on the roll again

30 seconds to stand up slowly and feel the difference both on and off the roll.

How did that feel? I’d love to know.

Remember that nothing should hurt: Sensation from stretching is OK; pain is not. Every body is different. Always listen to yours.

Each Monday I post a movement break to support your body, each Thursday an exercise or tip for your nervous system.