Downward Dog with Calf Stretch

Technique

How to perform Downward Dog with Calf Stretch

1. Start in a high-plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and feet hip-width apart, engaging your core and keeping a straight line from head to heels.
2. Exhale as you lift your hips up and back, straightening your arms and legs to form an inverted “V.”
3. Press your chest toward your thighs while keeping your spine long and heels reaching toward the floor - this is your Downward Dog position.
4. To stretch the right calf, bend your left knee slightly and press your right heel closer to the ground, feeling a gentle stretch along the back of your right lower leg.
5. Hold for a breath or two, then switch sides by bending your right knee and lowering your left heel toward the floor to stretch the left calf.
6. Continue alternating heels or hold each stretch for the recommended duration, maintaining steady breathing and keeping your shoulders away from your ears.
7. When finished, return both heels toward the floor, then shift forward into high plank and lower to your knees to exit the pose.

Programming relevance

Muscles involved

Primary targets: Gastrocnemius, Soleus.