Yoga for Calves
The last of the sequence requests is being rolled out today in the form of Yoga for Calf Muscles. The requester didn't specify whether she meant strengthening or stretching, so I went for both! If you need stretching, the strengthening parts might be a bit rough, but you can always skip those. As with every yoga practice, it's a smorgasbord-- take what serves you and leave the rest behind.
As an aside, this is also a great sequence for hikers, runners, and waitstaff. Enjoy!
- Vajrasana (Diamond Pose)
- Gomukhasana (Face of Light Pose)
- Garbasansa (Child’s Pose)
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 on other side
- Cat/cow in table pose
- Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
- Step through to low lunge
- Bend and straighten back knee, letting it just hover about the floor
- Vinyasa to repeat on other side
- Low lunge, bending and straightening front leg
- Try taking hands off of floor and onto hips to continue bending and straightening
- Vinyasa to repeat on other side
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold). 1-2 minute hold, taking variations as you like
- Inhale to lift to all the way up, exhale to take a Sun A
- Meet in Downward Dog
- Lift your right leg to come into three legged dog
- Come up onto the ball (or even tippy toes) of your *left* foot. Exhale to lower heel toward floor, inhale to lift heel into air again. Repeat a few times.
- Exhale right knee to nose in jack-knife, inhale back to three legged dog
- Repeat 3-5 times
- Exhale to place the right foot forward in between the hands
- Warrior II
- Triangle Pose
- Vinyasa to repeat steps 13-22 on the other side
- Come onto the back
- Supta Padangustasana (Reclined Big Toe Pose)
- Supta Trivikramasana (Reclined Vishnu Pose)
- Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana (Upward Facing Fold Pose)
- Gentle supine twist
- Savasana
