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26 Soleus Stretch

An often overlooked muscle, the soleus gets a work out constantly as it is engaged to help maintain your balance and postures, but also is highly active with walking and running. This stretch isolates it out from the other plantar flexors such as the gastrocs and allows for a pure stretch of just the soleus.

The soleus muscle is a broad, powerful muscle in the calf beginning just below the knee and attaching to the heel via the Achilles tendon. It works closely with the gastrocnemius muscle, which typically thought of as the calf muscle. The soleus muscle is active every time the toes point down while the knee is bent, such as in every stride. Sunday’s runners will take approximately 26,000 strides during the 13.1 mile race, leaving the soleus prone to strains from 1) over-exertion when the calf muscles are tight or 2) a forceful, sudden contraction when the calf muscles are not properly warmed up.

Runners are very familiar with how to stretch their calf muscles (runner’s stretch), however you rarely see runners warming up or stretching their soleus muscle. For the stretch to be effective, the knee must be bent while the foot is flexed towards the head as seen in this video.


Back Exercises

01 Prone Press Up 02 Single & Double Knees To Chest 15 Abdominal Set 16 Bird Dog 20 Piriformis Stretch 21 Bridges 22 Leg Lock Bridges

Neck Exercises

04 Scapular Depression 13 Chin Tuck 14 Two Part Neck Stretch 33 Seated Wall Angel

Posture Exercises

04 Scapular Depression 05 No Money 13 Chin Tuck 17 TYI Prone Scapular Series 33 Seated Wall Angel

Shoulder Exercises

03 Sleeper Stretch 04 Scapular Depression 05 No Money 17 TYI Prone Scapular Series 18 External Rotation Sideline 33 Seated Wall Angel

Hip Exercises

08 Side Lying Hip Abduction 09 Clam Shells 20 Piriformis Stretch 21 Bridges 22 Leg Lock Bridges 23 IT Band Stretch 24 Side Plank 25 Plank 27 Squat 28 Back Lunges 29 Dead Lift 31 Kneeling Hip Flexor

Specialty Exercises

30 Dynamic Stretches 32 Active Release Technique (A.R.T) ©

Wrist/Elbow Exercises

06 Wrist Extension Stretch 07 Wrist Flexor Stretch 19 Wrist Extensions

Calf Exercises

12 Eccentric Heel Raises 26 Soleus Stretch 34 Runner’s Calf Stretch

Core Exercises

09 Clam Shells 15 Abdominal Set 16 Bird Dog 21 Bridges 22 Leg Lock Bridges 24 Side Plank 25 Plank 29 Dead Lift 31 Kneeling Hip Flexor

Leg Exercises

10 Active Hamstring Stretch 11 Straight Leg Raise 23 IT Band Stretch 27 Squat 28 Back Lunges 29 Dead Lift

For Runners

09 Clam Shells 10 Active Hamstring Stretch 12 Eccentric Heel Raises 15 Abdominal Set 16 Bird Dog 20 Piriformis Stretch 21 Bridges 22 Leg Lock Bridges 23 IT Band Stretch 24 Side Plank 25 Plank 26 Soleus Stretch 28 Back Lunges 29 Dead Lift 30 Dynamic Stretches 31 Kneeling Hip Flexor 34 Runner’s Calf Stretch

Knee Exercises

10 Active Hamstring Stretch 11 Straight Leg Raise 23 IT Band Stretch 27 Squat