Standing calf and hip flexor stretch

Stretching the calf and the hip flexor together is valuable because they affect each other. If your calf is tight, it may limit the movement in your hip flexor. If your hip flexor is tight, then it may limit your range of motion in your calf.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand tall with your left foot back far enough to still keep your heel on the ground (see Figure a).
2. Bend your right knee and reach your left arm overhead as you press your hip forward (see Figure b).
3. Squeeze your buttocks to feel the stretch a little deeper in your hip flexor and calf. As you stretch your arm overhead and press your hip forward, you should feel as if your spine is lengthening, not shortening or compressing.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then repeat on your other leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do reach up and back, not just back.
• Do work on getting your heel to stay on the ground.
• Don’t arch your back.
• Don’t relax your abdominal muscles — keep your bellybutton toward your spine.