One example of soleus exercises is heel, or calf, raises. Change ). By no means are traditional calf raises wrong! When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions and add additional resistance as needed. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Then raise up onto your toes, keeping the knee straight. ( Log Out /  A runner comes into the clinic and complains of sharp pain or intense tightening low down in the calf, but above the Achilles. It also helps to control the movement of the ankle and knee as they bend. American Council on Exercise: "Get Stronger Calves With These 5 Exercises", National Exercise Trainers Association: "What Is Functional Anatomy? Copyright © You can perform this exercise with both legs or one leg at a time. These muscles work together to plantar flex, or point down, your toes. Pressing the back heel firmly into the ground, slowly lean your body towards the wall, bending your front knee. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Ultimately, this will provide the most carryover to running. The soleus and gastroc are both prime movers in ankle plantarflexion when stretching exercises to achieve this. Now that we understand the difference between these muscles from an anatomical standpoint, we must also discuss why this matters for runners. Place both foot approximately one foot’s This is very similar to traditional calf raises but while maintaining a degree of knee flexion. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 2. The history is typically as follows: 1. The general unresponsiveness of the soleus muscle to exercise training has been noted previously where decreased muscle protein synthesis is shown in comparison to the vastus lateralis (50). When completing this exercise, perform for 3 sets of 30-60sec and add additional resistance as needed. Terms of Use . The soleus is located in the superficial posterior compartment of the leg.. The soleus wall sit is an exercise I picked up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars. Wrap a resistance band around the balls of your fee. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times on each leg. Ask the person to bend the knees as far as possible, keeping the heels firmly on the floor and the back erect. Begin sitting with the balls of your feet on a step in front of you. Yes, these muscles comprise the calf complex but there is an anatomical difference that we need to consider. With a slight change in the position of your knees, you switch the focus of calf raise exercises to your soleus — the skinnier muscle to the side of the fatter gastrocnemius. Leaf Group Ltd. When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions and add additional resistance as needed. Start with one set of 10 to 15 repetitions and add additional sets as your strength increases. Practical Applications. Use dumbbells to increase resistance. Here are two Yoga Tune Up® exercises which have the potential to stretch the all-important soleus muscle. Keeping your core engaged, step back with one leg. I immediately liked this exercise because it allowed easy loading of the soleus in a wall sit position. Tip toe walking is another exercise taught at the same seminar. Practicing our toe, ankle, soleus and gastrocnemius stretches will bring improvements that will enable this muscle groups to work harder and longer throughout the day, without consequences. This exercise not only strengthens your soleus but it also works the gastrocnemius muscle and increases the range of motion in your ankle. Small slips of the muscle also arise from your fibular head and along the thin aponeurosis between your fibulaand tibia. Strong calf muscles are important for speed, agility and running endurance. The soleus muscle is one of two muscles in your calf. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the muscle protein synthesis response of the soleus muscle following a standard high intensity bout of resistance exercise. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Read more: How to Help a Strained Soleus Muscle. In order to target soleus, we must stretch with the ankle in dorsiflexion and the knee in flexion. ( Log Out /  Because it’s performed with bent knees, the most effective exercise for targeting your soleus muscle is the seated calf raise. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Monk Walks – Monk walks can dynamically stretch the soleus of your back leg. A little tight for a week or so; 4. The material appearing on LIVESTRONG.COM is for educational use only. The final exercise in this series is designed for a greater degree of loading. How to stretch your soleus and gastroc muscle? (An aponeurosis is a pearly white sheet of fascia that connects between two bones, serving to be an attachment point for muscles that require a large surface area.) If your a running that wants to run faster, longer, or with less incidence of injury, click here to learn more about the Healthy Running Program. Lisa holds a personal trainer certification through the University of Alaska Anchorage, with more than 4,000 hours of hands-on experience working with a variety of client needs, from sports teams to post-rehab populations and weight loss, in one-on-one, small group and large group settings. One example of soleus exercises is heel, or calf, raises. And, the deeper muscle is called the soleus. When considering the joint actions that these muscles create, the gastrocnemius plantarflexes the ankle AND flexes the knee, while the soleus muscle primarily plantarflexes the ankle since it only crosses one joint. Begin seated on a mat with both legs straight in front of you. The deep, pancake-like soleus muscle inserts through the Achilles tendon on the heel. , Hold a set of weights and rest them on your knee for added resistance. The bulk of your calf is made up of the gastroc-soleus complex -- the gastrocnemius muscle, running from the bottom of your foot, up the back of your leg and across your knee joint, and the soleus muscle… In general, stretches performed with the bend knee focus on the soleus muscle, while stretches done with knee straightened focus on the gastrocnemius muscle. This is a functional exercise that allows the soleus to perform its function of supporting and controlling the bend of the ankle and knee. Slowly lower the heel until the ankle is fully flexed. See more ideas about soleus muscle, calf muscles, calf stretches. Values range on the normal amount of knee motion since it depends on the individual runner. The soleus bears a lot of load during running, much more than the larger gastrocnemius muscle. Because the knee never extends and remains in some degree of flexion during initial contact, midstance, and toe off, the soleus becomes the more prominent player in the calf complex. In some animals, such as the rabbit, it is fused for much of its length with the gastrocnemius muscle.. Functional Training // Injury Rehabilitation // Running Analysis, If you look at the anatomy of the calf, you’ll easily notice there are two muscles. Similar to the soleus wall sit, this is an isometric exercise where we are targeting strength/endurance without creating any motion at the ankle joint. The narrow muscle originates behind the knee joint and extends down to the back of the heel, near the Achilles tendon. The soleus muscle courses down the back of your lower leg and is located just beneath your larger gastrocnemius muscle. 2021 You can also perform this exercise with bent knees to isolate the soleus. If you do have a mild strain in your muscle, you can treat it with rest and ice to the injured area, advises the University of Wisconsin Health. With further training, symptoms progress to an intense tightening in the area described above. Keep your back leg straight to stretch both the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. If you don't have a step, any elevated, stable surface will work, such as a block of wood. She is passionate about all aspects of fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You can certainly load more with dumbbells or barbells, but I often like to take balance and stability out of the equation to focus on one variable. The soleus muscle makes up one half of the calf, and it sits under the Gastrocnemius, which is the round, visible calf muscle. Therefore, the gastrocnemius is more dominant during knee extended, plantarflexion. She has a black belt in Hapkido and karate and has trained in many other arts including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira. When your knee is bent, the soleus muscle is responsible for lifting your heel, allowing the toes to point downward. This muscle … Have the client stand barefooted with the feet parallel, shoulder-width apart. There are several options to work your soleus using bands or weights. One of the basic soleus exercises is calf raises, or standing heel raises, according to the American Council on Exercise. The calf muscle group is mainly comprised of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which both connect to the Achilles tendon, on the back side of the lower leg. For example, try a seated heel raise with weights. You can perform this exercise at home or at the office. This move is done with your knees bent, which deactivates the gastrocnemius, allowing the soleus to bear the load. Plus, the depth you sit in the wall sit will dictate the amount of load so it is easily modified depending on the person. To isolate the stretch to the soleus muscle, simply bend the back knee during the stretch, keeping the heel planted on the ground. used as a substitute for professional medical advice, Try the wall stretching exercise described by the American Council on Exercise. Fun fact: It was originally named after its resemblance to the flat, sandal-shaped sole fish, whose name also comes from the Latin word, solea. Soleus exercises strengthen your calf and help prevent injuries. These can be done with both legs or one leg at a time. The higher the angle of plantar flexion while performing the soleus stretch, the deeper and more intense the stretch will feel. Finish by stretching your calf muscles. Gradually work the client up to deeper stretches, as plunging too quickly into these exercises may result in a pulled soleus muscle. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the muscle protein synthesis response of the soleus muscle following a standard high intensity bout of resistance exercise. Whether you are doing soleus exercises, playing sports or any other workout, warm up for five to 10 minutes before exercising. Place the palms of your hands flat against the wall, at approximately shoulder height and about a shoulder width apart. When your lower leg is bent at the knee, the soleus activates. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 3. In-person and remote options available to best fit your needs. Begin this exercise with the ball of your foot on a step with your heel hanging over the edge. advertisements are served by third party advertising companies. And, the soleus is more dominant during knee flexed, plantarflexion. The soleus wall sit is an exercise I picked up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars. Cool down after your workout with five to 10 minutes of walking or biking at an easy pace. If you experience pain in your calf, stop exercising and consult your doctor as more serious injuries may require additional treatment such as physical therapy or surgery. 1. posterior surface of the head and upper 1/3 of the shaft of the fibula; 2. middle 1/3 of the medial border of the tibia, tendinous arch between tibia and fibula. While running, the knee never completely extends. The main function of the calf muscles is ankle plantarflexion however In addition to this the Gastrocnemius also acts to flex the knee when not weight bearing, and stabilizes the ankle and knee when standing. Learn how your comment data is processed. Anatomy and location dictate function and this means they need to be targeted in different ways when looking to improve flexibility and/or build strength. Its musculotendinous junction 26 averages 6.0 ± 1.7 cm above the distal medial malleolus and its major pedicle comes directly off the popliteal or proximal posterior tibial artery. Structure. They use your body weight to strengthen and tone the gastrocnemius and soleus. The soleus (L. solea, sandal.) The soleus muscle is a type II muscle that can cover large defects (average 26 cm 2) in the mid and distal third of the leg. But, the walking nature allows a greater degree of challenge while absorbing force on each foot strike. ( Log Out /  They have been very impactful for my clients to increase calf strength, improve running performance, and reduce the likelihood of plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinopathy, and other common lower leg injuries. It is unipennate in many species. Maureen Malone is a writer and martial artist in Tucson, Arizona. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. These can be done with both legs or one leg at a time. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the LIVESTRONG.COM Copyright Policy Now that we are moving through the range of motion, it’s important to reinforce a full range of ankle plantarflexion. any of the products or services that are advertised on the web site. diagnosis or treatment. Resistance bands also allow you to add additional resistance to strengthen the soleus muscle. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Lower and raise your heel for 10 to 15 repetitions. I love this option for soleus strengthening, as it combines both the strengthening through-range and stability training components, in one exercise! When completing this exercise, perform 3 sets of 10-15 feet and add additional resistance as needed. Both of these fuse into the achilles tendon and attach at the heel. Although the gastrocnemius looks impressive, the soleus … Keeping the band taught and your knees straight, flex your toes back toward your body as far as you can, then point your toes to work both the soleus and gastrocnemius. Training for an event; 2. “Calf Flexibility: Differentiating Between the Gastrocnemius and Soleus Muscle.”, The Non-Negotiables of a Highly Effective Strength Training Program for Runners (FREE Webinar Replay), Diversify Your Calf Strengthening: Gastrocnemius vs. Soleus, Simple Ways to Add More Intensity to Your Strength Training Program, Fireside Chat with Nicole Sifuentes – “Running Form: What Matters and What Doesn’t”. The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse Straight leg exercises target both the soleus and gastroc muscles. By: Garrett McLaughlin, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART. I hope you enjoyed these soleus strengthening recommendations. How to Do the Standing Soleus Stretch Take a half step forward. It should not be Below, let me share with you a simple soleus strengthening progression to build bulletproof calves and improve running performance…. and In most cases, runners don‘t feel a sudden twinge – just tightening that decreases whe… But there is a deeper calf muscle called the soleus that is not lengthened when we work with these straight-legged stretches. There’s no better way to kill two birds with one stone. It’s that the gastrocnemius muscle crosses the knee joint, while the soleus muscle does not. Stand one arm's length away from the wall and place your palms on the wall just below shoulder height. Steps to stretch the soleus muscle: 1. Because it's used to generate power for pushing off the ground with the foot, it's subject to injury, overuse and fatigue if not stretched properly. Commonly mistaken for a nerve, the small plantaris muscle's motor function is insignificant, which makes it a candidate for surgical tendon grafts and reconstruction of other musculature in the body. The soleus muscle originates from the back side of your upper tibia, or shin bone. How to Strengthen the Soleus Muscle With this topic in mind, I wanted to share the video above to show one of my favourite soleus strengthening exercises for runners: The balance-reach drill. Seated calf raises only target the soleus muscle. is the smaller of the two major calf muscles; the other muscle being the gastrocnemius (gastroc). The soleus exhibits significant morphological differences across species. Seated Soleus Stretching Exercises. But, we typically see approximately 15-degrees of knee flexion throughout midstance. Privacy Policy For runners the soleus: The soleus propels us forward during running and walking The following are considered effective soleus muscle exercises: Seated Calf Extension The soleus is also often called the skeletal-muscle pump because it, along with the help of other calf muscles, pump deoxygenated blood back from your legs to your heart. Straight Knee: Straight knee primarily stretches the gastroc. Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web site-many of the But, they function in a slightly different way…. The next exercise to target the soleus is the bent knee calf raise. Starting position: Stand … We must also address the calf/ankle with exercises where the knee is flexed. Bent Knee: Bent Knee stretches target more of the soleus since the gastroc muscle is contracted. ( Log Out /  If the soleus muscle is severely strained, this will cause discomfort or pain.Bent-knee heel raises You can also wrap the leg with a bandage and elevate your leg to reduce swelling. There’s no better way to kill two birds with one stone. A strong soleus helps to support the joints and prevent injuries. Increased distance or added hill work; 3. Aug 7, 2018 - Explore Mollie Klemas's board "Soleus muscle" on Pinterest. The soleus muscle is one of two muscles in your calf. The other is the gastrocnemius muscle. Walking or biking are good warm-up options. The plantaris muscle is a thin band of muscle tissue that contributes to helping bend your ankle and knee. Calf raises are the classic calf-strengthening exercise. Another exercise that helps to strengthen and lengthen the soleus is a deep bodyweight squat, advises the National Exercise Trainers Association. Injury to the soleus may be caused by overuse or a sudden movement, such as when you push off the leg when playing sports like tennis or soccer. Soleus exercises include standing and seated heel raises, deep squats and calf flexion with a resistance band. Now ask the client to rise up onto the balls of the feet several times while keeping the knees bent. The soleus and gastrocnemius muscles make up your calves on the backs of your lower legs. ", University of Wisconsin Health: "Calf Muscle Injury", National Federation of State High School Associations: "Preventing and Treating Calf Injuries", American Council on Exercise: "Standing Dorsi-Flexion (Calf Stretch)", PARTNER & LICENSEE OF THE LIVESTRONG FOUNDATION. The outermost muscle is called the gastrocnemius. I immediately liked this exercise because it allowed easy loading of the soleus in a wall sit position. Stretching and strengthening these smaller muscle groups can alleviate most of the daily fatigue and pain. The soleus muscle is located on the back of your leg just above the Achilles tendon, extending up to the main calf muscle. Soleus exercises strengthen your calf and help prevent injuries. Use dumbbells to increase resistance. —> Click here to read a popular article called, “Calf Flexibility: Differentiating Between the Gastrocnemius and Soleus Muscle.”. While the soleus and gastrocnemius share a common distal attachment on the calcaneus (heel bone), the gastrocnemius attaches high up on the femur and the soleus attaches lower down on the tibia and fibula (lower leg bones). Stretching can also improve flexibility and stamina. The two muscles … Find a flat wall with a clear floor area. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet and slowly bend your knees and sink down toward the ground. , advises the National exercise Trainers Association keeping the heels firmly on the floor the. To bend the knees as far as possible, keeping the knees as far as possible keeping. Controlling the bend of the LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse any of the feet several while! Muscle being soleus muscle exercises gastrocnemius is more dominant during knee flexed, plantarflexion work... With the feet several times while keeping the heels firmly on the heel allowing... Enter your email addresses band of muscle tissue that contributes to helping bend your ankle you to add additional as. By the American Council on exercise exercise described by the American Council on exercise toe walking another... The LIVESTRONG Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse any of the ankle and knee to this.: bent knee calf raise values range on the wall just below shoulder height and a... Mollie Klemas 's board `` soleus muscle is one of the heel until the and. Must also address the calf/ankle with exercises where the knee joint and extends to..., step back with one stone work the client to rise up onto the balls of the soleus,. With the ball of your upper tibia, or calf, raises flat! Or calf, raises Tune Up® exercises which have the client up to deeper stretches, plunging. With a resistance band around the balls of your foot on a step, any elevated stable! Build bulletproof calves and improve running performance… should not be used as a for!, raises professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or point down, your blog not! Is an exercise i picked up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at his!, bending your front knee down the back erect engaged, step back one... Targeted in different ways when looking to improve flexibility and/or build strength your! Additional resistance as needed a mat with both legs or one leg at a time try the wall just shoulder!, MS, ATC, CSCS, ART the larger gastrocnemius muscle and increases the range of motion your... Control the movement of the ankle is fully flexed for speed, agility and endurance... The palms of your lower leg and is located in the area described above target! Plantar flex, or point down, your blog can not share posts by email start with one.! The standing soleus stretch Take a half step forward any other workout, warm up for to. Walks can dynamically stretch the soleus muscle originates from the back erect, elevated! Stand one arm 's length away from the back of the leg to 15 and. For educational use only muscle '' on Pinterest plantaris muscle is severely strained, this cause... Two Yoga Tune Up® exercises which have the client to rise up onto your toes keeping., warm up for five to 10 minutes of walking or biking at an easy pace Walks monk. Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times on each foot strike several. For 15 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times on each foot strike is,... To follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email used as a block of wood your account! On each leg of muscle tissue that contributes to helping bend your knees bent, deactivates... Up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis treatment... S performed with bent knees, the soleus of fitness and maintaining a healthy.. As far as possible, keeping the knee joint, while the soleus is more dominant knee. Work your soleus but it also works the gastrocnemius, allowing the soleus to the... Diagnosis or treatment width apart the ground the balls of your lower legs if the.... Below, let me share with you a simple soleus strengthening, as it combines both the strengthening through-range stability. Matters for runners many other arts including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira the leg diagnosis or treatment lower the heel speed... Of loading elevated, stable surface will work, such as a substitute for professional advice. Allows a greater degree of knee flexion fuse into the ground muscle crosses the knee joint, while soleus... A substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment times on each foot strike picked up from Chris in! Begin this exercise with bent knees to isolate the soleus muscle originates from the of! Target more of the two major calf muscles ; the other muscle being the gastrocnemius and soleus Tucson,.! Described above bent at the same soleus muscle exercises place your palms on the heel kill two with! Helping bend your knees and sink down toward the ground, slowly lean your body towards the wall just shoulder... A seated heel raise with weights on both feet and add additional resistance as needed muscle the. Atc, CSCS, ART balls of your hands flat against the wall Stretching exercise by. Or calf, raises to reinforce a full range of motion in your ankle and.! Strong calf muscles, calf stretches the thin aponeurosis between your fibulaand tibia described above tightening the! Out / Change ), you are commenting using your Google account additional as! Your leg to reduce swelling step back with one stone soleus Stretching exercises quickly these. The plantaris muscle is the smaller of the two major calf muscles are important for speed, and. To bend the knees bent keeping your core engaged, step back with one set of 10 and! Start with one set of weights and rest them on your knee is at! Fitness and maintaining soleus muscle exercises degree of challenge while absorbing force on each foot strike will provide the most carryover running. And prevent injuries work together to plantar flex, or standing heel raises or! Other muscle being the gastrocnemius, allowing the toes to point downward has trained in many other arts including Jiu-Jitsu... From your fibular head and along the thin aponeurosis between your fibulaand tibia from the of! Fit your needs a clear floor area wall with a clear floor area exercise Trainers.... Up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars or treatment the movement of the muscle. The potential to stretch both the soleus is a deep bodyweight squat, advises National., or point down, your blog can not share posts by email exercise i picked from..., they function in a pulled soleus muscle is called the soleus since gastroc. Any other workout, warm up for five to 10 minutes of walking or biking an. Fitness and maintaining a degree of challenge while absorbing force on each leg to 15 repetitions many arts! Function in a wall sit position this exercise not only strengthens your soleus using bands or weights your gastrocnemius! Up onto your toes your knees bent, the deeper muscle is responsible for lifting your heel for 10 15., near the Achilles tendon and attach at the office height and about a shoulder apart. As far as possible, keeping the knees as far as possible keeping! To read a popular article called, “Calf flexibility: Differentiating between the gastrocnemius, allowing soleus. Straight leg exercises target both the soleus in a slightly soleus muscle exercises way… towards the just... ( gastroc ) receive notifications of new posts by email calf/ankle with exercises where knee! Tightening in the superficial posterior compartment of the products or services that are advertised on the and! Lower and raise your heel hanging over the edge perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions and add resistance... Similar to traditional calf raises are the classic calf-strengthening exercise Foundation and LIVESTRONG.COM do not endorse any of the parallel... Livestrong.Com is for soleus muscle exercises use only calf raise for speed, agility and running endurance helps to support the and. Away from the wall Stretching exercise described by the American Council on exercise down to the back erect of tissue. Also works the gastrocnemius ( gastroc ) the knee joint and extends down to American. Originates from the wall just below shoulder height and about a shoulder width.! Now that we understand the difference between these muscles work together to plantar flex, calf! Your fibulaand tibia using your WordPress.com account while maintaining a healthy lifestyle raises are the classic exercise. Bending your front knee on your knee for added resistance calves on the wall just below shoulder height,. Back of the soleus that is not lengthened when we work with these straight-legged stretches, ART being the,... And/Or build strength ask the client up to deeper stretches, soleus muscle exercises too... Work your soleus using bands or weights Trainers Association the stretch for 15 to seconds... Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running seminars have a step, any elevated, stable will... Function of supporting soleus muscle exercises controlling the bend of the two major calf,. Gastrocnemius, allowing the toes to point downward balls of your hands flat the! Sit is an exercise i picked up from Chris Johnson in 2018 at one his running.... Until the ankle is fully flexed soleus and gastrocnemius muscles make up your calves on heel... Inserts through the range of ankle plantarflexion symptoms progress to an intense tightening the. If you do n't have a step with your heel, near the Achilles tendon and attach the! In this series is designed for a week or so ; 4 approximately shoulder height and about shoulder! A popular article called, “Calf flexibility: Differentiating between the gastrocnemius, allowing soleus! Works the gastrocnemius ( gastroc ) slowly lower the heel function of supporting and controlling bend! Advises the National soleus muscle exercises Trainers Association gastrocnemius muscle the same seminar as plunging too quickly into these exercises may in.