Stretching Your Calf Muscles for Soccer Training

Soccer Training - Photo: Pixabay

The best method to prevent injuries to the legs when participating in soccer training is to ensure that you appropriately stretch and work out the muscles before the session. The most important muscles to work out during this stretching session are the calf muscles. It is easy to stretch this particular set of muscles and get warmed up. Basically, you will need just about a half hour and a good sturdy wall. 

You should engage in stretching your calf muscles for soccer training approximately a half hour before the start of the practice session. For the average adult, you should stand to face a sturdy wall. The wall should be able to hold your weight for an extended amount of time. You should stand anywhere from two to three feet away from the wall. Once you determine that you are in the proper position, you should take your left foot and place it approximately one step in front of you. 

The next thing that you will want to do in order to stretch your calf muscles for soccer training is to place your hands flat on the sturdy wall that you are facing. All parts of your body, such as the hips and the shoulders should be angled in such a way that they, too, are facing the wall. However, it is important to ensure that the elbows are slightly bent for comfort. This also helps to maximize the benefits associated with this particular calf muscle stretching exercise for soccer training. 

At this point, you should begin to bend the knee of your left leg slightly. It is essential that you keep your left foot flat on the ground. You will want to allow your body to lean forward with the movement of your left leg. However, the heels should remain firmly on the ground at all times. You should start to feel pressure in your right leg in the area of the calf muscle. You should start out with a slow amount of pressure and gradually work out until there is a stronger amount of pressure in this area. You should then hold the position. The times for this vary, but it is a good idea to hold the position for at least twenty-second or more. 

Once you have held the position for the amount of time that you wish to designate, you should then go back up into the starting position. Now, you should stretch the calf muscle in the left leg. You will accomplish this by placing your right foot forward and proceeding with the same steps as you just did to stretch the calf muscles in the right leg. It is important that you hold the position for the same amount of time that you did previously. This will allow both sets of calf muscles to receive the same workout for soccer training preparation. 

When performing this exercise, you may opt to have a partner. This is beneficial in numerous ways. First, a partner can time the amount of time that you hold the position. They can also inform you if your form is off in any way. Additionally, when you are stretching for soccer training, it is important to ensure that someone is with you in case of an accidental injury. 

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