Challenge your calves to train your balance
Your calves consist of three different muscles: gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. Together, these lower leg muscles enable us to walk, jump, and stand on our toes. Recent research conducted by Dr. Franz, an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at NC State University, shows that in younger adults, the tendons of the calf muscles slide against each other, which might help power their walking and make it very efficient. However, in older adults, that sliding action does not happen, which might contribute to older people walking more slowly, taking shorter steps, and overcompensating with other leg muscles (1).
That is why it is very important to exercise our calf muscles consistently to maintain their proper function into old age. It is also important to target the calf muscles individually, which we can do by exercising them with legs straight and with knees bent. This is exactly what we do in this yoga practice. We warm up your calves and then strengthen them with several targeted standing poses. We challenge your calves to power your movement and to maintain balance both with legs straight and with the knees bent.
This is a pretty strong practice, so if your knees are feeling vulnerable or unstable, do not lift both heels in Lunge and Goddess poses. You might also benefit from having a chair or wall nearby if you are feeling a bit wobbly.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
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