Runners, this one is for you! A study suggests you should be working on strengthening everything below the knee. While thigh injuries are common with sprinters, longer endurance runners suffer with lower leg muscle injuries. This is not surprising given how much impact force you put through your legs on the run - three times your body weight. Stay on top of lower-leg self-care to avoid extended periods out of action. Here are three lower leg exercises you should perform twice a week. BENT KNEE CALF RAISES Holding light dumbbells, stand on the edge of a step. Shift weight to one foot and bend that knee. Balancing on the ball of that foot, lift your heel, pause and then lower. Do 3 sets of 15 reps on each leg. ECCENTRIC CALF RAISES Stand on a step, heels hanging off the edge. Push up onto your toes. Then, slowly (to a count of 10) drop your heels below the level of the step. Do 3 sets of 15 reps. FARMERS WALK ON TOES Hold dumbbells (8-16kg) at your sides. Rise onto your toes and walk forward for 60 seconds. If you feel you could have gone longer than 60 seconds, increase the weight. Do 3 sets.
You can thank me later!
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