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  • Home
  • Blog
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Calf release with tennis ball 5-minute fix

March 12, 2021 //  by Di Hickman//  9 Comments

At the beginning of the year, I started running again. As such I’ve been experiencing some muscular aches and pains. One area I’ve always struggled with is my calves. Years of teaching step aerobics on gym floors. Over the years I’ve learned ways to work on my tight calves. One way is this calf release with a tennis ball.

5-minute fix for tight calves with a tennis ball

One thing I really got into during my yoga training was using tennis balls to release tight muscles. From my feet, glutes, the knot between my shoulder and my calves. If you haven’t tried it, and have tight calves I highly recommend it.

If you can’t view the embedded video above, you can view the video on YouTube. Maybe add it to a playlist? Above all, remember to subscribe to my channel. New videos are uploaded every Tuesday and Friday. However, for exclusive longer format videos sign up for my Patreon community. Patrons also get early access to all my videos, along with lots of other benefits.

Calf release with tennis ball

With any self-massage I think it’s important to take a baseline. For the calves I’d suggest a pose like dandasana. Noticing the contact the calves have to the floor.

  • Does the right calf have more connection to the floor?
  • Is there a difference in how the right heel connects to the floor compared to the floor?
  • Are the toes pointing forward? In? Up? Out?
  • Maybe notice the space under the knee, is there a difference between the right and left?
yoga teacher sitting in dandasana

Bend the left knee, grab your tennis ball and place it under the middle of the right calf. Halfway between the ankle and knee. The torso should be upright with a line from the head, heart and hip. Lift the foot away from the floor so the weight of the leg is fully supported on the ball.

tennis ball half way between ankle and knee

From the right hip rotate the leg inwards towards the left leg, then outwards towards the right. I like to imagine this as “waving” with my foot.

twaving with the foot to massage through the calf

Continue this for a while noticing where there is more tension. After a minute move the ball 1″ towards the ankle and repeat the wave. After another minute of waving, move the ball again 1″ towards the ankle. Waving for a short while more.

casually sitting on a yoga mat with a tennis ball under one calf

Before doing the other side retest in dandasana. Do the legs feel any different right to left? Maybe take downward facing dog, or try chair pose. Then repeat on the left leg retesting and reassessing at the end.

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Questions

  • Do you suffer with tight calves?
  • Did you know you could massage your own calves?
  • Have you used a tennis ball for self massage before?
Previous Post: « How to do thunderbolt pose – Vajrasana
Next Post: How and why you should use a yoga headstand bench »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Clarice

    March 24, 2021 at 4:20 am

    Time to look for my tennis ball and try this out. This looks easy to follow and beneficial. Thank you for sharing. Appreciate the video as always.

    Reply
  2. Melanie williams

    March 23, 2021 at 1:58 am

    My friend is a yoga tutor here is the uk and she swears by it for good body and mind health.

    Reply
  3. Lyosha

    March 23, 2021 at 12:40 am

    I love this! It works wonderfully esp after marathon. The only minus for me is the tennis ball. It’s my dog’s favorite toy so have to lock them up to massage that way, they both start making noises if they see me playing with their toy without them

    Reply
  4. Alvern

    March 22, 2021 at 12:43 pm

    Now, there is a clever trick worth trying for tight calves. I am sat here wondering when was the last time I had tight calves. All I need to find is a tennis ball now.

    Reply
  5. Michael

    March 21, 2021 at 11:51 pm

    I wonder why we all have a spare tennis balls in our houses?! I suddenly just thought of that. funny to think.

    Reply
  6. Indya | The Small Adventurer

    March 21, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    I didn’t realise there were actual yoga moves like this; I do something similar with a spiky ball whenever I get sore leg muscles, purely because it’s easier than massaging my own legs I’ll have to give your specific technique a try though, as I kind of make up what I do on the spot!

    Reply
  7. Lori Bosworth

    March 19, 2021 at 6:57 am

    What a great pose for sore calves! I have never heard of using a tennis ball this way before.

    Reply
  8. Shar

    March 19, 2021 at 1:04 am

    Calf release with a tennis ball is such a helpful exercise. I enjoyed the way to illustrated it.

    Reply
  9. Kemi

    March 18, 2021 at 8:16 pm

    Great tip for the calves. I didn’t know it was a yoga thing as I’ve seen it used before.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Di. A yoga teacher with over 20 years experience in the health and wellness industry. My mission is to give you information so you can be fitter, healthier, stress-free and happier (no, seriously).

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