By body part
Five practices that work on your hamstrings and calves. Every one runs right here in the browser, guided and free.
Works the backs of the legs, hips to heels.
Works the calves at different angles, then the feet and toes.
Balance work, not just stretching.
The long ankle session. As much strength and balance as stretching.
For stiff ankles, before you put weight on them.
The back of the leg responds to stretching better than anywhere else in the body. Across the research, hamstrings show the largest gains of any muscle group measured, somewhere in the range of eight to twelve degrees once the change settles.
Calves earn their place for a different reason. They control how far the ankle bends forward, which shows up in walking, stairs, and any attempt at a deep squat.
On how much: cumulative volume is what counts, not how hard you push. Stretching gently for longer does as much as straining, and the total across a week is what predicts the change. Around four minutes per muscle group in a session is the point where more stops adding.
Tight hamstrings get blamed for back trouble more than the evidence supports. They are worth working on for their own sake. Easier bending, more comfortable walking, and a body that moves the way you expect it to.
Zenbody
Zenbody picks the practice, holds the timer, and remembers where you left off. All you do is follow along.
Get Zenbody on the App Store