Seated forward bend

Muscles worked: Calves
Calves
🔧 no equipment 🔁 reps Difficulty:

Muscle outlines from Body Muscles by Ivan Vulović, Apache 2.0 — regrouped and recoloured for Muscle Train.

How to perform

Inhale, extend arms overhead, lengthening the spine. Exhale, hinge forward from the hips, keeping your back flat. Reach towards your shins or feet. Draw your belly button toward your thighs, avoiding rounding your upper back. Hold, deepening the stretch with each exhale. Inhale to return to the starting position.

Muscles Worked

GastrocnemiusSoleus
Secondary: Erector Spinae, Glute Max

Tips

To maximize the stretch, hinge forward from the hips, keeping a slight bend in your knees to protect your lower back and allow for a greater forward reach. Firmly flex your feet, pressing through the balls of your feet to engage your hamstrings and calves, which will help you hinge further. Consciously lengthen your spine as you extend your arms overhead, creating space between your vertebrae and setting the foundation for a safe and effective forward fold. Actively draw your belly button toward your thighs throughout the stretch to stabilize your core and prevent rounding in your upper back, protecting your spine and deepening the hamstring stretch.

Similar exercises

Seated side bend Abs · 🔧 no equipment 1/10 Standing forward bend Hamstrings · 🔧 no equipment 1/10 Dumbbell seated side bend Abs · 🔧 Dumbbells, Flat Bench 2/10 Seated point and flex Calves · 🔧 no equipment 1/10
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