Sometimes at Kung Fu we do partner stretching. Partner stretching is extreme. It typically results in awesome gains and serious stretch umph.
Last night I learned a new partner stretch for Calves. And it is extreme. I shall call it, the calf death stretch.
Let’s suppose Red wants some calf stretch. Blue agrees to help out.
Red lies down on the ground on his/her back. Blue kneels on one knee and throws a leg over Red’s chest.. One arm is wrapped around Red’s foot while the other grips the toe. Blue provides some serious pressure to bending the toe back towards Red’s chest. (see arrow)
Blue starts counting. “1… 2… 3… 1… 2… 3…” on each #3 Red pulls his/her toe back towards himself/herself as hard as humanly possible. Blue continues to apply pressure.
After three or four 3 counts, Blue counts down from 10 as Red uses every ounce of energy to pull back on his/her toes.
If you want, you can have Green help too by having him/her sit on Red’s other leg during the exercise.
It’s Awesome.
I won’t admit that I’m one of them…but people with dirty minds might giggle at your drawings. :-P
Heh, Kung Fu is dirty
I have to admit that the first thing I wondered was “Why does MikeD have baby cows and why are they dying?”
The second thing I thought was, “Well, maybe there’s some sort of calf disease running rampant or its a mystery or something”
And then I read it.
The scientist in me was very disappointed.
However, this was not nearly as disappointing as how I can’t make sense of both red AND blue both applying “serious pressure” to pushing the toe towards the chest. Isn’t one trying to counter the other or am i missing something?
Actually yes. Both Red and Blue are pulling in the same direction.
It’s a stretching device not a muscle builder. So the goal is for Red to Ultimately stretch his calf on the first three count. Then, Blue doesn’t let him relax. Instead he holds the foot in stretched calf position. Then Red has to ultimately stretch MORE for the second three count etc.
It’s painfully perfect.
I was disappointed at the lack of agricultural reference, but now I’m just frightened. Can you draw one where red’s foot snaps off, cause that’s what I’m imagining right now. Sounds like red has masochistic tendencies.
Oh man, I could do with some of this after the Ultimate tournament this weekend. It was pretty easy for the first 6 games – we won them all about 15-6 ish, bu the last one was intense – we eventually won 14-13 in sudden death. Man, am I aching after that.