All you need to know about the Achilles Stretch
(Pilates)
BENEFITS & MUSCLES WORKED: Achilles tendon
START POSITION: Stand close to a wall with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend your front knee until you feel pressure in your Achilles tendon. If your knee touches the wall, then you are too close to the wall. You should be as close to the wall as possible without your knee touching the wall. It helps if you place your rear foot behind you, with your toes down and your heel up.
NOTES: DIFFICULTY RATING: 45%
The Achilles tendon is a strong fibrous cord that connects the Calf muscle to the heel bone. If you overstretch it under force, it can tear, rupture, or, in some cases, snap cleanly in two. Not suitable for athletes or footballers, and extremely painful.
There is a good reason why this exercise is named after the Greek warrior Achilles. This was a myth – and whatever spin you want to put on this story, he had a weakness in his heel. A weak Achilles tendon will give your whole body a weak foundation. Please do not forget to work on the minor details, not just the big muscles above. You should do this exercise in conjunction with the Calf Raise and the Calf Stretch to ensure that you have a strong foundation for all your competitive sporting requirements.