This exercise helps you loosen a stiff upper back by rolling it slowly over a foam roller.
Stick Work - Calf Release
This exercise helps you loosen tight calves with a massage stick so your ankle bends more freely.
Start: Sit with the foot of the leg you're working flat on the floor, knee bent. Hold the massage stick in both hands and rest it across the back of your lower leg.
Action:
Press the stick into the muscle with moderate pressure — about 10 pounds, a little more or less depending on how it feels — and roll it slowly along the length of the muscle.
Spend 10–20 seconds on the area. With each pass, sink a little deeper.
Stay on the muscle — don't roll directly over bone.
Work to the edge of discomfort but never into pain. That edge is where the tissue loosens best.
Feel: Expect a tender, satisfying ache that eases as you go. Sharp or radiating pain means stop.
Related Exercises
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This exercise helps you loosen your inner thigh with a massage stick so your hips can open more freely.
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This exercise helps you loosen the outside of your lower leg with a massage stick for a freer, steadier ankle.
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This exercise helps you build hip flexibility and control by holding one leg high with a band while the other lowers to a foam roll.