New Routine: Working the Anterior Calf with Black Balls Caution: If you have any inflammation in the knees or ankles, or have had recent knee or ankle surgery, do not do this routine without consulting and receiving approval from your physician.
1. Sit on your heels, with your thighs, calves, ankles, and feet parallel.
2. Place your hands on the floor alongside your knees or slightly in front of your body.
3. Push your hands down into the floor and lift both knees off the ground. The fronts of your feet stay flat on the floor.
4. Place both balls at the highest point of the tibia, just below the knee joint.
5. Use your hands to take some of your body weight and for balance. Bring your body weight forward into your hands so you can place as much of your weight into the balls as possible.
6. Work four points down the tibia, ending at the ankle. Use your hands to scoot your body forward to the next point. • The balls should press directly into the tibia at each point. You may experience some tenderness as you approach the ankle joint.• At each point, figure out how to position your torso to send as much weight as possible into the balls. As the balls move toward the ankles, you need to keep adjusting your position in order to maximize the weight bearing. • As you roll, keep your ankles and feet parallel to the calves as much as possible.
7. When the balls reach the ankles, stay at this point for several breaths. Keep supporting yourself with your hands, keeping the knees off the floor.
8. Now lower both knees to the floor and begin to settle onto your sitbones, so your weight goes into the posterior ankles and into the balls. • The sitbones and ankles should be aligned so that the ankles are directly under the sitbones.• The heels and feet extend straight back. Walk the knees forward to roll the balls out along the tops of the feet in micromovements, breathing at each point, until you reach the very tips of your toes. • The sensation here will be intense.
10. As the balls move toward the toes, try lifting one knee at a time off the floor and leaning slightly back. • This is a more intense, more advanced move.
11. Take the balls away, shake out your feet and ankles, and walk around, feeling the effects.
