Work It!: Standing calf stretch

Tips from Chloe Neely (pictured), fitness specialist How to do it Facing a wall, standing in a split stance (similar to a lunge), placing the toes of one foot in front at the wall's edge, and your other leg slightly behind you. Be sure to place your whole back foot on the ground, making sure the heel is down and not lifted. Bend at the knee of your forward leg until you feel a slight stretch in your calf (muscles above your ankle on the backside of your leg) on the leg that is behind you. Hold for 30-60 seconds in each position. Release and switch legs. Do two to four repetitions on each side. Benefits The standing calf stretch works to stretch the muscles of your calf muscles. Work It! features a new exercise each week with guidance from a fitness professional at the Fitness Center at University Hospitals Avon Health Center. This eight-week series was created by Chloe Neely, a personal trainer and fitness specialist who has a master's degree in exercise physiology. This series is designed around commonly overlooked exercises that are essential to maintain and improve flexibility, mobility, and range of motion of all the joints of the body. "As we age, range of motion will lessen and lessen," she says. "Devoting a few minutes to do these quick and easy moves can make a big impact and keep us moving better and with less pain." Neely believes in educating others and assisting them in creating realistic and sustainable fitness habits. "Not everyone starts or follows the same path in fitness," she says. "I think it is important to meet people where they are at and show them how to utilize physical activity in their daily lives in a way that works for them." For more information, call Program Manager Renee Barrett at 440-988-6822