MoPro
TrainersEye · Calf & Shin Health
Calf & Shin B
Trainer's Eye
Phase 1 · Settle and unload · Session B

Circle it.
Press it.
Nothing pounds.

Range in every direction plus the first soleus-specific hold — the muscle that carries running.

  • Bsession
  • P1Settle
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

The soleus carries running

The soleus takes several times body weight with every running step — more than any other muscle in the leg.

Bent knee finds the soleus

With the knee bent past about 20°, the gastrocnemius slackens and the soleus does the work. Straight-knee raises miss it.

Ankle range matters

A stiff ankle changes how the foot lands and shifts load up the chain. Range work is part of shin rehabilitation.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · legs that take the miles

A

Circle

Ankle circles + soleus hold
A1

Ankle circles

60 s · slow reps

Draw the biggest slow circle the ankle allows — thirty seconds each direction.

Easier smaller circles  ·  Harder slower and bigger

R1R2—
A2

Soleus isometric hold

5 × 20 s · ×2

Back to a wall in a shallow squat, heels lifted; hold on the toes with the knees bent.

Easier heels lower  ·  Harder deeper squat

R1R2
B

Roll and lift

Calf rolling + tibialis raises
B1

Calf rolling

60 s · slow reps

Roll a ball slowly up and down the calf, pausing where it is tender but tolerable.

Easier less pressure  ·  Harder more pressure

R1R2—
B2

Seated tibialis raises

15 reps · ×2

Heels down; lift the toes and forefoot as high as possible, lower over three seconds.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder hold two seconds

R1R2
C

Draw it

Ankle alphabet + prone calf squeeze
C1

Ankle alphabet

60 s · slow reps

Draw the alphabet in the air with the big toe — count the letters completed.

Easier capitals only  ·  Harder slower and larger

R1R2—
C2

Prone calf squeeze

15 × 5 s · ×2

Face down, knee bent 90°; point the foot hard and squeeze the calf for five seconds.

Easier gentler squeeze  ·  Harder 8-s holds

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. Pain rule: up to 5/10 during, back to your normal by the next morning, no worse week to week.
  2. Shin pain spread along more than a hand's width of bone is a load problem. One sore spot the size of a coin is not — that one needs assessment.
  3. Cut the running volume now, not later. This programme replaces the miles while the tissue catches up.
  4. Isometric holds first: tension without movement is the calmest way to load an angry calf or shin.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Ankle circlesslow reps in 60 s —
A2Soleus isometric hold5 × 20 s
B1Calf rollingslow reps in 60 s —
B2Seated tibialis raises15 reps
C1Ankle alphabetslow reps in 60 s —
C2Prone calf squeeze15 × 5 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-CALFSHIN-B