To improve eccentric strength of your calf muscles, simply carry out single-leg heel raises on an inclined surface. To do these, stand with relaxed, erect posture on a slightly inclined surface (a pavement on a moderate hill will work, in case you don't have a special inclined board), with all your body weight supported on your right foot and your right knee barely flexed (your left leg should be flexed at the knee so that your left foot is off the ground and your left shin is roughly parallel with the floor). Contract your right calf muscles as strongly as possible, so that your right heel rises vertically off the ground and you rock forward on your foot, supporting full body weight on your toes and extreme forefoot. That's the beginning position for your one-footed heel raises.
Now, let your right heel move back toward the ground smoothly, evenly, and swiftly. Don't collapse your ankle, don't let your foot wobble from side to side, and don't let your upper body jerk around - just drop your heel toward the ground quickly and efficiently. As you do this, body-weight support will shift from your toes and forefoot to the mid-foot region.
As your right heel initiates contact with the ground, let your right ankle dorsiflex naturally, and let your right knee increase its flexion (obviously, your ankle and knee will be flexing simultaneously). As you do all this, your right hip will be in a slightly flexed position. Let the ankle and knee flex slightly more than they would during the stance phase of your gait cycle when you are running. All of this should be done with control and quickness.
Once you have achieved ankle and knee flexion, don't dally - immediately rock back up onto your toes, plantar-flexing your right ankle at the same time as you are straightening out your right knee. Hold this position for two seconds - and you have completed one rep!
In your first stab at this exercise, continue on for about 10 to 15 more reps on your right foot, and then give your other calf a chance to join in the fun, completing an identical number of reps on your left side. As you perform the exercise, move rhythmically and without any hesitation in the overall movement (except for the two-second 'holds' on tiptoe), and try to maintain good balance, posture, and stability at all times (initially, you may grab a wall, fence, or other structure for support if you are having trouble with your balance). Attempt to maintain a running-specific posture at all times, and try to sustain a 'feeling of rhythmic, relaxed running' as you rock back and forth on your foot; don't scrunch up your upper body, and don't look down at your legs as you carry out the movements.
So what's the bottom line? When you carry out your pain-preventing downhill training, it's nice to remember that your uphill climbs are enhancing your economy, and your downhill runs are having a profound impact on your leg-muscles' eccentric strength and ability to stand up to hard training. By running downhill, you are adding sarcomeres to your leg-muscle cells, and those additional sarcomeres should quicken your strides and help keep you free from injury and soreness in the future. In addition, carrying out high-bench step-ups and one-leg heel raises on an inclined surface will protect the 'back' sides of your legs. The freedom from injury which you attain will allow you to train and compete more consistently and thus become a much better athlete.
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