In our quest to get a better looking lower body, the calves are often neglected.
Women long for tighter butts and toned thighs; men want wider chests and bulging arms.
What both genders desire: flat abdominal muscles.
Little attention is paid to the calf muscle, although this important muscle supports us when we stand and allows us to move our foot and lower leg.
It also helps us run, jump and flex/point our feet.
Sprinters work a lot on the calves to enable a powerful push off at the starting block.
Research indicates that the stronger your calf muscles, the better your running speed.
Basically, the calf comprises two main muscles: the gastrocnemius (which forms the big bulge) and the soleus, which join together above your heel and attach to the Achilles tendon.
The third muscle, the plantaris, runs between the gastrocnemius and soleus, down the length of the lower leg.
Interestingly, not everyone has this little muscle and it is estimated that 10% of the population are born without it.
Strengthening the calves through proper training is crucial to minimise the risk of injuries occurring and reoccurring.
Before doing any exercise, be sure to warm up to stretch your calves and increase flexibility.
Calf muscles that are “warm” are less likely to overstretch or tear.
You can do simple stretches, which I highlighted in a previous column, or manually massage the calves to loosen the tightness.
Some people also spray on magnesium oil before a workout to reduce calf muscle cramping.
Pick what works for you.
If you’re one who sits a lot or travels frequently on long-haul flights, you could be at risk of deep vein thrombosis, a condition where blood clots develop in the leg veins.
The clot usually dissolves on its own, but the main danger is that part of it could break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a blockage called a pulmonary embolism.
Hence, travellers are advised to exercise their calf muscles by extending their knees, moving their legs, rotating their ankles or doing calf pumps to improve blood circulation.
Calf size has nothing to do with good health; big calves are really only beneficial if the size is associated with muscle and not fat.
Generally, endurance athletes have smaller calf sizes as they rely on slow twitch muscle fibres that are smaller and more resistant to fatigue.
Fast-twitch muscle fibres are larger and more suited to produce explosive bursts of strength and speed, which sprinters require.
One study found smaller calf circumference could be linked to lower overall body fat as researchers believe the amount of subcutaneous fat (fat stored beneath the skin) in your lower body, specifically your calves, is related to free fatty acid (FFA) levels.
High FFA levels have been linked to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.
Bigger calves have their advantages too, as besides looking “strong”, the owner’s risk of stroke is also lower.
Regardless of age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and other vascular factors, researchers found that those with bigger calves had less plaque build-up in their arteries.
Although it is widely accepted that people over the age of 50 tend to lose one to two percent of lean leg muscle mass per year, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, found that calf raises can combat this loss by increasing calf strength and mobility in older men.
That’s enough reason for you to work your calves with some of these exercises!
Revathi Murugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
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1) Stand with feet in parallel position, hip distance apart. Keep your stomach contracted and back erect. Slowly raise your heels until you’re on the balls of your feet. Wait for a second or two, then lower your heels. Do 15-20 repetitions. — Photos: REVATHI MURUGAPPAN/The Star
2) Turn your feet inwards and repeat exercise 1. The different position will challenge different parts of the lower leg and feet.
3) Turn your feet out and repeat exercise 1. You should start to feel the burn by now. Exercises 1 to 3 performed with straight knees work the gastrocnemius muscle.
4) To work the soleus muscle, the knees have to be bent. Sit on a chair, keep your thighs parallel to the floor, and position your feet hip distance apart and the ankles below the knees. Lift your heels off the floor, hold for a few seconds, then return them to the floor. To make the exercise more challenging, place some weights on your thighs, as shown in the photo.
5) This one is a toughie. Get into a wide squat position with feet turned out. Make sure your knees do not extend past the toes. Raise one heel off the floor without changing the angle of your knee. Do 10 repetitions for each leg. Once you get stronger, you can raise both heels at the same time. Besides exercising the soleus muscle, the thighs and butt also get a workout.
