Rx for wimpy claves

[Amadeus]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Aug-13-02 AT 11:26AM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Cathe! I 've got thin calves, and am looking to build some muscle mass in that area. I have all your tapes, can you give me a clue as far as what to do?

I also have access to the machines at the gym would this be more effective? If you can give a clue as far as number of sets and reps to do, I know calves need more reps than other body parts, that would be great.

Thanks, hug those boys for me.
Julie

 

[Amadeus]

RE: Rx for wimpy calves

OOOPs, spelled calves wrong, that's what I get for trying to hurry.

 

[Aquajock]

RE: I'm not Cathe but . . .

Hey, Amadeus!

The exercises you want to focus on for building calf strength are standing heel raises; Leaner Legs includes several sets of these, both weighted and unweighted. As I recall, in Leaner Legs you stand with your balance supported by an upended barbell, and slowly raise and lower your heels, never allowing your heels to fully touch the ground. You start with these unweighted, and then as your calves get stronger you can add a weight in the hand/s.

You can also do standing heel raises standing on a stair step, lightly balancing myself on the railing, and letting the heels hang off the step. Do the raise / lower thing until you really feel the fire in the calves, and then just let the heels hang for a stretch. You can do these with both feet on the step, and then as your calves strengthen up you can do one-legged sets.

It's important to do these with the legs in two different positions: leg straight (but not locking out at the knee), AND knee BENT (it's less clumsy to do the bent-knee position ones on the stair step rather than on the floor). When you do the straight-leg position you are working more the gastrocnemius of the calf; when you do the bent-knee position you are working more the soleus of the calf.

Hope this helps -

Annette