Calf Muscle Exercise For Strong Legs

Diet Fitness

oi-Anwesha Barari

By Anwesha Barari

Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 17:49

Calf muscle exercises have more than just a cosmetic effect on your legs. It not just about having nicely toned legs. Have you ever felt that tightness in your lower leg muscles just below the back of your knees? It is due to tightening of the tendons on your calf which is a pretty common thing these days as we are all moving towards desk jobs that keep us stagnant on our chairs the whole day. This tightness is a prelude to injuries and even tearing of the calf muscles which are directly connected to the heals.

Shying away from muscle strengthening exercises can keep you in bed for months so its better late than never. Here are a few tips for a holistic calf workout.

Simple Calf Muscle Exercises:

• The best muscle strengthening exercise is always stretching. Yes, it is as simple as that. You don't have to hit the gym everyday to have strong calf muscles. You can do calf muscle exercises at home very easily and stay healthy.

• There are two basic types of stretches and both can be done without equipment.
• The Wall Stretch: Stand about 10 inches away from the wall and put one leg in front of the other. Keep your knee away from the wall straight, bend over and push yourself towards the wall without moving. The pressure you feel in your legs is a muscle strengthening exercise.
• The Sitting Stretch: For this stretching exercise you have to sit down on the floor and stretch out your legs in front of you. Hold the soles of your feet with your palms and push your legs outward. It will rid you of any minor strains in your calf muscles for sure.

• Skipping: This game we all have played as kids can be a very good calf work out for you. The first time your do this after a long gap of years, your legs will hurt like hell. Contrary to popular opinion, skipping is a very strenuous exercise. We don't realize it because we are having too much fun. But slowly it will build up the strength in your calf muscles to support the weight of your whole body. It is a very important calf muscle exercise especially for people who are over weight.

• Squats: You would say that squats is serious work out for weight lifters. But whats stopping you from doing then at home without heavy weights. Bend your knees until you are at perpendiculars all the while supporting your weight on your heels because that is where your calf muscle connects. You have to exhale deeply when you at 90 degrees from the ground. Your purpose is to build your leg muscles not bench press weight. So for you these simple squats should suffice.

Calf muscles exercises are doubly important because they are muscles we build up by physical movement which is reducing everyday in our lives.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.