FitSugar

Learn to Love: Calf Raises

Michele Bell — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 03:00:21 PST

'Tis the season to show off your gams! Sure Summer is when we bare the most skin, but holiday soirees often mean dressing up and shimmying on a pair of stockings and heels. If you want to do some quick toning and defining, you can trust a few hardy sets of calf raises to help you out. The simple leg lifts are easy enough to do just about anywhere and will have you feeling (and looking!) sexy and svelte. And, in addition to the aesthetic benefits, they'll help get you ready for all those much-anticipated Winter sports.

A basic move, you will want to begin with your feet about four to five inches apart with toes aimed directly in front of you. Take two counts to lift your heels up in a steady motion. Lower down in two counts and repeat. A quick exercise, it's almost too easy to get carried away and do too many in one set; be careful to not overdue it as you may be too sore to walk the next day. Work your way up to higher counts by starting with 30 lifts. When you get comfortable, you can add on to your tally and even try different variations.

You may not love doing the leg lift exercises yet, but if you read up on some easy places to squeeze them in, you might find yourself addicted to them. Come check them out!

Calf Raises 3 Ways

FitSugar — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:00:14 PDT

I must come clean and confess that I neglect my calves. Aside from stretching them in Downward Dog, I spend little time on this overworked muscle that helps propel me forward as I run. I'm changing my ways, and have added calf raises to my strength training routine. The calf may be small in comparison to the larger muscles in the thighs, but this muscle still needs to be worked in multiple directions. This is why I have started doing my raises in three different positions to really strengthen all the fibers of the muscle.

To see the three variations I've been doing, just

Parallel: Begin by standing with your feet directly under the hip joint. Your feet should really only be about four to five inches apart. Lift your heels up in a controlled motion, taking two counts to get to the top of the motion. No popping up. And lower down in two counts.

First Position: Stand with your heels together and your toes apart with your feet making a V. Don't crank at your ankles to make this shape with your feet, but roll your thigh bones away from each other at the hip joint. Raise and lower your heels in this position. This position will work the outer calf a bit more.
Pigeon Toed: Start in a parallel foot position and flare your heels away from one another so you are pigeon-toed. This motion should also happen at the hip joint. This position will work the inner calf more, and is important to do if you overpronate (your feet and ankles tend to collapse your arch).

Do 12 to 15 reps in each foot position. Holding dumbbells will increase the work on your calves; start with five-pound weights and increase the amount as needed. This move challenges your balance too. If you feel wobbly as you raise your heels, put one or both hands on a wall for assistance.

Get on the Ball: Calf Raises

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:30:00 PST

There are tons of exercises that work your booty and thighs, but what about your calves? It's important to tone these muscles because not only do they look sexy in your gym shorts, but strong calves will help you run faster and tackle hills with ease. Here's an exercise that you can even do while at your desk. All you need is an exercise ball or chair, and a light set of dumbbells.

To learn how to do this calf toner

Sit on a ball, chair, or workout bench. Hold a three to five pound dumbbell on your lower quad, just above your knee.
Slowly lift both heels off the ground as high as comfortable, so you are on the balls of your feet. Then slowly lower them back to the floor.
Repeat 15 to 20 times, for a total of three sets, doing this calf stretch after eat set.

No Equipment Necessary: Calf Raises

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:30:00 PST

A lot of us do a lot of leg work to develop our lower body muscles, but completely forget about the calves (or neglect them for fear they'll get bulky). Calf Raises develop flexibility and strength in the ankle joint and calf, and all you need to do them is your body and a step/curb or any uneven surface. Here's how:

Stand with balls of feet on a curb/step, heels hanging off. Keep knees soft, not locked.
Slowly let heel fall below the curb/step, then slowly move weight to toes and lift your heel back up.
Repeat this up and down action 12-15 times. Do three sets.

Fit's Tip: You may want to be close to a wall or something in case you need to get your balance. If you don't have a stair accessible you can do calf raises on flat ground, just go up to your tiptoes and back down. To make it more challenging, you can lift one leg behind you and do one leg at a time.

Essential Exercises For Your Lower Body

Leta Shy — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 02:12:24 PST

As Summer nears, our thoughts turn to what's underneath those layers of Winter clothes. If you're looking to tone your backside and legs before bikini season, here are five essential lower-body moves fundamental to any workout. And don't worry - you can do them anywhere!

The squat: That burning in your upper thighs as you hold a squat tells you just how great this move is for lower body muscles like hamstrings, glutes, quads, and the lower back, not to mention helping with your balance.
Don't forget: While doing squats, remember to keep your weight in your heels, not your toes, and as you lower yourself, pretend that you are sitting in a chair. Learn more on how to do a perfect squat and different squat variations here.

The lunge: This leg-strengthening move works the same muscles as a squat, but the movement required in the exercise helps you work your core muscles and balance as well. Another plus: between walking (forward or backward) or adding weights to your lunge workout, the possibilities are endless when it comes to lunge compound moves.
Don't forget: Make sure that your upper body is straight and upright, with shoulders down and chin up. When lowering your body, your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle, with the front knee never going past your ankle and bottom knee never touching the floor. Engaging your core muscles will help keep you centered and balanced. When you've mastered that, here are five lunge variations to try.

Read on for more essential lower-body exercises.

Improve Your Running With Squats

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:22:38 PST

Don't skip out on strength training just because you think running is the ultimate form of exercise. Building a little muscle should be part of every runner's cross-training fitness routine. Squats, a classic lower-body move, is great for runners for these four reasons.

Prevent knee injuries: Knee pain is one of the most common injuries runners face. Aside from wearing supportive sneakers and running on softer surfaces, strengthening the muscles around this joint can also reduce your risk of pain and injury. Try these wall squats to strengthen your upper legs.
Increase your speed: Practicing sprinting intervals and negative splits will make you a faster runner, but first and foremost, you need muscular legs to have the ability to propel your body forward with each step. Goddess pose, a form of a wide squat, is a killer move that will have your thighs and booty burning. To target your calves and hamstrings, do this variation that Cameron Diaz uses called the Plié With Calf Raise.

Continue reading for two more reasons runners need to do squats.

4 Relatively Discreet Exercises to Do While You Wait

Leta Shy — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:32:47 PST

We spend a lot of time waiting in line, at the doctor's office, or for a dinner reservation, to name a few. But that doesn't mean time waiting should be time wasted. Strengthen your muscles with only the slightest disturbance to your neighbors. Here are four relatively discreet exercises you can do when standing around in public (with little or no embarrassment!).

Lower-body barre moves: Barre exercises rely on small isometric movements to build muscle, so they don't require a lot of attention-getting moves. If you're near a wall, chair, or countertop, you can do the two standing Pure Barre exercises from this video: the standing pretzel and the semi-push-up. Both work your backside and while they look deceptively simple, you'll feel the burn in no time.

Calf raises: Strong calf muscles are important for flexibility as well as strong ankles, so you should make calf stretches part of your regular routine. The good news is you can do calf stretches anywhere, so remember this three-variation calf stretch routine the next time you're stuck in line.

Two more exercises you can do while waiting in public after the break.

High Heels Can Give You Barbie Feet

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:41:45 PST

High heels. You either love them or hate them, but you can't deny they are chic. We love the height boost and illusion of longer legs they offer, but we do realize they're not the best things for our feet. Unfortunately, recent research shows that these lovely shoes may be worse than previously thought.

In a study of longtime high heel wearers, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, researchers found wearing heels actually shortens the fibers of the calf muscle, making the Achilles tendon stiffen instead of flex when walking. High heels keep feet in a pointed position, so even when habitual high heel wearers (those who wore heels at least 40 hours a week) slipped off the pumps, their feet were so used to walking with the heels raised that it became the new norm for their muscles and joints - think permanent Barbie feet. The constantly engaged calve suffers from serious muscle fatigue, but switching abruptly from heels to flat shoes, like sneakers, puts stiletto wearers at a greater risk for injury.

Keep reading to find out what you can do to heal your heel-wearing legs.

From the Community: the Best Exercise You Aren't Doing

Fit Community — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:10:46 PST

FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin has shared a how-to on an overlooked exercise that everyone should be doing.

Running, cycling, squatting, jumping, curling, crunches, and lunging - you do it all, right? Well, the one move you aren’t doing is probably the one that can keep you doing all those things (and more), pain and injury-free for a lifetime.

What is it? Dorsiflexion. In layperson’s terms, dorsiflexion is the action of the foot that occurs when you pull your toes back toward your shin, engaging the foot and ankle muscles (the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus, and extensor digitorum longus).

Weak muscles in this part of the leg can cause everything from muscular imbalances to an impaired gait and even tripping and falling (as we age, we lose even more strength in this area, which makes it harder to step properly), says Dr. Yoav Suprun, PT, Dip. MDT, a certified personal trainer, physical therapist, and owner of SOBE Spine in Miami Beach, FL.

Learn what exercises you should be doing to combat these muscle strains, after the break!

Your Winter Workout Woes - Answered!

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 04:09:05 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Baby, it's cold outside! But for those of us training, sans gym membership, or just yearning for some fresh air, we can't let the chilly weather keep us from an outdoor workout. If you find your morning runs too cold, have achy joints, or just want to make it through a run without wiping out, we hear you! That's why we asked Dr. Scott Weiss, clinical director and owner of Bodhizone Physical Therapy, your burning cold-weather workout questions. Read on below to see how you can have a successful workout no matter what the weather.

The cold weather makes my joints hurt! What stretches can I do before a workout to stop constantly feeling sore?

If cold weather is making you sore, the worst thing to do is go and stretch since you're more likely to pull a muscle or tear some cartilage. In the cold weather, the key is total body warmth. Spend a little more time warming up, by adding 5 to 10 minutes to your normal warm-up routine. Stretching while your joints are warm will then enhance flexibility and range of motion while also reducing your chance of injury.

Sometimes when I go for a run in the Winter, my toes lose feeling. Why is this happening and how can I fix it?

Most of the time numb toes are a minor circulatory or footwear issue. Try making a fist with your toes, or do some calf raises to get the blood pumping. Once you get home, be sure to elevate your feet to relieve the pressure. If tingling persists, it could be something more serious (like frostbite), and you should contact a physician.

I'm terrified of black ice. What are some tips to avoid it?

Make sure you stay focused on the heel contact portion of the running cycle in icy conditions. Oftentimes, we don't think about how we are landing our feet, and if even slightly unbalanced while landing on ice, you risk falling. If you live in an especially icy area, consider trail shoes, which have a better grip.

Read on for more Winter workout solutions from Dr. Weiss.

More from FITNESS:

• Oops-Proof Your Workout

• Immunity-Boosting Tips to Stay Cold-Free This Winter

• Get the 2012 Best Body Ever Plan