To know how to achieve worked calves in a short time, it is important to know your anatomy. The gastrocnemius is popularly known as “twin” because it is separated into two halves. This muscle is located in the most superficial part of the calf, exactly on the soleus muscle. Both are of great importance, since they make it possible for our body to walk . By contracting the calf, it allows push and pull, in addition, it contributes to the flexion of the knee.
For some people, the calves are the hardest muscle to develop, as it is highly genetically dependent . Additionally, exercise routines typically focus on exercising large muscles, such as the quadriceps or hamstring (hamstring) muscles. It is also possible that we are not doing the exercise correctly.
It is worth mentioning that the calf is one of the most exercised muscles in the body, since it is active every day in every step we take. Achieving a well-developed musculature to have a proper footprint is of great importance to avoid problems in the knees, even in the hips. Hypertrophy is not as simple as it seems: we must exercise in a way that the muscle is not used to. For this reason, it is very important to advise you with a qualified trainer to avoid over- exercising and avoid the risk of injury.
Also keep in mind that a balanced diet must be adequate, complete and above all sufficient, this is essential to achieve the results you want. It is important that the caloric intake is greater than the calories burned during exercise, especially if we want to hypertrophy a muscle. Do not hesitate to consult a nutritionist for a better recovery!
To find out a little more about why it is difficult for us to develop this muscle and how to have calves worked in a short time, let’s get to know its anatomy better.
Anatomy of the gastrocnemius muscle
The gastrocnemius is a muscle that is separated into two halves , giving the illusion of having two heads, hence its popular name “twin .” It originates from the back of the femur, crossing the knee joint until it becomes part of the Achilles tendon. It is responsible for plantar flexion (movement of the foot that allows us to stand on tiptoe) and knee flexion with the support of the hamstrings.
We also have the soleus , a muscle that is deeper than the gastrocnemius. It originates from the posterior aspect of the tibia and goes down to form part of the Achilles tendon. This muscle does not cross the knee, therefore it does not intervene in any movement that it can perform, it only takes care of the plantar flexion of the foot.
Benefits of well-exercised calves
As we mentioned earlier, properly trained calves translate into well-developed musculature. This promises us a proper footprint, which can prevent knee injuries and even hip problems.
If you run or do high-impact sports such as tennis or basketball, exercised calves will help you absorb the impact, weight, and force of your body. This means that when you do a force movement, such as high jumps or sudden braking while running, your knees will not suffer the consequences. In addition, it will help you to have faster reactions, since your starting speed and jumping power will be greater.
So don’t miss out on more in your workouts and start exercising those calves!
How to achieve worked cufflinks in a short time
The gastrocnemius or gastrocnemius is better to develop based on many repetitions, while the soleus is better to work with higher weights. It is important not to overload the Achilles tendon, so do not forget to stretch before doing any exercise and progress gradually.
The correct way to work these muscles is to do full runs and contract the muscle as much as possible. Then you will maintain the tension for a few seconds and stretch slowly, this will help focus the effort and achieve hypertrophy .
Exercises to hypertrophy the calves in a short time
Exercises at home
Some exercises that you can do without equipment are: burpees, jumping rope, jumping jacks, walking on tiptoe, or using a step to raise your heels on your toes with your own weight.
Exercises in the gym
- Standing cufflinks . Either with a barbell or with dumbbells, this exercise is performed on your toes and with your legs slightly bent. We are going to go up and down using a weight that allows you to perform the exercise completely and correctly. You can use a step to further stretch the muscle fiber. This exercise is perfect for working the gastrocnemius.
- Twins in press . We put the balls of the feet on the press, with the legs apart and slightly bent. Then we push the tips forward by moving the press. By having your back supported, you will not strain the spine as much and the work will focus on the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Exercising with a heavy load is recommended.
- Sitting twins . Whether sitting on a machine or on a simple bench, we are going to put the weight on the quads. Then we raise our heels, leaving our feet on tiptoe. This exercise is perfect for the soleus by having the knees bent, focusing all the force on it. The ideal is to exercise with a moderate weight.
