Is It Possible To Strengthen Your Calves?

This is an area that has always been a challenge for me. I’ve always had lean calves and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m going to take the position that it is mostly genetics. I’ve been left wondering if there really is anything possible to strengthen your calves.

Strengthen Your Calves or Calfs

Before I go any further with this I’d like to clear up a related matter. I know there’s a debate about how to spell calves and exactly what is being discussed.

I realize another acceptable way to spell it is calf for the singular and calfs for the plural. It is understood that sometimes it’s related to the lower part of the leg, other times it relates to a young cow.

Let me be clear. As far as the debate goes I don’t care. I’m not discussing spelling or cows. I will think about discussing both together another time. I’m sure it’s fascinating.

For this post I’m sticking to strengthening the lower leg and that’s it. Hope that clears up any confusion.

Strengthen Your Calves. Honestly I’m Trying.

Strengthening my calves are a challenge. I’m always looking for suggestions on how to build them up.

I’d like to believe that a number of exercises that I currently do are helpful ways to strengthen your calves. Jumping rope, high knees, cycling, walking and a variety of other exercises that activate the lower leg, must be beneficial. I figure anytime I’m upright is the best time to exercise the calves.

When I go to a gym, there are a few machines that exercise the calve. They all seem to focus on different positions for calve raises. You have a choice of working your legs from a seated or standing position. I don’t think there’s a real difference from a physical fitness perspective. If so, let me know.

I found that I was able to put a significant amount of weight on these machines for the calve raises. Over time I could increase the weight while maintaining repetitions and sets. I presume this built strength but it’s difficult to tell as my calves still looked the same. Maybe they’re supposed to.

In any event building larger calves is not as important to me as keeping them strong. Primarily being able to participate and challenge myself in athletic pursuits that involve the lower leg are most important.

How Can It Be Done?

So I do a couple variations of calve raises to keep them strong. The calve raise is real easy to do. I’m guessing you’ve done them before. If while standing you’ve ever raised up on your toes so that your weight is up on the balls of your feet and then lowered back down so your feet are flat on the floor, that’s a calve raise.

Raising calves, the young cow version, is completely different and requires considerably more expertise.

Sometimes I’ll perform the calve raises one leg at a time or while wearing a weighted vest to add a bit more of a challenge. I’ll pair the raises with an upper body exercise or cardio set to help keep my heart rate up. I’ve found that pairing up exercises like this is a good exercise habit.

That’s pretty much the extent of what I will normally do for calves so I sought ought the recommendations of a pro to round out a decent lower leg routine.

There Is Hope For Your Lower Leg

According to professional trainer Samantha Clayton, there are some other great moves you can implement to strengthen and tone your lower leg.

In addition to what I noted above, she suggests running with a mid-foot strike position. This will focus more of the movement across the calves. Also, she suggests increasing the gradient you exercise upon. Walking or running uphill is great for strengthening and defining the lower leg as well as other muscle groups.

To make it more enjoyable, take these exercises outside. I know they can become a drag indoors.

Check out the link above for some other great tips and suggestions from Samantha on how you can get stronger and more defined calves.

I’m going to try out some of the suggestions above and see if I can improve upon my lower leg routine. In the meantime, if you know of any other great exercises for the lower leg, I would enjoy hearing about them.

For now, be well and be proud of your peg legs. Keep them strong knowing you are not alone.