How to Build Stronger Calves

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Les Whitley, here today to talk to you about building stronger calf muscles. The calves are a great muscles to train to maximize, not only athletic performance, but just your ability to move around through space. There are often the stubborn muscles to train because you use the calf muscles throughout your daily routine and just walking and moving about. Muscles respond typically to heavy resistance, typically heavier than your own body weight for multiple sets and repetitions; again, to fatigue that muscle to a point where they are getting enough stress to have a some kind of brought response so that they do get stronger. One way to do this is by using hand weights or free weights or dumbbells and doing a simple calf raise where the heels are elevated off the ground. Begin by having two weights in the hand, starting with a good neutral stance, body in an upright, nice posture, head neutral position, gaze looking forward. Elevate the heels off the ground as high as you can, then back down. All the way up, back down under good control, flexing the muscle as you extend up, controlling the motion as you cone down. This could also be done with the toes elevated one leg at a time, using a weight plate flat on the floor or a simple 2 x 4, to give you a greater range of motion. To work one leg at a time, it's always best to utilize some type of support structure for good balance, such as a machine or wall or door frame. In one leg type movements, emphasize again stabilization of the body, extending the heel off the ground and all the way down to your full range of motion to make sure that you're stressing the prop, the calf in a proper motion through its full range."