There are many benefits to training the front of the calves to add mass!
There is a way to train any and all muscles in the gym. One area that might be overlooked is the front of the calves but it turns out there are many benefits to hitting this area during your next leg day.
You need to train your calves like all your other muscle groups and hit them from all the angles. By diversifying your exercises, you work to give yourself the best set-up possible with the right approach to all things calves. What you will find is that is a fantastic way to train you calves so you only see increased growth.
What Muscle Is Located In The Front Of The Calf?
The tibialis anterior, located in the front of the shin, is the largest of the four muscles in the anterior of the leg. Many calf exercises are focused on the gastrocnemius and soleus, which contribute to pointing the toes down. Conversely, the tibialis anterior is worked by pointing the toes up.
These are the three main muscles in the calf. The gastrocnemius forms the calf muscle as a whole and the soleus is attached to the Achilles tendon.
Calves can be one of the most stubborn muscle groups to add size to. Many gym goers will add extra workouts at the end of a leg day to train calves but do not treat them as a primary muscle. If you want to see full growth of the muscle, it will take much more focus — and that includes to the front of the calf as well.
Benefits Of Training Calves
Many everyday movements, including walking and running, rely on the calves. Strengthening this area will led to improved ankle strength and overall stability. This will lead to enhanced running and sprinting ability while lowering your risk of injury.
Weak calves open the door for a wide range of injuries with the most common being shin splints. This is categorized as pain along the shinbone typically brought on by an abundance of stress. Shin splints are very common in athletes and can be contained by strengthening the area with exercises and stretching. These injuries can lead to a decline in health given the importance when performing everyday activities.
Maintaining strong calves will provide an extra boost while running and sprinting. They are important when propelling to body forward during different cardio sessions. Runners must focus on keeping calf strength in good standing and that can be true of everyone who is on their feet a lot over the course of the day as well.
How To Train The Front Of Your Calves?
There are many exercises that can be used to train calves. Many athletes are familiar with calf raises, both seated and with a barbell, to hit the outside and back of the muscle. To train the front of the calf, tension will have to be focused the other way.
First, this can be done with proper stretching. The tibialis anterior can be stretched by sitting on your feet with your toes pointed in and your hands on the floor in front of you. To add tension, lean forward and raise your body up. This stretch can also be done standing or lying.
Heel Walk
Heel walks isolate the front calf muscle and focuses on ankle strength. It is recommended to perform this exercises near a wall just in case you feel unsteady midway through. To perform heel walks, remove your shoes and flex both feet to get on your heels. Walk for a set period of time, just on your heels, before restig and repeating.
Wall Toe Raise
Wall toe raises are standing movements that require a resistance band. This will be a common movement that can be done in many ways. Tie the resistance band around the middle of your foot and stand with your back against the ball. With your knee straight, pull the band up to flex the for as far as possible while remaining comfortable.
Resisted Ankle Flexion
This is a seated exercises where you will need a resistance band. Wrap the resistance band in the middle of your foot, extend your leg, and pull back the foot as far as possible while remaining comfortable. Hold the band and the foot in this position for several seconds to achieve the best results. The leg and knee must remain straight.
Seated Toe Raise
This movement is performed on a chair or bench and weight can be added with a strap, if needed. While your foot is flat on the ground, raise it as high as possible while keeping your heel down. Return your whole foot to the floor before repeating to reach a target number of reps. This movement focuses on the flexion and release of the ankle.
Wrap Up
It might be easy to forget about the front of the calf when training legs in the gym. Next time, add calf work into your plan in order to build strength and stability in your ankles. Not only will this aid in gaining size in the calf, it will provide a boost during your next cardio session!
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