Calf muscles play an essential role in your health, let alone, determine how good you look in high heels. Since you use your calf muscles for walking, you need to exercise your calves to keep them strong and healthy. Also, did you know calf muscles play an important role in blood flow within your body? When calf muscles contract, the veins pump blood up toward your heart. When calf muscles relax, the veins refill with blood. Pretty cool, huh? How hot is it when your calf muscles are looking beautiful and toned while wearing a pair of killer high heels, and keeping you healthy? Nice, right? Check out these three exercises to help get your calf muscles in shape, maintain the blood flow, and keep them looking fabulous.
Double-Leg Calf Raise
This exercise is simple to do and very effective. Stand on the toes and the balls of your feet on the edge of a sturdy stool or block. Lift your heels and contract your calves, then slowly lower your heels. Then repeat.
Single-Leg Calf Raise
This one takes some balance. Performing this exercise on a bottom step is ideal for balancing yourself with a hand on a rail or wall. Stand on one foot, balancing on your toes and ball of your foot. Lift your other leg by bending it at the knee. Raise your heel, extend, then lower heel. Continue with the opposite leg.
Seated Calf Raise
Sit on a bench and set the balls of your foot on a block. Your knees should be bent at 90 degrees, and your feet turned inward toward one another at 15 degrees. Let your heels drift toward the floor until you feel the stretch in your calf muscle, dig your feet into the block, and raise your heels as much as possible, and repeat.
Who knew keeping your calf muscles toned and healthy was so easy? By doing these simple calf muscle exercises, you prevent your calves from tightening. Tight calf muscles can lead to muscle injury or tears and unnecessary pain. A few other exercises you might want to check out are: Standing Calf Raise, Farmer’s Walk on Toes, jump rope, and the Downward Dog. Do yourself a favor and take the time to implement these stretches into your routine. Your body will remain healthy and your calves will look fabulous.
