Introduction
The training of the calf muscles (M. gastrocnemius) is not isolated in conventional fitness and health training. Training on the leg press puts sufficient strain on the twin calf muscle, so that this isolated exercise calf lifter does not appear to be practical and time-consuming. In bodybuilding and specific sports, however, targeted training of this muscle group is necessary to optimize performance.
In many running and jumping disciplines in athletics, optimally trained calf muscles are a prerequisite for maximum performance. Simply put, the calf muscles work when standing on tiptoe. The antagonist that causes stretching in the ankle is called the anterior tibial muscle (M. tibialis anterior)
Trained muscles
- Twin calf muscle (M. gastrocnemius)
- Long fibula muscle (M. peroneus longus)
- Short fibula muscle (M. peroneus brevis)
- Plaice muscle (M. soleus)
Description calf jack
The athlete sits on the device, the thighs are fixed below the lifting surface. The feet stand on the supporting surface. The back is straight, the spine is not stressed with this form of calf lifter.
The athlete lifts the knees by stretching the ankle, thereby contracting the calf muscle. Between the individual sets of this exercise, it is advisable not to remain seated on the machine, otherwise the muscles can only be loosened with great difficulty. Some machines allow a longer working path, in which the heel can be brought below the supporting surface of the feet and the calf muscles are stretched. The weight and repetition of the calf lifter depends on the training goal.
Training without equipment
Those who prefer to do their training without equipment can fix a barbell bar in the neck and slowly stand on their tiptoes. Tip: Even without weight, this exercise can be very strenuous.
Modifications
The calf lifter does not necessarily have to be executed in a seated position. Numerous devices enable calf lifting with an extended body posture. Particularly in bounce training, the calf lifter is usually used in this form, as the upper parts of the muscles can be trained more specifically.
With this form of training, however, it should be noted that problems can arise in the area of the spine. In the case of back problems, we generally advise against using the calf lifter standing up.