If you were approached by someone and told that you have an ugly pair of gastroc-soleus, by all means look at your legs, your calves particularly. No, it's not some crazy voodoo spell nor a scientific name for a dinosaur, it's your calves he's talking about. Look at it. Slap the guy if you think he's lying, but move away and walk slowly if you think he is right. Then, follow the following workout tips to get a better pair of calves.
Your gastrocnemius and your soleus, or your calves, are just as important as your biceps and your abs. They are as susceptible to gaining fat, too. It is a natural thing for the calves to gain fat, what is unnatural is for the fat to remain there and build more fats.
Below are some tips on how to get rid of the fat in your calves:
Sweat it out. Exercise is of course the best way to lose the fat. Exercise, particularly cardio exercises work best against these calf fats. A good cardio workout can be obtained from the stepper. The stepper is a good workout option because it targets the gluteal muscles. Your gluteal muscles, or the muscles of your butt is the largest muscle group, hence the stepper burns more calories than the regular treadmill.
Another outstanding cardio machine to help you get rid of the calf fat is the elliptical trainer. For best results, use it in reverse. Elliptical trainers work in all directions, giving you a full-range workout.
The idea of doing spot reduction is a no-no in working out. There is no known workout technique that focuses on just one area and loses only on that area. The best way to go is to take a weight loss program, work out with cardio exercises and weight training or weight lifting exercises. Above all this, do not go on working out like loco and eating like there's no tomorrow – too much of both never goes well. Always observe the right diet.
Be realistic. The only way you can really start losing fat in your calves is when you set realistic goals. Measure your body fat – muscle index and aim at losing at least a pound of fat in a week. Once you lose body fat, you lose fat in the calves, too.
Take it easy. You're working out, and you see that you're having a heart rate of 60 or 70, don't sweat it. It's normal for beginners to attain this rate as the first thing that the body eats up is the sugar and protein before the fat. Without enough sugar and proteins, you will definitely feel stressed and tired. Don't worry though, within three months of regular exercise, working out at an intense pace will be a piece of cake.
Drop it down low. Prioritize your lower body when you work out. The lower body has the largest muscle group. Running not only is a good work out for the lower body, it also actively burns calories. You burn calories when running, and when resting, as your metabolic rate increases as you rest after running.
Warm up. Conditioning is necessary before working out. Stretch, stretch, stretch. Why is it called warm up anyway? These stretching exercises increase muscle temperature thereby giving a smoother transition for your muscles prior to starting any activity. Properly warmed up calf muscles can be contracted with more power. After work out, cooling down will be a whole lot easier if the muscles have been properly warmed up. Another benefit from warming up is that it increases muscle speed and lowers the risk of you getting an injury.
Rest. Let your muscles breath. After giving them an intense and powerful workout, even those calves need to take rests in between workouts. When you feel pain when doing your usual sets, try and take a breather.
Involve everything. Yes, you're trying to get rid of the muscles in your calves. However, take into consideration the other muscles in your legs. Involve the other groups in your lower body to avoid a misshapen leg. Involve the quadriceps in your overall workout program. Use barbell weights for your squats and leg press machines. Don't forget your hamstrings, too. Do some hamstring curls with your toes pointed downwards to optimize them hamstrings.
Use the right amount of force. Do not overexert effort working out. Your outer and inner thighs are worked out via machines. Apply just the right set of weights. Overworking them will not help at all but just tire you out and put you out of the game. While at the abductor machine, perform squats with a dumbbell and your feet pointing down.
Raise the calf. Calf raising is the exercise that mainly targets your calves. You can either use a calf raise machine or stand at the end of a platform or any elevated ramp then tip toe, up and down. This stretches your calves. An ideal calf raise exercise is done 20 to 25 times.
Press the legs. A leg press machine also helps a lot in a lower body workout. This workout basically presses the legs against the platform, raising the heels in mid-air and then the individual pushes against the platform. This workout contracts the calves and the hamstrings. Adding more weight on the machine increases the pressure and the resistance for your workout.
Eat properly. All the workout programs above will not work if you don't watch what and how much you eat. A single pound of fat is equivalent to burning 3,500 calories. Watching what you eat doesn't mean you shouldn't eat at all – it simply means that you should be on a balanced diet and a proper exercise regimen.
Boost your performance. When you feel you want more, take some supplement for burning fat and losing weight. Be wary of these though; be sure you use only natural supplements that help you cut down your food intake. Some artificial supplements may mess up your kidneys and your heart, so always be careful of using supplements.
