Thick Calf Muscles Cannot Be Blamed – It’s Due to Two Muscles!

People often hear around us saying: 'Don't go for a run, your calf muscles will get thick!'It's important to know that body shape and muscle tone in each part of the body, as well as the thickness of fat outside, are all related.However, the calf muscle is not as easy to accumulate fat like other parts of the body, so to a large extent, the shape of the calf is mainly determined by the shape of the calf muscles.Visually, the degree of calf muscle thickness is mainly determined by two muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus.What is the soleus?The gastrocnemius lies below the calf muscle and above the soleus; it has two heads: the outer head originates from the lateral malleolus of the tibia; the inner head is higher, originating from the medial malleolus of the tibia.The muscle bundles of the two heads descend and converge approximately in the middle of the calf, transitioning to the soleus tendon, forming a large tendon that attaches to the posterior facet of the heel bone.When the gastrocnemius contracts and is fixed, it causes flexion and plantar flexion of the calf, and when it's fixed remotely, it pulls the femur and the calf backward, thus straightening the knee joint.Once you understand these two muscles, you'll know why we say that calf muscle thickness is related to the calf muscle.Still not quite clear? Let's take a look at the following two pictures:Isn't this simple enough?Often, calf muscle thickness is mainly due to the development of the gastrocnemius. Compared to the soleus, the gastrocnemius is used more frequently in daily life, so it's easier to exercise and stimulate.The soleus is relatively less receptive to stimulation. It can only be used and exercised when the knee is bent, such as squats, and heavy training, as well as running, jumping, and so on.Once the lateral dimension increases, the calf muscle will naturally appear thicker. Therefore, whether it's really calf muscle thickness depends on whether the gastrocnemius is overly developed.Therefore, calf muscle thickness cannot be attributed to long-distance running, but long-distance slow running can actually make the calf muscle lines more beautiful, and proper stretching before and after exercise will make your calf more slender and beautiful.If you're looking to reduce leg muscle, you can first assess your leg muscle development. You can first assess whether your leg muscles are overly developed.The method is as follows:Point your toesPoint your toes, make your legs tense, if you can clearly see the shape of the calf musclePalpation methodWhen the leg is relaxed, if you can easily grab the meat with your hand, it means it's fat, and if there is a whole piece that cannot be grabbed, it means it's muscle.Exercise intervalIf you haven't exercised for a long time, your legs will be more fat than muscle. Because when you don't exercise, muscles will atrophy.Here's a comparison chart of calf muscle and fat: 1st leg is likely to have a more outward stance, with the center of gravity leaning towards the rear leg, or often wears high heels.2nd leg is likely to have an inward stance, which puts a lot of pressure on the outer calf muscles, making the outer gastrocnemius develop.3rd leg is likely to be the result of long-term calf-related muscle training, or there is no inward or outward posture, but the center of gravity is placed on the rear foot, using the rear calf muscle to support the balance of walking, resulting in a highly developed calf muscle.4th leg is due to the development of the soleus muscle and the accumulation of fat, making the whole leg look swollen and thick.Here's a leg training exercise.Victoria's little sister takes you to reshape your leg lines, while also stretching your hips and tendons.PS: These actions do not have any effect on improving posture!Action oneAction twoAction threeAction fourAction fiveAction sixAction sevenLeg muscle relaxation exercise:Calf—rear gastrocnemiusCalf—front soleus tendonThigh—front (single)Thigh—front (double)Thigh—outer sideThigh—inner sideThigh back side—hamstringToday's interactive topic: Are you or your members experiencing one of the above problems?