Calf Muscles..

[ayceejay]

Try to analyse your pedalling style. If you bend your ankles a lot this will work your calves more than stomping will. Neither is right or wrong but it may explain your "slow on the uptake" impression. In the gym calf exercises will be some variation of 'calf raises' which simply put is extending (pointing) and retracting your foot (bending at the ankle) under resistance.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

1 word.....squats

 

[Raging Squirrel]

try this as well, just stand flat on the floor, and raise yourself onto your tip toes, 3 sets of 10. Then try again hold say a 10kg weight and so on. My calves are massive, just want to tone and define them now.

 

[dellzeqq]

Not been riding long and my thigh muscles are improving OK but my calf muscles seem to be a bit slow on the uptake.. any tips on excercises that would help them improve them a bit more.

in an ideal world you'd expect all of your muscles to get stronger together. If they're not then why not think about the way you pedal? Are you using your calves on the downstroke?

 

[black'n'yellow]

try this as well, just stand flat on the floor, and raise yourself onto your tip toes, 3 sets of 10. Then try again hold say a 10kg weight and so on. My calves are massive, just want to tone and define them now.

like I said earlier - it all depends if you want to improve your cycling performance - or simply look like Arnold.

 

[Rob3rt]

Here we go again!

 

[black'n'yellow]

Here we go again!

just when you thought it was safe...

 

[Rob3rt]

Next time I overtake someone on a hill, I am going to say, "1 word..... squats" to them.

 

[Raging Squirrel]

you do that!

 

[Sittingduck]

There is too much testosterone in most of the threads, in this particular section of the forum

 

[Boon 51]

like I said earlier - it all depends if you want to improve your cycling performance - or simply look like Arnold.

Not bothered about looks but better muscles for climbing hills as I live on a mountain ...we dont do flat roads right up here.

 

[Boon 51]

1 word.....squats

How do you do these.. properly?

 

[Boon 51]

try this as well, just stand flat on the floor, and raise yourself onto your tip toes, 3 sets of 10. Then try again hold say a 10kg weight and so on. My calves are massive, just want to tone and define them now.

I was just doing this in the kitchen and SHMBO walking in and asked what I was doing so she thinks I've gone barking..

 

[black'n'yellow]

Not bothered about looks but better muscles for climbing hills as I live on a mountain ...we dont do flat roads right up here.

Improved cardiovascular fitness (through cycling) will, in effect, give you better performing muscles.

How do you do these.. properly?

I think the 'squats' comment was in relation to wanting to improve the 'look' of your calf muscles - if that sort of thing interests you. They certainly aren't necessary to improve your cycling.

 

[Boon 51]

Improved cardiovascular fitness (through cycling) will, in effect, give you better performing muscles

Thats where I'm going...