Hiring a second heart. CALF MUSCLES WANTED!
Sounds strange right? How could a little (or maybe not so little if you train them) muscle in your lower leg act as a second heart? Well interestingly enough, by the time blood reaches the lower extremities, it has lost some of its steam. Making the return journey to the heart is quite an endeavor. One way the blood makes it back is by rhythmic, muscular contraction that helps “milk” the blood towards the heart. Ascending through the veins as it presses through 1-way valves, the blood eventually deposits into the heart’s right atrium. Now, where does the gastrocnemius enter this story? I’m glad you asked.
The gastroc’s are actually quite powerful muscles aiding in explosive movements like jumping and sprinting via plantar flexion of the foot. A noteworthy amount of their muscle fiber composition is of the Type II variety meaning they are primed for fast twitch movements. This comes in handy when propelling the blood back to the heart through the network of ascending veins. Each time the calf muscles contract, they pulse blood towards the heart giving needed momentum for its return. Of note, The Journal of Biomechanics published a study finding that “men and women with chronic heart failure have smaller calf muscles than people with healthy hearts.”(1) Additionally, a study by Geriatrics Gerontology uncovered a correlation between calf size and an algorithm used to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease over 10 years, finding that smaller calves were associated with higher risk scores. (2) If you ever needed an excuse to work on these sometimes stubborn muscles, this could be just the news for you!
Here are some ideas you can incorporate when training calves. First, a sneaky way to get extra reps in is to knock out sets of fifty while in the shower. Second, experiment with different angles when doing bodyweight calf raises. Toes in work the lateral head, toes forward evenly, toes out the medial head. Third, trail run! Or hill sprints…. Getting up on your toes forces your feet into plantar flexion which provides strong stimulus for the gastrocnemius. Fourth, if seated at a desk for a long period of time try tapping your heels for a minute or so every now and then to get the gastrocnemius firing.
When all is set and done, show your calves some love and build a healthier cardiovascular system!
1) Luoma, TC; “Small Calves Equals Shorter Life,” T-Nation, November 2020, https://forums.t-nation.com/t/small-calves-equals-shorter-life/2862332
2) Ibid.
