Get Spring Ready With These 4 Calf-Carving Exercises

When we talk about leg workouts, most of our attention goes to the big muscle groups: quads, hamstrings, and our favorite, the gluteus maximus. But none of those groups get the job done without their neighbors to the south, the gastrocnemius and the soleus, aka your calf muscles. These two muscles pair up to create plantar flexion — your foot moving up and down. They make running, jumping, walking, and simply standing possible. Anytime you stand in one place, your calf muscles engage to provide stability. When you begin to move, they allow for powerful and purposeful forward and upward movement. That's a long way around to saying they deserve some fitness love too! The nice thing about them is that they are easy to isolate, quick to max out, and present that amazing sculpted muscle look we all want. Here are five ways to give your calf zone some much needed attention; you'll feel so good you'll want to break out your short shorts sooner than you'd planned!