		SuperFitness Calves like Diamonds Written by C. W. Mann Strong, well defined calve muscles take more work than a few calf rises on alternate weeks. When you have done a full routine for your calves, you will have felt the burn of continuous pressure on each set. Depending on what your gym offers in the way of special equipment for the calves, here are some food exercises: One-Legged Toe Rise (Ram Thrust Machine, Wall Calf Machine, or Power Rack Machine) - Position yourself in the machine facing forward with weight tension on your feet. Place your right toes on a two to four-inch block with your heels on the floor supporting the weight. Place your left toes at the back of your right ankle. Keep your back straight, head up, and knees locked as you rise on the ball of your right foot. Pause at the top of the motion, and hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds. Lying Supine Toe Press (Wall Leg Press Machine) - Lie on your back under a wall Leg Press Machine. Position the balls of your feet so they have a good grip on the edge of the foot pad. Lift the weight until your legs are straight, your knees are locked, and your heels extend over the edge of the foot bar. Release the safety stops, and place your hands palms down under your buttocks. Lift and hold the extended position before you release the tension, and slowly allow the weight to return to the starting position. Seated Calf Machine Toe Rise - Take a seat on the machine and place your upper thighs under the leg pad just above the knees. Raise up on the pads and release the safety stop. Raise your heels as high as possible with the weight load. As you reach your maximum, slow the speed of your ascent and try to squeeze the inner calf muscle. Hold the position for 15-20 seconds, then slowly lower again. Barbell Standing Toe Rise - To start this exercise, place a weighted barbell on your shoulders using a medium, but stable, grip. Place the balls of your feet on a two to four-inch high block. Your heels should touch the floor. Lift the weight by raising your heels as high as possible above the ground. Stabilize your position as you reach the top of your rise by slowing your ascent a bit. Hold the position with your calf muscles in full contraction for fifteen to twenty seconds. Donkey Calf Rise - Position yourself about 24 to 26 inches from a waist high bench or stationary bar. Bending at the waist, place the balls of your feet on a two to four inch block and your hands or elbows on the bench or bar. You should form a flat surface with your back on which a partner can mount. Slowly lift your heels off the floor until all of the weight is on the balls or your feet. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds before you return your heels almost to the floor. Face Down One-Legged Toe Press (Wall Leg Press Machine) - Take a position on a pad under the Wall Leg Press Machine with your knees directly below the foot pad. Place the balls of both feet on the pad, and press upward as your partner releases the safety catch. Slowly shift the weight to the right foot, and place your left foot behind your right ankle. Your toes should be as low as possible. Raise the weight slowly on the ball of your right foot until you cannot possibly get the foot pad any higher. Pause at the top for 5-10 seconds. Seated Toe Rise using Negative Resistance (Universal Machine) - Take a comfortable seat in the chair of the machine, and place the balls of your feet on the lowest pad. Extent your legs to lock your knees and hips. Gently release the weight to your right foot by removing your left foot from its pad. Extend your toes as far as possible against the resistance of the machine. Pause momentarily at the top of the motion. Repeat with the other foot. Always check with your doctor before starting or changing an exercise program. Contributed by C. W. Mann, who also writes the syndicated newspaper column, SuperFitness. His latest book BUILD HARD will be published by Human Kinetics Inc. in November of 1997. Please direct your personal fitness questions to cybercast@bigfoot.com. Front Page Copyright (C) 1994 - 1997 by Virtual Press/Global Internet Solutions. Internet Daily News and its respective columns are trademarks of Virtual Press /Global Internet Solutions.

SuperFitness

Calves like Diamonds

Strong, well defined calve muscles take more work than a few calf rises on alternate weeks. When you have done a full routine for your calves, you will have felt the burn of continuous pressure on each set. Depending on what your gym offers in the way of special equipment for the calves, here are some food exercises:

One-Legged Toe Rise (Ram Thrust Machine, Wall Calf Machine, or Power Rack Machine) - Position yourself in the machine facing forward with weight tension on your feet. Place your right toes on a two to four-inch block with your heels on the floor supporting the weight. Place your left toes at the back of your right ankle. Keep your back straight, head up, and knees locked as you rise on the ball of your right foot. Pause at the top of the motion, and hold the position for 15 to 20 seconds.

Lying Supine Toe Press (Wall Leg Press Machine) - Lie on your back under a wall Leg Press Machine. Position the balls of your feet so they have a good grip on the edge of the foot pad. Lift the weight until your legs are straight, your knees are locked, and your heels extend over the edge of the foot bar. Release the safety stops, and place your hands palms down under your buttocks. Lift and hold the extended position before you release the tension, and slowly allow the weight to return to the starting position.

Seated Calf Machine Toe Rise - Take a seat on the machine and place your upper thighs under the leg pad just above the knees. Raise up on the pads and release the safety stop. Raise your heels as high as possible with the weight load. As you reach your maximum, slow the speed of your ascent and try to squeeze the inner calf muscle. Hold the position for 15-20 seconds, then slowly lower again.

Barbell Standing Toe Rise - To start this exercise, place a weighted barbell on your shoulders using a medium, but stable, grip. Place the balls of your feet on a two to four-inch high block. Your heels should touch the floor. Lift the weight by raising your heels as high as possible above the ground. Stabilize your position as you reach the top of your rise by slowing your ascent a bit. Hold the position with your calf muscles in full contraction for fifteen to twenty seconds.

Donkey Calf Rise - Position yourself about 24 to 26 inches from a waist high bench or stationary bar. Bending at the waist, place the balls of your feet on a two to four inch block and your hands or elbows on the bench or bar. You should form a flat surface with your back on which a partner can mount. Slowly lift your heels off the floor until all of the weight is on the balls or your feet. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds before you return your heels almost to the floor.

Face Down One-Legged Toe Press (Wall Leg Press Machine) - Take a position on a pad under the Wall Leg Press Machine with your knees directly below the foot pad. Place the balls of both feet on the pad, and press upward as your partner releases the safety catch. Slowly shift the weight to the right foot, and place your left foot behind your right ankle. Your toes should be as low as possible. Raise the weight slowly on the ball of your right foot until you cannot possibly get the foot pad any higher. Pause at the top for 5-10 seconds.

Seated Toe Rise using Negative Resistance (Universal Machine) - Take a comfortable seat in the chair of the machine, and place the balls of your feet on the lowest pad. Extent your legs to lock your knees and hips. Gently release the weight to your right foot by removing your left foot from its pad. Extend your toes as far as possible against the resistance of the machine. Pause momentarily at the top of the motion. Repeat with the other foot.

Always check with your doctor before starting or changing an exercise program. Contributed by C. W. Mann, who also writes the syndicated newspaper column, SuperFitness. His latest book BUILD HARD will be published by Human Kinetics Inc. in November of 1997. Please direct your personal fitness questions to cybercast@bigfoot.com.

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