Toning Calf Muscles

[SOFcowgirl]

I would really like to tone my calf muscles, but I haven't found anything that works. Despite being a ballet dancer and doing releves (going up on the ball of your foot) all the time, I still have absolutely no definition in my calf muscles.
Is there any other exercise that tones calves? I've searched the internet, but all I can find is releve exercises, which obviously aren't working for me.
Thanks!

[Okra]

Hop-ups (hoping up and down onto a 6-14 inch surface with feet together on toes), and simply calf raises (standing on the edge of a step raising your heels over and over - releves I guess!) have always worked for me. Hopping in place on your toes. Sprinting, hard sprinting can work calves and gets more definition, as does steep mountain hiking, running up stairs, even running down stairs quickly one step at a time.

For people that doesn't work for, I have seen basic gym machines designed for it that get definition. It may also be that you tend to store fat in that area for whatever reason, and the muscle is just not defined as a result.

[SOFcowgirl]

Thanks Okra! Yes, calf raises are releves, I couldn't think of a better way to describe them! I'll definitely try hop ups. When I do cardio on a cross trainer, it says if you peddle your feet backwards on a lower incline it works your calves and hamstrings, but I still only feel it in my quads.

[greenrunner]

My calf muscles are getting extremely defined and developed by running! I've seen fast results.

[Buffy88]

I don't use the calf machine. I use the leg press. Put your feet on the bottom on the leg press and just bounce up and down slowly. You can use more weight this way and I don't feel like its so hard on my back. I was a ballet dancer too. I don't think we can get defined calves. I even played softball and cheer leading...Nothing. Just firm skinny calves.

[swimsweetie401]

I have some nice definition in my calf muscles, and I'm pretty sure it's from swimming! Swimming pretty much tones up your whole body. Calf raises are great too, and I'm sure that hop ups are too, although I personally have never tired them.

[Dirty Martini]

leg presses are horrible machines - don't use them.

You do ballet so I assume you're relatively lean...?

Try step-ups. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Dumbbell+Step+Ups

Lunges. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Barbell+Lunge

Put a weighted barbell across your back and do calf raises. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Standing+Barbell+Calf+Raise

[Buffy88]

lol! Ok, i'm just a personal trainer. I don't know ANYTHING. Leg Presses are fine as long as they are used correctly. And those moves are good except for those of us who have bad knees because of ballet.

[Marie]

Carry a bike up and down three flights of stairs a couple of times every day. :p

It worked for me. Unfortunately I don't live in a third floor apartment anymore. :p

[SOFcowgirl]

Lol Marie, I'd have to go borrow someone's stairs. :) That would be amusing!

Yup, Buffy88, I have pretty much the same legs as you do! I have quad strength and definition, but my calves are just firm and straight.

Greenrunner, great minds think alike! I was thinking about running for my cardio from now on, it's a bit more challenging for me than the elliptical.

Thanks so much, guys!

[Dirty Martini]

lol! Ok, i'm just a personal trainer. I don't know ANYTHING. Leg Presses are fine as long as they are used correctly. And those moves are good except for those of us who have bad knees because of ballet.

Saying you're a PT doesn't mean anything unless you carry a respected certification. The people at 24-hour fitness are "certified" personal trainers. What certifications do you have?

I've read enough about the leg press machine to recommend avoiding it - why recommend something that is known to cause damage to the spine even with "correct" usage AND for which there are better, more effective exercises (barbell back squats, barbell calf raises, etc)? Why settle for something that sucks and can hurt you when there are better alternatives?

[Buffy88]

I am a ACE Personal Trainer and Physical Therapist with a Bachelor's on Physio. Are you even talking about the same machine? NO! I'm talking about the one that you sit down in. And Squats are horrible for you. They shred your ligaments. To each their own...grow up. Everyone has different opinions. You happy now, you got my certifications and qualifications? whhewwww Tough.

Another thread where someone knows everything. Gotta love them.

[bigdufstuff]

Bicycle everywhere, to work, to school, on errands, and most importantly for fun! Look at cyclists' legs and you'll likely see what you're looking for.

[Dirty Martini]

I am a ACE Personal Trainer and Physical Therapist with a Bachelor's on Physio. Are you even talking about the same machine? NO! I'm talking about the one that you sit down in. And Squats are horrible for you. They shred your ligaments. To each their own...grow up. Everyone has different opinions. You happy now, you got my certifications and qualifications? whhewwww Tough.

Snippy, snippy.

Squats are a great exercise if you do them properly. Full squats (where you get parallel or lower) strengthen the muscles & connective tissue around the knee. They don't "shred" them. Where did you hear that? Can you show me a study where that was demonstrated? In any case, as a physical therapist you probably already know that squats are one of the exercises people in sports (like football and soccer) do to PREVENT knee injuries.

Thanks for answering the question on certification. You'd be surprised how many people think they're "certified" because they spent 3 days in 24-hour fitness training becoming a "certified trainer".

And I think we're talking about the same machine. The one you sit down in, put your legs out in front of you against a plate, and push.

In any case, you're obviously stuck in your position & I refuse to budge from mine.

[sarahjayn1980]

I heard squats were bad for you from my personal trainer, too, but it was more like, "They are bad for you," meaning me at my present situation. He said I needed to loose some weight and develop some tone or I would kill my knees doing regular squats. He also said I needed to get to know my body and control my movements a little better because a bad squat is easy to do and that will kill your knees. So, maybe its like the saxophone - easy to play badly. Anyway, one thing I do have is great leg muscles (possibly from carrying around my immense weight, though, but I see a lot of fat people with not too toned legs). I do hop ups and calf raises, too. Good luck!

[LadyFaile]

Thanks Okra! Yes, calf raises are releves, I couldn't think of a better way to describe them! I'll definitely try hop ups. When I do cardio on a cross trainer, it says if you peddle your feet backwards on a lower incline it works your calves and hamstrings, but I still only feel it in my quads.

try it standing up on your toes :)

cycling (or stationary bike). i find if you use just the balls of the feet and toes instead of the whole foot to peddle i feel it more in the calves and if you point your toes in or out it works different areas also. do you go to the gym? they should have different leg extension machines for different parts of the leg, ask someone which one works the calves and how to use it

[Dirty Martini]

a bad squat is easy to do and that will kill your knees.

QFT. That's why I used the word "properly" in my post. Doing anything the wrong way can be harmful (driving, skiing, running, etc). I think your trainer is FOS regarding your weight & squats. Bodyweight squats are GREAT exercise for people at any weight.

But, whatever!

I've bitten my tongue on saying this because I don't want to be accused of various things but one other thing to consider is that you (the OP) just have too much fat on your body. *EATING DISORDER DISCLAIMER* I don't know if you have an eating disorder but I do know they're common with ballet dancers so I don't want to trigger anything BUT if you have well-defined legs that are covered in fat, you can do all the calf raises you want and you're STILL not going to see the definition. Getting down to about 18% body fat will likely get you there.

[sarahjayn1980]

Whoa! Who is being snippy now! I don't think my trainer is "FOS" on many things regarding personal health. I didn't say weight was the only reason he listed, there was also a coordination issue and range of motion concern.

[Dirty Martini]

You said: "He also said I needed to get to know my body and control my movements a little better"

How am I supposed to know that means you have a coordination issue and limited ROM? It sounded to me like your trainer wants you to pay attention to your form. I didn't know I was misinterpreting.

And anyway, how are you supposed to learn how to do squats properly and learn to go parallel (and what going parallel feels like) if you are never allowed to do them?

[sarahjayn1980]

So, you're saying it's better to prescribe generic exercises that are good for "everyone"? I don't think those exist.

I don't think its a question of "never" - - I think its about preparing my body so I don't damage myself trying to do something I am not ready for. My PT knows my body pretty well and has credentials, so I think I'll trust him.

[SCVeganRunner]

I am a runner and that's the easiest, fastest, and cheapest way to define you calves even light jogging and power walking works wonders.

I plan on going back to school next semester to start of my masters in exercise science and there are always conflicting ideas when it comes to training with weights. It is just a matter of what you want to do. As for the squats the one exercise I was ever told to avoid was pile squats the ones where you take a wider stance and turn your feet outward. I have also heard that it is better to work out using free weights vs. machines. This is because machines often times allow for momentum to be used thus not isolating the muscles you are suppose to be working and allowing muscles to be lazy. I perfer using free weights myself. I would assume that if someone had knee problems they would pretty much avoid squats and the leg press machine since a leg press is basically a squat that eliminates the stress that is placed on your back when you do a standing squat. That basically leaves the calf raises which are excellent you can do a lot of different variations such as one legged and you can get deep into the calf. But it's a matter of what you feel comfortable doing.

[Animosity]

For me, Dancing, Walking/hiking/jogging, Swiming and yoga have given me amazingly strong calve and thigh muscles. Biking also does good. Do you enjoy any of those things? They're less like an 'exercise' and more like a fun activity that happens to be good for you.

[Luxe]

Pilates and wearing heels a lot has given me very defined calves. I used to run on my toes for years (someone stopped me on the treadmill once to tell me I was doing it all wrong), so that probably contributed also.

[AmyDawn]

My dance instructor, many years ago, had us warm up our calves by point-flex, that is, alternate between pointing your toes and flexing your foot. I often do this when I'm idle, at work or while studying. Also, while recovering from an ankle injury a while back, I was told to lift a paint can on my foot, by using a similar method to point-flex: wearing shoes, sit and rest your leg at a higher level than that the paint can or alternative weight, put the handle over your toes (your shoe should have a natural dip there anyway), lift your toes as if to flex your foot, but only lift as far as feels comfortable, an inch or two is plenty. A gallon of paint is very heavy, so perhaps half a gallon, or a rock tied with a string would work better.

As with any exercise, be careful not to over-extend your ankle or knee.

[PTree15]

Bicycle everywhere, to work, to school, on errands, and most importantly for fun! Look at cyclists' legs and you'll likely see what you're looking for.

Seconded.