Learn How To Prevent And Avoid Strained Calf

One of the best ways to exercise your calves muscle and avoid a strained calf is by the smith machine calf raise. It is recommended to do the smith machine calf raise as the first exercise on calf days while you still have all your strength. This may be followed by seated calf raises to train the soleus muscle. In this article, I will be explain how to do the smith machine calf raise to avoid a strained calf.
• Put a wooden block at least 6 inches high below the bar of a smith machine, keeping it in line with the bar. Adjust the bar to about shoulder height.
• Stand on the step with your toes keeping your heels projecting off so they can move up and down freely.
• Load on the bar on the back of your shoulder (on your trapezius muscle).
• Keeping your toes straight, grab the bar at about shoulder width then rotate the bar to unhook it.
• Keep your legs straight and your spine erect so that your whole body is in line with the bar so that your calves muscle work harder and prevent a strained calf.
• Put your heels down slowly until you feel maximum stretch in your Achilles tendon.
• Inhale deeply then hold your breath and push up to raise your heels as high as possible by contracting your gastrocnemius muscle.
• Maintain this position for 2 seconds as you are still holding your breath.
• Exhale as you descend back to initial position.
To prevent a strained calf and build solid calve muscles here are a few points to keep in mind while performing the exercise:
• Your legs have to be straight as much as possible because bending them will put more stress on the soleus muscle and less stress on the gastrocnemius, that is less efficient training.
• During peak contraction at the highest point, hold your position for 2 seconds to guarantee maximum contraction of your calves muscle.
• To improve your stability and get more instant power, hold your breath as you rise up.
• Move slowly and don’t bounce up to cancel the effect of inertia and focus more on your muscle contraction.
Once you master the smith machine calf raise, you may try using different foot positions to work certain parts of your gastrocnemius. Point your toes inwards to focus more on the outer part of your gastrocnemius and vice versa, do all this and you will avoid a strained calf.