The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (47 page)

Place a four to five inch platform or piece of wood beneath your feet.

Have your assistant sit upon the lumbar region of your lower back, making sure that he or she is secure. Your assistant must be sure not to move around or one of you could be seriously injured.

TECHNIQUE AND FORM

Make sure that you are secure and in stable alignment.

Begin by pressing up onto the tips of your toes, focusing on the entire calf area.

Press up as high as you can and briefly hold the contraction.

Slowly lower yourself, bringing the heels down towards the ground for a deep stretch. Do not go too deep.

Calf Press

This particular exercise zones in on the gastrocnemius muscles of the calves. It is performed on the same machine you use for leg presses. This is an excellent alternative to standing calf raises and for people with lower back injuries.

At the top of the movement, make sure to really squeeze. The next time you’re in the gym, look at how the average person performs a calf press or raise. You’ll notice that their range of motion is extremely shallow. This might be because they are using too much weight or they simply don’t understand the importance of getting a full range of motion. If you do use a full range of motion, you can do less work and still see much better results than someone doing much more work with a limited range of motion. Please note: If you do have an injury that prevents you from using a full range of motion, please go according to what works better for you.

VARIATION:
The calf press may also be accomplished on a plate-loaded machine.

PROPER ALIGNMENT

Step on to the platform of the machine and place your feet about 3-5 inches apart.

Load the machine with the desired resistance.

Position your feet on the platform so only the upper edge of your feet rests on the platform. The other half will hang off the platform.

Take hold of the handles, usually located to the sides of the machine.