Calf is the back portion of your leg. You must have seen some people having bulky calves despite their waist being slim. It is comparatively easier to slim down waist than slim down calves but that doesn’t make the latter impossible. By doing specific exercises, you can strengthen your calf muscles. Pilates is one of the best fitness systems when it comes to strengthening the core body. However, pilates is done in the lying position and it first focuses on the core muscles of the body and then the periphery including arms and legs. When it comes to pilates for calves specifically, usually these are a part of main exercises that also target calves. Pilates makes your body leaner by creating long, lean muscles without adding a bulk. Since, best way to target calves it foot work and it can be best done on a reformer. However, most of the people do not have access to a reformer and so, here are some exercises chosen by the expert that are done using an elastic band.
1. Toe Extensions
- Lie on the mat
- Lie on the back with both legs inside the elastic band
- Hold the ends of the elastic band firmly with your hands
- Make a V with your feet as you keep your heels together and toes apart
- The person should do pointing and flexing the toes with elastic band
2. Single Leg Extensions
This is a part of single leg extensions and leg up and down.
- Lie on the mat
- Put elastic band on one of the feet and raise the leg straight without bending the knee
- Hold the position
- Hold the ends of the elastic band firmly with your hands
- Now do pointing and flexing the toes of the leg
- Make sure that the other feet it remains on the ground and do not lift it up
This exercise is extremely helpful in building, strengthening the calves as well as leaning them out.
Also Read: Do These 5 Pilates To Strengthen Legs and Glutes
3. Toe Bridges
- Lie on the mat with legs stretched out
- Keep your arms alongside the body
- Lift your hips off the ground maintaining good position
- Once you are up, go on the toes with your toes lifted upwards
- Now, while keeping the toes lifted, go up and down.
- This exercise strengthens the glutes, works on the lower back and at the same time it also strengthens calf muscles.
- To make this exercise more challenging, we bring one knee to the chest
- Now, do toe bridges with one leg holding the body weight
4. Pilates Plies
This is a standing pilates exercise that can work on your calf muscles if you do it rightly.
- Stand in an upright position
- Keep your heels together and toes apart
- Get up on your toes and then in a straight line, go down
- When you are going down, your knees would come out
- Do lengthening and stretching while staying on the balls of your feet
- While you are doing this, keep arms closing and opening in front of you as you go up and down
5. Wide Stance Plies
- Stand in the upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Get up on your toes and then in a straight line, go down
- Do lengthening and stretching while staying on the balls of your feet
- While you are doing this, keep arms closing and opening in front of you as you go up and down
These are five pilates exercises that you can perform to slim and strengthen your calves.
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