As runners, we hear a lot about our hamstrings, our quads, and our glutes. But one area of our lower bodies that we may not think about enough — even though they’re probably noticeably larger than most people’s — is our calves.As runners, we hear a lot about our hamstrings, our quads, and our glutes. But one area of our lower bodies that we may not think about enough — even though they’re probably noticeably larger than most people’s — is our calves.

You may think the calves are only used in running to help propel us forward, but they’re actually involved in every motion of the run. It’s important to understand how critical our calves are to our running form because as we age, our calf function and strength tend to decline, which can affect our form and, potentially, lead to injury. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, calf injuries are among the most common form of injury affecting runners over age 40.

That’s why...

Runners tend to have strong legs muscles built from miles on the roads or trails.  We often tout the importance of maintaining strong core muscles, which is very important.  However, today we are going to focus on a pair of muscles and their neighbors, who propel every step while also cushioning every landing.  In this episode, we put the calves on center stage and discuss why this dynamic duo is so important to your running success.  

Highlights of the Episode

Running is actually a more complicated process than it first appears

The 4 phases of running gait and muscle action during each 

How running form maximizes the efficiency of using our forces

The running body is a passive spring (the importance of our tendons)

The running body is an active engine (the importance of our muscles)

The running body is beautifully intertwined - how the active machine and passive spring work together

When the body changes, problems can occur

How we can...