Will running regularly make your calves thicker?

In daily life, running is a common aerobic exercise, and long-term running is very beneficial to the body. However, long-term running can easily cause the legs to become thicker. This is caused by incorrect running methods. Long-term running can easily lead to calf muscles, making the legs look fatter, which is not conducive to weight loss. Correct running requires warming up in advance to prevent the legs from becoming thicker.

Why do calves become thicker when running?

1. The single running time is not long enough, the calories consumed are miscalculated, and the diet is not controlled, so weight is naturally gained. In fact, running more than ten kilometers may only consume the calories of a small piece of cake.

2. You misunderstand your calf muscles. As soon as a person uses his muscles, the blood that transports energy will be concentrated in the specific movement part, causing the part to appear edema and appear to become thicker. However, this "swelling" phenomenon is a temporary reaction caused by intense body exercise, not real "thickening". Don't worry, it will return to its original state soon.

How to avoid thickening of calves after running?

1. Warming up before running is very important

Always warm up before exercising to prevent muscle strain. Stretching your legs is especially important before running. Only when the calves are fully warmed up and stretched properly can they be put into combat in the best condition.

2. The running posture should be correct

When running, actively push your hips forward as your thighs swing forward, and swing your thighs and knees forward and upward with force, rather than just lifting them up. When running, your feet should land about one foot in front of your body, close to the midline. The calf should not be crossed too far to avoid strain on the Achilles tendon due to excessive force. At the same time, pay attention to the cushioning of the calf muscles and Achilles tendon when landing. When landing, the calf should actively dig into the ground backwards to make the body move forward actively.

Finally, the calf should swing forward in the right direction, and the foot should face forward as much as possible, not turned outward or backward, otherwise the knee and ankle joints may be easily injured. When running, land on the middle of your foot and quickly distribute the impact force to the entire sole of your foot.

3. Try to do aerobic exercise

For running exercises, the more intense the exercise, the better the effect. It is wrong to only focus on the calories consumed in each exercise. When you increase the intensity and speed of running, you will consume more calories, but it will put too much strain on your calves and knees, and your muscles will grow faster.

Therefore, remember that it is best to use the above methods to relieve the tension in time after running, so that the leg muscles can be completely relaxed, and you should also pay attention to the intensity and time of exercise.

4. Stretching after running is essential

Many novice runners tend to overlook the post-run stretching step. Stretching exercises after running can not only relieve muscle tension after running and avoid muscle tightness, but also effectively maintain perfect leg shape.