5 Super Strategies on How to Slim Calves

If you want lean, sexy legs – the kind of legs that look great in a dress, shorts, or even a bathing suit, it’s crucial to start slimming down calves to give your legs a lean, streamlined look. Calves can often have a bulky look, caused by stored fat or over-training with certain exercises.

However, slimming them down isn’t hard – it just requires a little bit of time and effort. The five super strategies for slimming down calves below will provide the jumpstart you need:

How to Slim Calves Strategy #1 – Dietary changes

First of all, consider whether you are carrying any excess fat on your body. If so, it’s not surprising that your calves are also a little more bulky than you’d like. Start by making dietary changes that will help you burn fat and lose weight. Reduce your caloric intake, drink more water, and improve the quality of food you eat, eliminating excess sugar and sodium and leaning more toward healthy, natural foods like vegetables and fruit.

How to Slim Calves Strategy #2 – Cardio workouts

Cardio workouts are an important part of calorie-burning, which makes losing weight easier and faster. Walking, running, aerobics, bicycling, and swimming are all great cardio workouts that help you burn calories without bulking up the calf muscles.

How to Slim Calves Strategy #3 – Toning workouts

Now that you’re burning calories and losing weight, you can start focusing on toning those calf muscles. One of the best toning exercises for slimming down calves is standing with your feet a few inches apart, then rising up onto your toes, then slowly lowering back down onto flat feet. Repeat 15-25 times per session, and you can even do a couple of sessions per day if you like. To tone your whole legs, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and sink slowly into a squat, bending knees at a 90-degree angle. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly stand up straight again – except keep going by rising up onto your toes, holding for a few seconds, then lowering yourself back to flat feet and sinking down into a squat again . . . you can repeat this exercise as many times as you like.

How to Slim Calves #4 – Lengthening resistance

Beyond the toning exercises described above, there are other “lengthening” resistance training moves that will help stretch out those calf muscles and give them a leaner look. One of these exercises is called Pilates. There are a ton of great DVDs that can help you get started with Pilates. In the meantime if you want a simple lengthening move you can do at home, lie on your back and raise your legs straight up so the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. Now “point” your toes up straight at the ceiling; then “flex” your feet down so your heels are now pointing at the ceiling. Repeat for 15-25 repetitions, pointing and flexing, and you’ll feel your calf muscles getting quite a workout!

How to Slim Calves #5 – Stretching Calf Muscles

Finally, stretching is an important part of slimming down calves. After every workout, be sure to gently s-t-r-e-t-c-h all of those leg muscles, really lengthening them (only as far as it’s comfortable for you) and holding for several seconds.

These five easy steps are great for slimming down calves and will also help tone your legs all over.