Your calves assist with lifting your heel when walking, running or jumping. The calf muscles merge with the Achilles tendon, which inserts into the heel bone (Calcaneus)

The location:

Back (posterior) of the lower leg

The muscle group’s made up of 2 muscles

• Gastrocnemius (larger) The bulgy muscle under the skin
• Soleus (smaller) The flatter muscle that lies underneath the Gastrocnemius

Muscle group function:

• Plantar flexion at the ankle (Pointing of the foot and toes downwards)

Benefits:

Your calves are what act as stabilisers for your ankles and feet. When you look after your calves not only do you benefit aesthetically but also biomechanically. If you target them properly when training you can reduce the risk of injury (Calf pulls are the second most common injury in runners who don’t stretch and train their calves!).

The location of the Quads:

They are the muscles on the front of the thigh. They’re collectively the largest group of muscles in the body and are the group of muscles on the front and side of your thigh (Femoral bone) that extend over the kneecap (Patella), helping to keep your kneecap in place.

This muscle group is made up of FOUR Muscles:

Quadri is Latin for four!

1. Vastus Intermeius (in-ter-medias)
   • Vastus means great/big/vast
   • A deep muscle
2. Vastus Medialis (meed-e-al-is)
   • Vastus means great/big/vast
   • Medialis means its located on the medial side (inside leg)
3. Vastus Lateralis (lat-er-al-is)
   • Vastus means great/big/vast
   • Lateralis means on the lateral side. The Muscle on the outside
   • The largest muscle of this group
4. Rectus Femoris (fem-ore-is)
   • Rectus means straight muscle
   • Superficial layer (over the top of the other three)
   • Femoral muscle found running down the length of the femur.
   • The only muscle from this group that crosses over the hip joint and the kneecap and therefore referred to as the kicking muscle

Muscle group function:

• To extend the leg at the knee joint
• To give flexion of the thigh
• Give strength and stability when walking, running, jumping, squatting and sitting
• Provide nerve supply
• Provide blood supply