The 45° ankle leg press machine ankle-joint extension exercise provides opportunity to accelerate
the anterior calves with a heavy load application – the trainee is encouraged to provide proper technique
on this movement as injuries can occur if breakdown in form are experienced.

Movement Analysis
This exercise can be performed on either the inverted leg press or 45° angle leg press machine.
The lower lumbar region of the back is particularly vulnerable when the exercise is performed on the
inverted leg press machine due to the exaggerated position of the body. If the movement is performed
on the 45° angle leg press machine the back can become hyperextended due to the movement
application angle. The tendency is to work with too much weight which encourages a buckling
of the knees which results in an arcing-of-the-back response which exposes the lumbar region to
high injury-risk.

Risk of Developing Shin-Splits
While the trainee may escape without incurring a dehabilitating back injury, the odds that he/she
would avoid shin splits (muscle being tom away from the bone) are extremely slim. The force vector
directly attacks the highly-vulnerable tibialis anterior and forces the major muscle of the anterior region
of the lower leg to pull away from its insertion on the tibia. Remember, the tibialis anterior runs
the entire length of the anterior portion of the lower leg. The shin splits will run the entire length of
the anterior portion of the lower leg resulting in painful shin-split syndrome that could prevent the
trainee from engaging in all running and or jumping events for a very long time. At the very least the
participant would be performing under extreme pain.

Summary of Correct Exercise
Execution
- Assume the correct preparatory
posture for the exercise by sitting
on the provided seat with the back
firmly against the back rest.
- Place the front of the feet (not just
the toes) on the lower portion of
the foot platform.
- You will want to make certain that
the legs are in the fully-extended
position.
- Initiate the concentric contraction
phase of the exercise by lifting the
foot platform off its rests through
the utilization of ankle joint extension.
- Complete the concentric contraction
phase by extending the anklejoint
to the fully extended position.
Pause for two counts while making
certain to maintain the locked knee
position of the legs.
- Begin the eccentric contraction
phase of the exercise by lowering
the platform down slowly through
the utilization of the action of dorsi
flexion of ankle joint. Once again,
you will want to remember the desired locked out position of the knee joint.
- Complete the eccentric contraction phase by lowering the weight slowly to the fully contracted
(dorsi flexion) position of the ankles.

Keys to the Lift
- Utilize light resistance.
- Apply slow speed of contraction movement application.
- You will want to perform full ROM contractions.
- Resist the natural tendency to bend the knees during the movement application. Remember, the
actions required are ankle joint extension and flexion as opposed to knee joint and hip joint extension
and flexion.

Whenever reference is made to the calf muscles the general thinking appears to center upon the
above-mentioned gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the posterior portion of the calves. The con
siderations given to the anterior portion of the lower leg
range from minimal to non-existent. Most weightresistance
trainees assume the anterior musculature of
the calves is really the posterior muscles being visible
from the anterior view.

No one can argue the highly-visible musculature of
the fully developed gastrocnemius and, to a lesser degree,
the soleus muscles; however, there is much more to the
considerations for anterior lower leg development than
merely being able to see the posterior muscles form the
anterior vantage point.

Location and Function
The muscles that comprise the anterior portion of
the lower leg are the tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis
longus, and extensor digitorum longus.

Tibialis Anterior (A)
Location
Originates on the tibia bone just below the knee and
runs the entire length of the lower leg inserting on the
cuneiform on the back of the foot as well as the medial
portion of the foot on the metatarsal bone just behind
the big toe.

Function
This highly-visible muscle is involved in dorsi flexion
and inversion actions of the ankle joint.

Extensor Digitorum Longus (B)
Location
It originates on the lateral condyle of the tibia near
the knee and from the upper region of the anterior surface
of the fibula. This prominent muscle also runs the
entire length of the anterior lower leg and inserts on the
phalanges of the middle and distal bones of the second
to fifth toes.

Function
Actions of dorsi flexion and eversion of the ankle as well as extension of the toes involve the extensor
digitorum longus.
In addition, the beginning weight-training student would be well-advised to consider the muscles
of the lateral portion of the lower leg in designing his/her calf routine. The muscles of the lateral
portion of the calves offer accentuation and definition of the muscular structure of the calves. Two
major muscles of the lateral region of the lower leg are the peroneus longus and peroneus brevis.

Extensor Hallucis Longus (C)
Location
Lies between the tibialis anterior and the extensor digitorum longus muscles and originates on
the anterior middle portion of the fibula and inserts on the distal phalanx of the big toe.

Function
The extensor hallucis longus is involved in dorsi flexion of the ankle and extension of the big
toe.

Peroneus Longus (D)
Location
Originates on the head and upper portion of the shaft of the fibula and inserts under the sole of
the foot on the base of the first metatarsal.

Function
This muscle is involved in plantar flexion and eversion of the ankle.

Peroneus Brevis (E)
Location
Originates on the distal shaft of the fibula and inserts on the base of the malleolus and on the
base of the fifth metatarsal.

Function
Plantar flexion and eversion of the ankle involve this muscle.

Muscle Activation
The muscles of the anterior portion of the calf do not posses the same force-generating capability
as the muscles of the posterior calf and as such, great care must be taken to avoid straining the
more delicate anterior calf region.

Heavy weight should be avoided with
anterior calf training and slow speed of
contraction movement application should
be used in order to provide for safe efficient
training of the delicate anterior lower
leg muscles.

Posterior Region
Perhaps the most overlooked exercises in the entire weight-resistance training inventory are
those movements designed to work the muscles of the calves. How many times have you seen great
bodybuilding structures ruined by a lack of well-developed calves? Good calves are necessary if physique
symmetry is to be accomplished, yet many trainees view calf-training as a nuisance, as something
that gets in the way of “real” training.

Calf-training should be treated with the same importance that is reserved for the other body
parts. No serious trainee would think of throwing in a chest workout whenever he thought that he
had enough energy, nor would he put in a shoulder routine when he thought that “it was probably
about time”.

How is it then that so many weight-resistance trainees treat the calves with such little respect? It
is even more puzzling when it is considered that diamond-shaped calves are the envy of every trainee
from neophyte to professional.

Some people offer the view that the calves get a workout every day, while we are walking around.
Sure, and my triceps work as I open doors, and my biceps when I drink my juice, and my forearms
when I cut my steak. If the calves were receiving proper attention via our daily activities, why is it
then that only the diligent trainers, (the ones who attack their calves with the same level of intensity
as their other body parts), are able to illustrate impressive calve development.

Location and Function
The area of the posterior region of the calves is
comprised of two main muscle sections; the gastrocnemius
and the soleus muscles. The gastrocnemius muscle
is the large muscle which forms the major portion of the
back of the calves. The soleus muscle is somewhat wider
and lies beneath the gastrocnemius, winding to the front
of the lower leg providing the calf region with frontal
width and girth.

Gastrocnemius (A)
Location
The gastrocnemius is comprised of two heads
(medial and lateral) in equal combination and originates
on the medial and lateral condyle of the femur of the
upper leg and attach to the calcaneus (heel bone) via the
Achilles tendon.

Function
Due to their connections to the femur the gastrocnemius
are involved in knee-joint action and are activated
during plantar flexion of the ankle.

Soleus (B)
Location
Beneath the heads of the gastrocnemius rests the soleus
muscle which arises from the proximal end of the
tibia and head of the fibia bones of the lower leg.

Function
Because of their attachment to the lower leg, the soleus
muscles are only involved in plantar flexion of the
ankle joint (concentric contraction phase), and are not
involved in any actions involving the knee joint.
There are several other muscles that comprise the
posterior region of the calves but for purposes of expedience
we shall rest our investigation of the area with the
gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The mass-mover exercises
(standing calf raise, donkey calf raise) would ac-
centuate both the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles. The seated calf raise exercise would accentuate
the soleus muscle.

Muscle Activation
Whenever we think of lower calf training we almost automatically think of training the posterior
region of the lower legs. The muscles of the posterior lower leg can provide more contractive power
per square centimeter than any other muscle in the entire human muscular system. The poster lower
leg is comprised mainly of the powerful gastrocnemius muscles that are supported by the less prominent,
but highly efficient soleus muscle.
Three basic movements will be presented for the posterior lower leg:

- Standing calf (heel) raise;
- Donkey calf (heel) raise;
- Seated calf (heel) raise.

- The standing calf raise allows for major loading providing for accentuated training of the posterior
lower leg. It should be noted, however, that caution should be utilized here as, frequently,
trainees are exposed to high injury risk potential to the knees, Achilles tendon, and lower back
due to improper weight selection.

The donkey calf raise exercise also allows for heavy loading but once again, caution should be
applied in order to alleviate the high injury risk (particularly to the lower back) associated with this
exercise (note: the partner-assisted donkey calf raise exercise carries with it significant injury risk and,
as such, extreme caution is required to once again reduce the injury risk. The specifics will be outlined
in detail in the appropriate section in this chapter).
The seated calf (heel) raise allows for a different accentuation to be placed upon the lower legs as
this movement also encourages an increased involvement of the anterior portion of the calves due to
the 90° angle that is formed between the upper and lower legs.

Hamstrings

Often Overlooked
The posterior muscles of the thigh are
often overlooked by many weight-training
enthusiasts. Even those trainees who devote
additional time to their leg training so
as to include isolation work on their quadriceps,
frequently neglect to include hamstring
movements into their leg exercise
portfolio. It seems that many weightresistance
trainees apply the “out-of-sightout-
of-mind” adage to their leg training. It
is much more encouraging to work on the
quadriceps where the deep cuts and crevices
can be readily admired. The hamstrings
are not as visible, and thus they require
more diligence on the part of the trainee to
provide proper development. From a tangible
perspective, the “hams” are not called
upon as prominently as the quads in performing
various athletic movements.

However, neglecting the hamstrings
reduces the trainee’s ability to fully develop
their legs. No trainee would ever think of
building only their biceps and not devoting
any attention to their triceps why is it then
that it can be assumed that proper and thorough
leg development can be accomplished
by placing emphasis on only the
anterior thigh and leaving the posterior
thigh untouched?

The benefits of providing for balanced
development of the legs can be realized
from an injury reduction perspective as
well. How many times have you heard of an athlete pulling their hamstrings? In fact I would be willing
to bet that the first mention you heard of the hamstring muscles (outside of the gym), was in reference
to an injury. Sprinters for example, who have built up their quadriceps through their running,
undergo the risk of pulling their weaker hamstrings due to the imbalance of strength.

While running encourages the development of the quadriceps it should be noted that the hamstrings
work in synergy with the quads. If the frontal thigh muscles are developed well beyond the
level of the posterior thigh muscles the posterior muscles become highly- vulnerable to injury risk.
From all perspectives, it makes sense to offer equal devotion to both the anterior and posterior regions
of the thigh.

Location and Function
The posterior region of the thigh is comprised of three main muscles all of which cover both the
knee and the hip joints. Since the hamstrings cross two joints they provide a function at each of
those joints. They serve as extensor of the thigh at the hip joint and flexors of the lower leg at the
knee joint.

Semitendinosus (A)
Location
Originates from the ischial tuberosity of the posterior hip and inserts on the medial surface of
the superior portion of the tibia at the knee.

Function
In addition to providing for hip joint extension and knee joint flexion, the semitendonosous is
also involved in medial rotation of the tibia.

Semimembranosus (B)
Location
Originates on the ischial tuberosity of the posterior hip and inserts on the posterior portion of
the medial condyle of the tibia at the knee joint.

Function
The Semimembranosus is also involved in medial rotation of the tibia.

Biceps Femoris (C)
Location
The biceps femoris of the posterior thigh is similarly constructed to the biceps femoris of the anterior
upper arm in that the muscle has two distinct (long and short), heads. The long head originates
on the ischial tuberosity where it shares a common tendon with the semitendonosous which crosses
at the hip joint. The short head originates from the lateral edge of the linea aspera alongside the femur
bone of the upper leg and the supracondyle region located on the proximal (inside) area of the
femur. Both the long and short heads of the biceps femoris combine via a single tendon and insert
on the head of the fibula of the lower leg.

Function
Both the long and short heads are involved in the action of leg flexion at the knee joint and are
also involved in the lateral rotation of the leg during knee flexion. It should be noted that because the
short head of the biceps femoris does not cross the hip joint it serves no function in hip joint activity.

Muscle Activation
Unlike the quadriceps muscles, the hamstring muscle group is not readily called upon during
many events involving physical activity. While the “quads” are called into action during such activities
as the ascending and descending of stairs or in the relatively simple task of walking, the hamstrings
relatively speaking lay mostly dormant with the result being that the muscles of the posterior thigh
are not nearly as developed as the quadriceps. As a consequence of their reduced activity, whenever
the hamstrings are called upon during movements requiring their high activation, they become correspondingly
highly susceptible to injury. It is important to realize the level of caution that must be
applied to hamstring training in order to stimulate growth and development while at the same time
reducing the risk of injury to this highly-vulnerable muscle group. As a manner of general approach,
the trainee would be well advised to work with light resistance and to utilize slow speed-of- contraction
movement applications featuring full range-of-motion contractions. In this report we will be
analyzing three hamstring movements. Two movements will feature knee joint flexion (lying and
standing leg curls) and one will highlight a stretching action of the posterior thigh (deadlift).