Otherwise known as heel raises and drops, calf raises and drops stretch and strengthen the gastrocnemius. This muscle attaches to the femur, runs along the back of the lower leg and attaches to the heel bone by way of the Achilles tendon. Along with the soleus, it plantar flexes the ankle, opening the angle of the ankle. Unlike the soleus, which primarily is composed of slow twitch muscle fibers, the gastrocnemius contains a large percentage of fast twitch fibers. Integral to postural stability, slow twitch fibers respond relatively slowly...
Most gyms offer new members a fitness body composition assessment to help them establish safe and achievable goals for their workouts. Most assessments include five basic components: body mass index, body fat percent, flexibili...
Losing weight is never an easy task. The decision to lose weight in your upper body is going to require both diet and exercise as you cannot specifically target fat loss to one particular region of your body. When losing weight...
Classed as a compound upper-body pulling exercise, lat pulldowns affect a variety of upper-body muscles and are popular with fitness enthusiasts, including bodybuilders.
The E35 and E55 are in-home, high-end elliptical machines by Sole Fitness. The two machines have the same design and look almost exactly alike. However, the E55 has design upgrades and extra features. The E35 sells for about $1...
As a result, basketball players must possess total body strength for maximum performance. One of the most essential muscle groups for a basketball player is the triceps brachii -- a muscle group located on the back of the upper...
Plyometrics are also known as jump training. This type of exercise uses fast reaction time to improve your muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves to respond with power. Since plyometrics are an intense strengthening exercise, y...
Body Champ is a fitness company based in California. It makes fitness products including trampolines, aerobic machines and abdominal workout equipment. The Body Champ recumbent bikes and elliptical machines have electronic comp...
Swimming is a rigorous activity utilizing most major muscle groups. Competitive swimming requires a high level of fitness conditioning. Training programs for swimming include training both in and out of the water. The out-of-wa...
An upper-body workout routine should consist of a variety of movement patterns that should also incorporate some lower body work. These movement patterns include the push, pull and rotation. Since most daily activities and spor...
When you think of an athlete, more than likely a well-developed muscular image comes to mind. But, it may surprise you to hear that an athletic body is not necessarily what exercise and fitness experts have in mind when they sp...
If you lead an active lifestyle as a girl, there's a greater chance that you'll stay active as you grow into womanhood. Girls and women naturally have higher percentages of body fat than men do. They also tend to wear more form...
The quadratus lumborum originates from the upper part of the tops of your pelvis. Its primary function is to help move your body side to side and rotate left and right. The National Academy of Sports Medicine suggests that the ...
Spirit Fitness makes the Espirit line of in-home elliptical machines and treadmills. The 455 is more compact than some other ellipticals because the upper body arms glide over the flywheel, which shortens the length of the mach...
Tony Little's Gazelle Edge offers a low-impact lower and upper body workout. The foam-covered handlebars provide comfort and the extra-wide foot platforms offer stability. It's smooth and quiet and can accommodate users up to 2...
You might have gotten a bit lax in your exercise routine during the winter, but you can still snap your body back into shape in time for summer. While no single exercise routine is right for everybody, certain activities can he...
Fitness and nutrition go hand-in-hand to create a long and healthy life. Fitness involves building endurance and muscle tone, and strengthening the cardiovascular system. Nutrition complements fitness by providing important bui...
Marine Corps dictates strict physical fitness requirements for all Marines. Marines must be physically and mentally prepared for combat and military life. Marines are regularly subjected to physical fitness tests, and expected ...
Upper-body arms aside, the Crosswalk 400E lacks other features that are common on most ProForm models, including a range of preprogrammed workouts and iFit compatibility. The 400E, which originally retailed for less than $500, ...
Unlike muscles, they have a poor blood supply and are not very elastic. In your arm, there are several ligaments that attach your shoulder to your upper arm, your upper arm to your lower arm and your lower arm to your wrist. Th...
Regardless of where the saddle is made, it is most effective when fitted specifically for one individual. The more you plan on riding a horse, the more important it is to have a saddle custom-made for your own body. Fortunately...
In addition to this utilitarian function, canes can also serve as a stylish fashion accessory when used in public. However, before the cane is suitable to serve either purpose, the user must first fit it to match his own person...
Yoga Journal columnist Natasha Rizopoulos recommends yoga tops that are formfitting enough to allow teachers to see the muscles and bones of students' upper bodies in order to make adjustments and correct alignment during yoga ...
The most important weapon you can use when building a strong and energetic body is consistency. When you make the commitment to train regularly, you are on your way to winning the battle of fitness. By performing a resistance-b...
It's possible to get a fit body without having to go on a starvation diet or exercise to exhaustion. Individual goals vary, but every body can benefit from following a healthy diet and moderate exercise plan to promote weight l...
While cardiovascular exercise is necessary to burn calories and reduce overall body fat, strength training exercises tone, sculpt and lengthen the arm muscles. Using moderately challenging weight and performing a high number of...
Sleeves are also placed over a prosthetic device to provide a more aesthetic appearance and to cover the mechanical portions of the prosthetic device. Prosthetic sleeves are worn on upper and lower limbs and are designed to hel...
