Ive been wondering how the size of your calfs affects your running. I know kenyans calfs are small and almost in a ball shape, but most aemrican/caucasian people have larger and lower calf muscles.
Do you think the size or shape affects your capibility to run faster or does it really matter?
Is it different for 800 runners or for longer 10k guys?
it has been proven that one of the many reasons that the kenyans run as fast as they do is because of their small calves. less weight at the end of the leg ie. the end of a lever equates into need less energy to move the lever hence more efficiency.
So if I'm planning to get a calf transplant, do you reckon I should be shopping for Kenyan, Ethiopian, or Moroccan calves? Gotta say, the latter would probably be a better cosmetic fit.
If it matters I guess I'm primarily interested in longer road races, 15k to marathon. Thanks.
It is better to not have any calves at all. Remember that double-amputee that just ran a 46 quarter? Personally, I'll opt for prosthetics.
Fatted calfs are Biblical.
if you a chick well you best take the small calves and say to hell with running
?estion wrote:
it has been proven that one of the many reasons that the kenyans run as fast as they do is because of their small calves. less weight at the end of the leg ie. the end of a lever equates into need less energy to move the lever hence more efficiency.
uhhhh.... that may be true, but it's not the main reason. You might as well say you'd be better having no calves, since that'd be lighter too.
Having smaller calves mean the east africans have longer achilles tendons which is beneficial in ways I can't remember exactly so I won't claim to, but I believe it makes their toe-off more powerful, and a couple other things as well.
as are gilded calfs. someone should have clued in MJ.
i have small ball-like calves and im white! and not from africa! omg!
How fast are you? Can you dunk?
Genetics.
i think its safe to say that, in general, those that have higher calves with less mass are more running-inclined....
you dont see many dudes with genetically large calves that are excellent runners...
i had a friend in HS who REALLY wanted to be a good runner..he trained hard, ate right, ran high miles...and had massive calves....they were easily the thickest part of his leg, as the rest of him was rail thin...
he never amounted to more than an 18:00 5k...
I'm not saying large calves actually cause one to be slow, just that they are a good indication of what you might be predisposed (or not predisposed) for..
?estion wrote:
it has been suggested that one of the many reasons that the kenyans run as fast as they do is because of their small calves. less weight at the end of the leg ie. the end of a lever equates into need less energy to move the lever hence more efficiency.
corrected
i've got a friend who used to run a 4:48 mile in 8th grade but then started lifting for football (though he never joined the team...) but still skinny, can run 10 miles fairly easily, and overall he thinks he's a distance runner. from the lifting though he now has massive calves and can swandive 5'11 with absolutely no training. it would make sense to me that calves bigger than you really need would just slow you down. By the way, this kid hasn't broken 5:10 since 8th grade.
Mr Arms wrote:
i think its safe to say that, in general, those that have higher calves with less mass are more running-inclined....
I think it's people with smaller calves, not higher calves, that are more running-inclined. My calves almost reach all the way down to my ankles, but even at the fattest point, my lower leg is no more than 11 and a half inches in circumference.
Oh, and BTW, I can run a sub 15 5K. Two of my teammates that have high but large calves have yet to break 17.
Billy Mills had pretty big calves and thighs for a runner- seemed to work well for him.
Katy Lied wrote:
Fatted calfs are Biblical.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
for some reason both of there calfs are pretty big but the are both incredibly fast.
http://www.kshof.org/kiosk/hof/hof_images/Mills,%20Billy8.jpg
billy mills
http://www.insidetexasrunning.com/images/other/MagnessSteve-Pre03-victorsailer.jpg
steve magness
incredibly similar picture too.
crazy6363 wrote:
for some reason both of there calfs are pretty big but the are both incredibly fast.
http://www.kshof.org/kiosk/hof/hof_images/Mills,%20Billy8.jpgbilly mills
http://www.insidetexasrunning.com/images/other/MagnessSteve-Pre03-victorsailer.jpgsteve magness
incredibly similar picture too.
man that is wierd how much their form looks alike!
Mr Arms wrote:
i think its safe to say that, in general, those that have higher calves with less mass are more running-inclined....
you dont see many dudes with genetically large calves that are excellent runners...
i had a friend in HS who REALLY wanted to be a good runner..he trained hard, ate right, ran high miles...and had massive calves....they were easily the thickest part of his leg, as the rest of him was rail thin...
he never amounted to more than an 18:00 5k...
I'm not saying large calves actually cause one to be slow, just that they are a good indication of what you might be predisposed (or not predisposed) for..
haven't you guys ever seen pictures of elite US distance guys? Tim Broe's got some big ass calves, so does Solinsky. It's not just Americans either, Alistair Cragg also has huge calves.
http://www.irishrunner.com/irgraph/acragg3ka.jpg
