A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Waistline
We often hear about high intensity interval training as the best way to boost metabolism, burn calories, and get the most out of a workout. But what if there was a way that was way easier and way less intense? In fact, you could do it while sitting at your desk all day.
Have you heard of soleus push-ups? Most likely not, considering the soleus muscle and this exercise were first discussed in October of 2022. To understand, let’s start with the soleus muscle. It’s located in the back of the lower leg, between the calf and the Achilles tendon. This muscle makes up half of the calf along with the gastrocnemius, which is the scientific name for the other half of the calf.
What’s particularly interesting about the soleus muscle is two-fold. First, it is very difficult to fatigue. It’s designed to stabilize the body continuously while standing and walking. Second, it uses blood sugar and fats as fuel rather than glycogen, which most other muscles rely on. Researchers have pointed out that even though the soleus muscle makes up only about 1 percent of the body’s musculature, working it could have a significant impact on metabolic health.
So how do you exercise this muscle? That’s where soleus push-ups come in. Here’s how to do them: sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your legs at a 90-degree angle, then raise your heels by pressing your toes down, and lower your heels back to the floor. Think of it as a seated calf-raise. The catch is that you likely need to do this movement for hours to see the metabolic impact. But don’t worry, because the soleus muscle is nearly impossible to fatigue, so you won’t experience soreness.
While the soleus muscle and seated push-ups are a fascinating discovery, as a health coach I must remind you that this shouldn’t be the only exercise in your routine. Of course, I’m sure you already knew that. Still, maybe all those people who bounce their knees at their desk are onto something. Incorporating this simple seated exercise could be an easy way to support metabolic health alongside your high intensity interval training workouts and other forms of movement.