Posted on 09/23/2022 2:51:34 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
The soleus muscle in the calf, though only 1% of your body weight, can do big things to improve the metabolic health if activated correctly.
Marc Hamilton has discovered an approach for optimal activation—he's pioneering the "soleus pushup" (SPU) which effectively elevates muscle metabolism for hours, even while one is sitting. The soleus is a posterior leg muscle that runs from just below the knee to the heel.
Hamilton's research suggests the soleus pushup's ability to sustain an elevated oxidative metabolism to improve the regulation of blood glucose is more effective than any popular methods currently touted as a solution including exercise, weight loss and intermittent fasting.
When the SPU was tested, the whole-body effects on blood chemistry included a 52% improvement in the excursion of blood glucose (sugar) and 60% less insulin requirement over three hours after ingesting a glucose drink.
The new approach of keeping the soleus muscle metabolism humming is also effective at doubling the normal rate of fat metabolism in the fasting period between meals, reducing the levels of fat in the blood (VLDL triglyceride).
The soleus pushup
While seated with feet flat on the floor and muscles relaxed, the heel rises while the front of the foot stays put. When the heel gets to the top of its range of motion, the foot is passively released to come back down. The aim is to simultaneously shorten the calf muscle while the soleus is naturally activated by its motor neurons.
The researchers point out that this is not some new fitness tip. It's a potent physiological movement that capitalizes on unique features of the soleus.
“We are unaware of any existing or promising pharmaceuticals that come close to raising and sustaining whole-body oxidative metabolism at this magnitude."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
It doubles fat burning between meals and greatly reduces glucose, insulin, and VLDL triglycerides.
soooo.. basically shaking your leg? lol No wonder I have always had a fast metabolism and no problem losing weight? I have done that naturally while sitting most of my life.
BFL
In the distant past, during 30 years of bodybuilding, did a zillion calf raises... Both seated & standing...
Never thought of them as pushups...
BTTT
Yep... Same here. Keeps my legs in shape for the kick drum and highhat pedals. Do it with the music...
It’s funny, I spontaneously started doing that a few months ago while sitting thinking that this “exercise” is better than nothing.
Finally, we chess players will be athletes...
It quite obviously pumps your blood.
The video shows a frequency of only about 1/second but is there any reason to believe that faster doesn’t work also?
Omgosh I’m going to be a hero at work for sharing this!!!
Quit doing it when I had covid in August ... Forgot about it.
Been doing it for five minutes ... My thighs feel slimmer already lol
Oddly enough, that muscle does have a role in pumping your blood IIRC. Apparently there’s a major vein that runs right down the middle of it, and when it contracts, it works with the vein’s valves to move blood in the legs upward towards the heart. In fact it’s sometimes called the “second heart.”
my leg/s have sort of shaken involuntarily while sitting most of my life. (like.. neverous energy type thing)
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