Desk work can have a devastating impact on our health, encouraging people to sit for hours in a way that puts humans at greater risk of serious disease
There are studies which have proven that small movements of the lower legs can mitigate some of the negative effects of sitting still by keeping one muscle’s metabolism up and running for hours!
The soleus muscle is the large muscle on the back of your lower leg which sits underneath the gastrocnemius.
It’s a powerful muscle which helps in running, walking and jumping
The soleus muscle in the calf, though only 1% of your body weight, can do big things to improve the metabolic health in the rest of your body if activated correctly.
Soleus pushups are an efficient exercise, for maintaining an elevated oxidative metabolism to improve blood glucose homeostasis.
This 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.
Oxidative metabolism is the process by which oxygen is used to burn metabolites like blood glucose or fats, but it depends, in part, on the immediate energy needs of the muscle when it’s working.
The soleus pushup targets the soleus to increase oxygen consumption – more than what’s possible with these other types of soleus activities, while also being resistant to fatigue.
So, how do you perform a soleus pushup?
Be 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.
Release the heel when it is at the top of its motion and place it back on the ground.
Instead of breaking down glycogen, the soleus can use other types of fuels such as blood glucose and fats.
Although these studies are a huge breakthrough, it doesn’t mean you can consume as many calories as you want and not focus on training your whole body.
Remember that fat loss is about calories in vs calories out!
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