The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (43 page)

Bring the dumbbells to the sides of your body, with your palms facing each other.

Place your toes and the balls of your feet on the platform.

Keep your knees pointing straight ahead and keep them bent very slightly during the exercise as the bent knee position can help stretch the calves in the lower position and will save your lower back in the upper position.

You must make sure to keep your body straight during the exercise. Be careful not to bend at the waist during any portion of the movement or hyperextend your back at the top of the movement. Doing either of these can injure your back.

Stick your chest out and keep your shoulders squared at all times during the exercise.

Keep your head straight and level and look straight ahead at all times.

TECHNIQUE AND FORM

The technique and form will be the same for both the standing machine and the standing dumbbell raise.

Keeping your body as straight as possible, lower your heels toward the floor and slowly bring the calves to a full stretch.

Hold this position for a count of one second.

From this position, without momentum, push off the balls of your feet and come up onto your tiptoes, pushing as high off the toes as possible. Contract the calves as hard as you possibly can and concentrate all of your efforts on doing so. Hold this position for a one second count.

Slowly begin lowering your body to the stretch position, making sure you make the calf muscles endure the negative portion of the resistance.

As you reach the bottom position, with the heels pointing to the floor, make sure you do not allow your heels to drop too fast. Go slow and focus on the stretching of the calf muscles.