Will Running Uphill Make My Calves Bigger?

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Will Running Uphill Make My Calves Bigger?

Our fitness expert explains the effect running at an incline can have on your leg muscles.

Q. "I've heard that the steeper the incline, the bigger my calves will get. Should I stick to flat terrain?"

A. "When tackling hills, your muscles have to work harder against gravity," says coach Jason Karp, PhD, director of the REVO2LT Running Team. "That doesn't mean your calves will get bigger, but you'll definitely burn more calories than if moving just as fast on a flat surface." Any time you push your legs to the max you're building strength; if big calf muscles run in your family, yours might get larger than you want, Karp says. To keep legs sculpted and sexy, switch up your intensity and incline every workout.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, April 2009.