When walking up and down the stairwells, students’ eyes tend to wander towards a single muscle that stands out above the rest. With each glorious contraction, heads swivel to catch a glimpse. Each step highlights the muscle’s curvaceous structure, leaving others either envious or in awe. From sheer size to sculpted definition, the criteria on how to judge this muscle is extensive.
It may not be what first comes to mind, but the calf is starting to gain appreciation among students. Not to be confused with the baby cow, the popularity of the calf muscle is on the rise.
As the weather gets warmer, calves come out of hibernation from the caves of denim, khaki and polyester.
“When it’s summertime and everything else is covered, calves are the only way to show how well-worked the rest of your body is,” junior Kenneth Leong said.
For the fortunate few whose bodies have been molded to resemble the mighty Greek God Adonis, calves may be taken for granted. But for others, calves are a like a prized racehorse that must be worked frequently to keep in peak condition.
According to senior Evan Tassis, whose daily workout regiment requires at least two hours dedicated to calf exercises, missing a day of calf raises makes him feel weak.
Calves fall under various categories. There are the big calves, which are basically massive blobs. There are the defined calves which have sinuous ridges that outline the muscle’s true beauty, and there are the dreaded cankles, where there is no ability to distinguish between where the ankle stops and where the calves begin. Finally, there are the hairless calves—the category that Leong falls under—which are slightly embarrassing but can still be made appealing.
“Sometimes while no one is looking, I rub some baby oil so that the light hits off perfectly and creates the perfect calf shine,” Leong said.
The aforementioned method of calf maintenance may seem over-the-top, but some students will do anything to keep their calves in proper condition.
“I wear shorts and purposely do calf stretches in the middle of the hallway to attract the attention of females,” Tassis said.
While other athletes are in the weight room doing upper body workouts, the track team is outside working the lower body—most importantly, the calf. The calves can play a vital role when it comes to breaking school records.
“We are our own coaches in the weight room,” junior track member Luke Shannon said. “We work on our calves with about 1,000 pounds on the calf-raise machine.”
Regardless of their personal purpose, calves may be the most underappreciated and over-used muscle in the entire body.  Students must recognize and embrace the importance and anatomical superiority they hold above all other muscles.
“Calves are in a category of their own,” Tassis said. “It is about time people start to realize their value.”