Don’t break a sweat: Do a soleus push-up instead!
15.03.23
Movement is medicine. Taking a tiny step towards good health can help improve your health span and extend longevity. Adding simple micro-movements every day keeps us flexible, improves our metabolism, and maintains our holistic health and wellbeing. For this edition of my newsletter let’s explore how ‘Soleus Pushups’ can altogether transform our movement journey.
Before I start talking more about soleus push-ups, let’s discuss what is so unique about this muscle in our body. The soleus muscle constitutes 1% of our total musculature. In spite of being a minor part of our body, recent research shows the immense capacity of this small muscle to optimise your health.
Research conducted by Professor Marc Hamilton of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston identifies ‘soleus pushup’ as the most effective exercise to improve one’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is basically the number of calories burnt by a person while performing basic life functions such as breathing, circulation, etc. The study showed that when activated correctly these muscles can maintain an enhanced BMR thereby improving blood glucose regulation most effectively compared to any other methods, like exercise, weight loss, and intermittent fasting.
During this study, 25 participants did 270 minutes of soleus push-ups with breaks sitting throughout the day. The results showed improvements in an individual’s blood sugar regulation and metabolism. According to the study participant’s blood glucose fluctuations improved by 52% and their insulin requirement after a meal decreased by 60%. Four hours of soleus push-ups with breaks lowered the fat levels in the blood and doubled fat metabolism in these individuals.
The research also suggests that soleus push-ups can sustain elevated oxidative metabolism — a process by which oxygen is used to burn metabolites like blood glucose or fats, to improve the regulation of blood glucose. This tiny movement apparently is more effective at elevating oxidative metabolism than other popular methods for the regulation of blood glucose like exercise, weight loss, and intermittent fasting.
Besides this muscle biopsies also show that a minimal amount of glycogen was required to fuel the soleus.
It uses fuels such as blood glucose and fats, instead of breaking down glycogen which serves primarily as a source of metabolic fuel for your muscles.
As it uses fat as its fuel, the research showed that soleus pushups also burn fats in the blood — namely very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), the primary reason for elevating the cholesterol levels in our body. Apparently, this fat helps boost the soleus muscles’ metabolism and keeps it ticking over for hours.
This study is significant as it can help solve various health problems caused by inactivity in these modern times. Our sedentary lifestyle has led to metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in the majority of the population. Soleus push-ups can be done anywhere, anytime while you are seated. It activates the soleus muscle differently than when standing or walking. For prolonged sitters, this movement can help provide an alternative to standing desks and under-desk treadmills to improve their health using lesser resources.
Let’s delve deeper to know more about this wonder muscle movement, other benefits, and its association with longevity.
What is a Soleus Pushup?
Soleus pushups are a variation of the traditional push-up exercise that specifically targets the soleus muscle — one of the muscles in the calf region. This exercise is performed while seated with your feet firmly planted on the floor and muscles relaxed. Raise your rise, keeping your toes anchored to the ground. Once you feel an arch and your calf muscles stretch, hold for a couple of seconds and release — bringing your heels down to the ground again. When you do this push-up, the calf muscle is shortened simultaneously activating the soleus muscle by its motor neurons. In the case of soleus pushups, the focus is on activating and strengthening the soleus muscle, which is not typically targeted in traditional pushups. By elevating the feet on a stable surface, the ankle joint is placed in a position that emphasizes the work of the soleus muscle, making it a more isolated exercise.
Micro-movements and longevity
Micro-movements are exercises that work on small or isolated muscle groups, as opposed to compound movements that involve multiple muscle groups. Soleus pushups are considered a micro-movement because they target a specific muscle group in the body, i.e. the soleus muscle. A study from Harvard shows that incorporating even 15 minutes of low-intensity movements can contribute to increasing life expectancy. So it is vital to incorporate movement in any form to lead a healthier and happier life.
Bringing movement into your daily life doesn’t have to be difficult. To begin with, do 10–20 repetitions of the soleus pushup while you are sitting at your desk and working on your presentation.
One Movement: Multiple Benefits
While micro-movements may not burn as many calories as compound movements, they can be useful for targeting specific muscle groups and improving muscle activation and strength. By incorporating micro-movements like soleus-pushups into your workout routine, you can develop a more well-rounded fitness program and prevent muscle imbalances or weaknesses.
The benefits of including soleus pushups in your daily routine can be as follows:
- Strengthening the soleus muscle: Soleus pushups specifically target the soleus muscle, which is responsible for plantar flexion of the foot (pointing the toes downwards) and stabilising the ankle joint. By strengthening this muscle, you can improve your balance and stability, as well as prevent injuries in the lower leg.
- Improving ankle mobility: Since the soleus muscle is responsible for ankle stability, performing soleus pushups can help improve your ankle mobility and range of motion. This can help prevent falls and injuries, particularly in older adults.
Overall, soleus pushups just incorporating can be a great addition to your lifestyle exercise routine, particularly if you’re looking to strengthen your lower legs and improve your ankle stability and mobility. Soleus pushups, like any exercise that targets specific muscle groups, can have positive effects on overall well-being.
Soleus pushups can improve muscle strength, endurance, and power in the lower leg, which can contribute to overall physical fitness. By improving your fitness level, you may experience benefits such as increased energy, better sleep, and improved cardiovascular health. Incorporating soleus pushups into your life can contribute to overall well-being by improving physical fitness, balance and stability, mental health, and body.
Bringing movement into your daily life doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by doing 10–20 repetitions of soleus pushups while you are sitting at your desk and working on your presentation. Take these tiny steps towards better health and quality of life. After all, little drops make the mighty ocean!
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Learn what else you can do to optimise other aspects of your health. Visit humanedge.co to learn more.
This newsletter is part of our ongoing series.
Sources
- https://stories.uh.edu/2022-soleus-pushup/index.html#:~:text=So%2C%20how%20do%20you%20perform,of%20the%20foot%20stays%20put.
- https://somaticmovementcenter.com/micromovements/
- https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2019/exercise-longevity-wellness-benefits.html
- https://westcoastsci.com/blog/soleus-the-forgotten-muscle-for-runners/
- Bowker, S., Terada, M., Thomas, A. C., Pietrosimone, B. G., Hiller, C. E., & Gribble, P. A. (2016). Neural Excitability and Joint Laxity in Chronic Ankle Instability, Coper, and Control Groups. Journal of athletic training, 51(4), 336–343. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-51.5.05
- https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-basal-metabolic-rate
- https://medium.com/in-fitness-and-in-health/this-muscle-in-your-calf-can-do-big-things-to-improve-the-metabolic-health-of-the-rest-of-your-body-55912f646932
- https://www.dmarge.com/what-is-a-soleus-pushup
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/health/article-11347405/How-doing-simple-exercise-soleus-push-ups-desk-improve-metabolic-health-burn-fat.html
