Does Treadmill Incline Make Your Calves Bigger?

We must acknowledge that treadmill workouts offer numerous health benefits. More importantly, walking or running on a treadmill is an excellent form of exercise that puts less stress on your joints compared to walking or running on flat outdoor surfaces. Everyone has different goals when using the treadmill incline—some aim to burn more calories, while others hope to tone their glutes. But does using the incline on a treadmill make your calves bigger? Keep reading to learn more about this exercise and how to do it correctly. A photograph of a woman exercising on a treadmill in a gym. She wears a black sports tank top and pink shorts, paired with red sneakers. Her hair is blowing in the wind, indicating her speed as she runs. The treadmill is situated in a bright room with a large window, offering a view of buildings outside.

Can Treadmill Incline Workouts Make Your Calves Bigger?

Some people worry that treadmill incline workouts will make their calves bigger. This concern often arises because we associate the burning sensation in our legs after a workout with muscle growth. However, this isn't entirely accurate. To clarify this fitness myth, we need to understand the muscle fibers in our body and how specific exercises affect them. Our body has two types of muscle fibers: slow-twitch and fast-twitch. How do they differ?

Slow-twitch muscle fibers are activated during aerobic or endurance activities such as walking, running, and dancing. Exercise makes these fibers more efficient but doesn't increase their size.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers are activated during anaerobic or strength activities such as weightlifting, sprinting, and resistance training. Proper exercises challenge these muscles, encouraging them to grow and bulge.

Even the steepest incline walking workouts on a treadmill won't give you bulky calves because it targets slow-twitch muscle fibers. These fibers only firm up and tone your legs.

How to Optimize Treadmill Workouts for Better Calves

From the comparison above, we can conclude that incline walking on a treadmill will not make your calves bigger. It will only happen if you perform more intense workouts to engage your fast-twitch muscles. If your goal is to shape your calves without bulking them up, you're on the right track with incline walking. For beginners, here's how to start your calf training on a treadmill, along with some workout ideas for variety. A woman exercising on a treadmill in a gym, wearing a pink sports vest and black leggings. Her hair is tied in a ponytail as she focuses ahead. The treadmill is located indoors, with wooden walls and a large window behind her, offering a view of trees outside.

1. Turn Regular Treadmill Walks into Slow Uphill Walks

To achieve defined calves, use the treadmill incline to walk uphill. Research has shown that leg muscle activation increases when walking on inclined surfaces. Other studies suggest that this exercise benefits people with weak ankles. The key is to set the treadmill incline high and keep the speed low. This won't significantly boost your heart rate but will direct energy and blood flow to your calves. Here’s a guide to get started:

Warm up by walking for about 5 minutes.
Maintain this speed or increase it slightly without getting breathless. Adjust the incline to 3% and continue walking for 3 minutes.
Add 1% incline every 3 minutes until you reach 8%.
Cool down by walking at 0% incline for 5 minutes.

Keep your back straight during the exercise and push up with your calves on every step. If you start to struggle, lower the incline first, then the speed. Adjust the settings as you get more comfortable. For a more challenging workout, aim to increase the incline to 12%.

2. Try the 12-3-30 Treadmill Workout

Incline walking on a treadmill can be challenging, but once you get used to it, you can try various incline exercises. Steady incline, speed walking, and interval training are great variations to keep your workouts interesting. One popular variation is the 12-3-30 workout, which involves setting the treadmill at a 12% incline, 3 mph speed, and walking for 30 minutes. This workout is beneficial for toning your calves and is a low-impact exercise that combines cardio and muscle activation, improving your stamina. To avoid boredom, consider listening to your favorite upbeat music during the workout.

3. Incorporate Ankle Weights into Your Treadmill Routine

Ankle weights are sand-filled bands that you can wrap around your ankles, increasing the resistance on your calves while walking on the treadmill. This intensifies the workout, boosting your heart rate and calorie burn. However, using ankle weights is not suitable for everyone, especially those with pre-existing joint issues. It's best to consult your doctor or fitness instructor before adding ankle weights to your workout. If approved, start with weights that are 1-2% of your body weight. Begin with flat walking before progressing to incline walking. To prevent leg injuries, remove the weights every minute or so during the workout, or use them during recovery periods. A photograph of a corner of a gym, showcasing three individuals exercising on treadmills. The person on the left wears a red workout suit and utilizes a black treadmill, while the middle individual sports an orange and yellow ensemble on a similar model. The person on the right, dressed in pink, also uses the same treadmill. All three seem engaged in aerobic activity.

For serious leg muscle building, you need to engage in anaerobic exercises like weightlifting to stimulate fast-twitch muscles, along with dietary adjustments. But if your goal is to tone your legs without making them too muscular, incline walking is the way to go. Using the treadmill incline won't make your calves bigger, but it will work your lower legs more effectively than flat-surface exercises. Adding ankle weights during incline walks can further enhance the health benefits.