Lower Leg Question/exercises.

[Equipoise]

Okay, bear with me. What exercises can I do to build up the muscles near the front of my lower leg? I do squats, seated (plate loaded) calve raises, leg presses etc as it is. The reason I'm asking is that I seem to have a pain in my right shin which I'm guessing is a shin splint, as I've never had them before I don't know for sure and I think it's due to my calves getting alot more work when I lift than the frontal muscles and so I'm guessing they're disbalanced. So I'm looking for exercises that work the Anterior tibialis, peroneus longus and brevis. (I was looking at some anatomy books.) If this is completely bullshit, just let me know. I don't run, or anything of that nature, I do Racquetball as my cardio workout as it's more enjoyable and does alot more for my agility. I wandered my gym today looking for some sort of device or freeweight that I could rig to work the front of the muscles. I've heard of doing heelwalks, but I want to use weight, not just ***** around with BWE's.

[Mr. Mantis]

but I want to use weight, not just ***** around with BWE's.

:laughing4

[Equipoise]

BWE's blow. Men lift Iron.

[TaeBo_Master]

First of all, quit it with the calf raises n ****. The single most commonly tight muscle group is the calf complex. Every single one of my clients so far has had an overtight calf complex. You should be stretching this, NOT working it.

[Equipoise]

Sooo stretch more? Is that what I'm feeling in my right leg?

[Equipoise]

Oh and what in the world is a overtight calve complex?

[SamHarber]

I think I can answer that. If you can squat down and your heels are on the floor, your calves are loose. If you have to stay on the balls of your feet when you squat down, you're like 60% of the population (random article from news.bbc.co.uk that I read a month or two ago) and have tight calf muscles.

[TaeBo_Master]

There's more to it than that. Someone might be able to squat down with their heels still on the ground, and still have overtight calves.

Stand with your feet hip width apart, no wider. Toes pointing straight forward, not out or in at all. Squat down til your thighs are parallel. Tight calves will cause either a) your heels to raise, b) your feet to turn out, or c) your torso to lean too far forward (angle of the torso should be parallel to the angle of your shins).

C) is not always caused by tight calves, but a good way to test if it is, if your torso leans too far forward, put a plate under your heels and try again. If you don't lean too far forward this time, it's in your calves. Same thing also applies to the feet turning out.

Most people have to have their feet wider than hip width apart and turns out to squat all the way down, and don't realize that this is improper form, because no one ever taught them (I know I was this way for yeeeeeeears.)

[Meex]

AkiMus:
Is there swelling in the area?
Is there pain when pointing the toes (downward)?
Is there pain when pulling the toes (upward)?
More specific location of the pain:
- outside the shin?
- inside the shin?
- in the shin?
- front of the ankle?
- upper/middle/lower part of lower leg?

`~/

[Equipoise]

Meex- MediReindeer--No swelling, or pain when moving my toes up or down. The pain is generally the length of the shin, nostly near the top, like when I bend down or place pressure when bending my foot forward. It doesn't feel like muscle pain or any of that sort, it feels like I bruised something.

TBM- Well, my heels don't come off the floor and my feet don't turn out, but it's either I have to lean a little bit forward or take my heels off of the ground to keep my back completely straight if I squat. I do however generally squat wide. My feet are a little further out than my shoulders, I do sumo squats essentially. Any input?