How To Measure Your Calf Muscles...

1. Get a ruler and place it so that it is at ninety degrees to the wall- or take a piece of tape with centimetres marked on it starting at 0 and place the 0 end against the wall at ninety degrees.
2. Place one foot at about 10 centimetres out from the wall and bend that knee so that it touches the wall. If you can touch the wall, move your foot back a centimetre and try again. If you can't touch the wall then move your foot closer to the wall and try it again. Keep your heel on the ground.
3. Repeat with the other foot.
My best left leg stretch is 12cm but my right leg is 6cm! That is why I say there is 6 cm difference in the calf muscle- I am sure it isn't actually 6cm left but the physio says that when I am facing away from her she can see the difference in the size of my calves. Normally I would like them both to be small- but I have inherited my mothers small calves so I don't worry about their size- now gluts are another story. Calves are definitely my favourite body part. (What is yours??)

Anyhoo, I went to spin this morning and realised that I have been taking it way to easy in spin because my heart rate monitor was calibrated poorly. I worked so hard to get my heart rate up to 65% within minutes of starting the class (it is all downhill when I ride my bike there so it barely registers) and then battled to keep it going up and up. My max was 88%- though we were supposed to be doing intervals and 90% was my goal for two minutes. I averaged 70% which is not as good as my old heart rate monitor (!!) but still better. I had to leave early to ride to work and have a shower. I remembered my towel this morning- not like yesterday when I had to sit in my cycle gear (mountain bike street clothes not garishly hued racing bike lycra!) until my BF came to work and brought me a towel- the paper towel was never going to cut it.