Question for athletic individuals(regarding calves and cramping)

[NJL52]

If you ever played football or watched it on TV, you notice that alot of the most explosive athletes have a tendency to develop cramps in their calves.

Why?

Your thighs provide, by far, the most force when it comes to running, jumping etc. Your calves and achilles mainly serve to transfer taht force to the ground to propel yourself (if I understand things as clearly as I beleive I do).

Your calves still obviously compress and work, but they aren't the driving force.

So, with my understanding, it would seem that your calves should be the longer lasting part while your thighs tire more quickly.

Well, I'm just writing my thoughts at the moment, but the question still remains;

Can anybody explain to me why the calves are the first muscle to give up when doing high explosive movements?

 

[mad dipz]

well, I see alot of crampings in different parts of the leg, but I do understand what you're talking about, I get it myself sometimes. If I had to take a stab at the subject, it would be because of all the muscle groups that work together in the thighs giving it a longer lasting drive than your calves do, since they have no support around them like the thighs do, that and the lack of muscle endurance.