A stadium is a great place to sit on your bum to watch a game and get off your bum and train it. Whether you live near a small or large stadium, I recommend utilizing it as a unique component of your training regimen to intensely target your lower body muscles and respiratory systems. There are so many activities you can do with the varying heights of steps, and the benefits are unreal.

For more innovative training videos, visit SportsHealthExercise.org.

For more from Fitz, visit Fitzness.com

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Kilts aren't exactly a mainstream clothing choice nowadays. But, Twilight's Cam Gigandet was recently spotted wearing a kilt and, frankly, I think he looks pretty hot. I'm not alone in thinking that, either. Most of the comments People readers left at this site are positive, too. But to sport a kilt, a guy has got to have some pretty rocking calf muscles ... not to mention guts.

Designer Marc Jacobs says that wearing kilts makes him happy and that he "just can't stop wearing them." And just think of the movie, Braveheart -- if anyone can look hot in a kilt, it's Mel Gibson.

Men's Fitness has some great exercises to help get your calf muscles in great shape:

• The Siff Squat
• Calf Raises
• The Justice Routine (American Gladiator, Winston Justice's routine which includes several calf exercises.)

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Kristen tells us that today is Love Your Body Day. And Fitz tells us she loves her abs -- rightfully so. Let's just say I'm a tad bit jealous (OK, a lot jealous), and I'm pretty convinced when I gawk at the girl's midsection that a lot of hard work really does pay off. As for the rest of us here at That's Fit, well, we love our bodies too.

• Laura is so happy that the round, ample, apple-shaped derriere is in style, because it makes her love hers even more. A major plus of having an ample "A," says Laura, is that she automatically has a bit more padding and sitting is more comfortable on hard surfaces. Also, her strong buttocks can get her places faster if she uses them in just the right way. Yes, Laura loves her butt. After all, it's kind of grown on her.
• Maggie loves her calf muscles, even wrote a love letter to her prized body part. Her calves are strong, allow her kick countless soccer balls, and never complain when she doesn't give them the exercise they crave.
• Me? I love my calves too, and I also wrote a love letter to my body, thanking it for delivering me two whopper baby boys and for kicking cancer's butt.
• Bev loves her quads because they're her most low-maintenance, major muscle group and because they're rarely sore, they're sporty shapely, and they're always flexible (unlike her cranky hamstrings). They've never suffered a major injury either, and the lovely things allow her to hike, climb, bike, and walk.
  
  

Do you love your body? Tell us about it.

I used to have legs that would stay fit and toned without much specific input from me. Sure they got their workout with cardio and other exercises, but I never did specific strength and toning exercises for my legs. My calves are still hanging tough for me, but the thighs ... well, they're not so agreeable. My thighs seem to be saying "You're in your late 30's and this joke's on you!"

So my thighs have been a target area of sorts for me. It may take some effort, but I'll show them who's boss. I found this series of 10 thigh exercises on Fitness Magazine and it's a good one. It's a good variety of squats, lunges, balance moves, and other exercises. All in all, my thighs are aching from the workout and I can't wait to see the results after including this in my workout routine for a few weeks.

AOL Health has more leg exercises for you to try.

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I recently wrote a post about writing a love letter to your body. When I look in the mirror, I tend to notice my flaws more than anything else. But there are things I love about my body, too. This is a letter to just one of those positive parts.

Dear calves,

You used to be your average, run-of-the-mill calves, didn't you? But then I started cheerleading in high school and I gave you workouts like you probably never imagined. By senior year, you had developed into rock-hard muscles. I didn't appreciate you back then. I thought you had gotten a little blown out of proportion, so to speak. I hope you can forgive me for that. I was only 16 at the time and I was quite vain.

Here we are, more years later than I'd care to admit. And no matter how our workout routine has changed, you've kept the same rock-hard appearance. It's as if you expect me to put on my old cheerleading skirt and go to the Friday night football game. (Sorry to disappoint, but that's NOT happening.)

You're by far the strongest muscles in my body. You enable me to kick soccer goals that even impress my son. While my other muscles might ache after exercise, you never seem to complain. You're ready to tackle any activity, ready to take on any sport ... and I appreciate your go-get-'em attitude.

Thanks for hanging tough even during those times when I don't give you all the exercise you crave.

Maggie

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OK, I may have been a bit hasty in my zeal to run on the beach during my vacation last week. I was so enthusiastic that I even wrote a Fitku about beach running. But the results weren't pretty.

Actually, I slightly exaggerate, because I wasn't all that sore, but I could tell my ankles and calves weren't used to the workout that they got from running on the sand. So I began wondering: Is there a way to prepare your calves and ankles for running in the sand?

As I get ready to embark on a beach vacation next week, I can't help but get excited that I'll be able to run on the beach. Running barefoot, feeling the sand between my toes, working my calves into things of beauty... I'm looking forward to it!

It is easier on the joints to run on sand -- less impact -- and the resistance the sand offers helps you burn more calories and get a better workout overall.

How could I resist writing a Fitku about this awesome exercise?

Running on the beach
calves burn, sand churns, and heart pumps
I yearn for the shore

Do you enjoy running or walking on the beach?

Running is many things: It's energizing, rejuvenating and oh-so-good for both your soul and body. But it's also hard on your legs, particularly your feet, calves and knees. If you like running and want to keep doing it for a few more years, treat your gams well by stretching, practicing proper form, drinking lots of water and treating yourself to a massage.

You don't need to hit up a massage therapist though -- you can give yourself a runner's massage by rubbing down your feet and calves, as recommended on Fitsugar. Or enlist your significant other (I definitely plan on doing this). Yes, there is a reason behind this -- a massage can bring blood to the area, which will help your muscles warm up and recover.

How do you prep for a run?

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Guys that are looking to get stronger and more powerful-looking legs usually focus on building their quads and hamstrings, forgetting that developing their calves is just as important. Women often make the same mistake in their quest to firm and tone their legs, lunging all day long without paying much attention to the muscles that stand out the most while wearing heels.

I wish I could say why the calf muscles frequently get neglected, but I honestly don't know. Maybe it's because they're far away from our eyes, and that it takes bending over to actually take a look at them (unless you look in a mirror, of course). Or, perhaps its because we figure we work them all day long during normal activities -- ie. walking, climbing stairs, etc. -- so they get enough of a workout. The problem is, the fact that our calf muscles are used so often is the exact reason why it is necessary to work them extra hard at the gym.

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If you have a great sense of balance, a heightened sense of style, a lot of extra cash, and want to build up your calves, these shoes might be for you. Oh, and when I say heightened sense of style, I mean that your taste runs toward the Posh Spice end of the spectrum, not so much toward Sporty, because Victoria Beckham owns a pair of these $3600 Antonio Berardi shoes.

So, what are the pros of these shoes? Well, you would certainly work your calves, and maybe Posh would want to be your friend.

Cons? You'll probably fall over, your regular friends will make fun of you, and maybe Posh would want to be your friend.

For $3600, I think you can find better ways to build calf muscles, don't you?

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Many people like to point to genetics as the reason why their body looks a certain way. Although they're not entirely wrong in this assertion, they're not entirely correct, either. I feel that one of the best examples of this fact can be found in one of the most stubborn muscle groups in the body: the calves.

Take Arnold Schwarzenegger, a genetically gifted bodybuilder who was able to pack on slabs of muscle to his frame. While it is true that Arnold was an animal in the weight room, his gains were still partly due to the fact that he had a good genetic foundation from which to build. But even Arnold's genes weren't perfect. His arms and chest may have been enormous, but his calves lacked the girth and definition of many of his competitors at the time.

Enter hard work. And more hard work. Soon enough, Arnold's calves were on par with everyone else's, and at that point there was nothing that could keep him from victory. For the rest of us who deal with stubborn calves, however, getting on stage and competing isn't so much the priority as making our lower legs look better in a pair of shorts. But, this doesn't mean that we don't have to work hard, just as the Governator did.

So, to help you along in your calf-building endeavors, here are just a few methods you can try:

• Go Slowly. Try lowering your lifting tempo - taking 8 to 10 seconds to complete each rep.
• Go Heavy. Lower your rep count per set, but increase the weight you are lifting.
• Complete Reps. Don't curtail your progress by only performing half of a calf raise. Go all the way up and down with each rep you complete.
• Blast 100. Perform 100 reps, using light weight, without stopping. If you have to stop at some point, pause only for a second or two and then resume. Keep going until you've finished 100.
• 10 sets of 10. Obviously, this also adds up to 100 reps, but it is different from the last suggestion in that you are taking a one-minute break in between each set.

As I said before, your calves are extremely stubborn muscles. Think about it; you walk on them all day long, so it's going to take quite a bit of effort to shock them into growth. Any of the above stated methods should help you do just that. Feel free to mix and match them from week to week or even day to day.

This winter, I intend to hit the slopes a few times, either skiing or snowboarding. I grew up near the mountains and was skiing shortly after I was able to walk. The chance to head the the hills was always the bright spot in a bleak winter season for me, and though the business of being a grown-up has put a bit of a damper on my sportiness in the past few years, I'm going to try to re-capture that love of my youth. After all, when you live in a place where winter takes up the majority of the year, it's nice to have something to look forward to, right?

But skiing and snowboard--and whatever winter sport you choose, be is snowshoeing, skating or whatnot--requires strong legs. Plus, I've had problems with my knees in the past and I'd like to strengthen the muscles around them to prevent any chance of injury.

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I accepted a challenge the other day and climbed hundreds of steps in the University of Florida football stadium. The challenge centered around testing my cardiovascular strength. "Try it and see how hard it makes you breath," my sister said. So I tried. And my breathing became labored. I even had to slow down a few times to catch my breath. But I made it up all those stairs, and all the way back down too. And today, a few days after my feat, I realize the challenge wasn't all about breathing. It was also about my legs, my calves to be exact.

Right now, I can barely walk. Well, I can walk -- I just look like a waddling duck as I put one foot in front of the other. And as I contemplate my compromised state, I wonder just how some people do it -- how they conquer "stadiums" as they run and walk up and down, day after day. I guess it's just like any physical activity -- start slow and in time, the body becomes stronger. I did it with running. Once unable to run around the block, I can now log up to four miles at a time. It's called progress. Plain and simple. If I chose to continue stadium workouts, I'd no doubt become proficient at it. My knees may suffer over time, but my calf muscles would surely adjust.

I don't think stadium stepping is in my future. But if I ever take on the challenge again, I'll take it slow and steady. You should too -- if walking is something you really value.

For more on stadium cross training, click here.

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Hey guys, are you wondering what muscles you should work at the gym on your next workout? Fitbuff has posted a list of the male body parts that women love best. Not surprisingly, abs took the top spot, followed by strong arms, a nice set of glutes (butt), a strong back and toned calves to round out the top 5 (to see the full list, click here.)

I think between these, I like the strong set of arms the best. Ladies, what about you?

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As a tomboy of sorts, I rarely wear high (or even moderately elevated) heals. I prefer my converse sneakers and my flip flops. But there's no denying that when I put them on, I feel pretty good about myself-- they're an instant confidence booster. There's also no denying that after a few hours of teetering above my wedges, my feet hurt. A lot. What's a girl to do?

This article has some helpful suggestions, including:

• Save heels for special occasions
• Avoid backless heals as they cause your toes to clench, which leads to muscle strain
• Some calf stretches can do wonders for your legs.
  
• Vary the height of your heals and don't wear ones higher than 4cm for daily use.
• Visit a chiropodist or podiatrist
• Also? Use a tennis ball to massage sore feet.
• Get your significant other to massage your feet .... if you can!

What do you for your aching feet?

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