Why does the calf trick work?

There's a little trick I use to guess someone's fitness at a glance. It doesn't work with everyone at all, but I have learned you can't just go by size or visible flab. What seems to work is glancing down at the calves. You look at how big the calves are relative to the rest of the body - and in my experience, that does a remarkably good job with skinny people, fat people, and everybody in between.

Yes, skinny people can be out of shape. I know, I know - it's the appearance that matters, so often, but there's so much more to fitness than size.

Fact of the matter is that most forms of aerobic exercise - and the most intense forms of exercise, period - involve moving the whole body, and that comes down to actually using your leg muscles. Some guys work out their upper body heavily without getting into shape - but very few people, aside from dancers, work heavily on their calves specifically. If they do calf-specific exercises regularly, odds are they're doing exercises for most parts of their bodies.

And that's why it works so often. Doesn't work for someone paralyzed from the waist down, or with muscular atrophy in their legs, but for most people, overall level of physical activity is tied to calf muscle use. Most people who sit down all day and don't walk much are desk-bound and out of shape.

Woodswise

Lessons I have learned about hiking:

1. Forests regulate their own temperature, and therefore are nice and cool in the summer heat. The patchy areas between forests aren't, not even the shady spots.
   
2. Bugbites and sun exposure are things your body adapts to over time.
3. Surefootedness and stealth both come from leading with the toes.
4. Wild animals are mostly scared of noisy humans.
5. Avoid bear cubs.
6. If you look closely at the ground, you will eventually notice tracks.
7. Pack extra water if you're with a group. Someone else will be short.
8. Machetes are handy, whether or not you brought a knife.
   
9. Knives are handy, whether or not you brought a machete.
   
10. Lightning does actually strike. It can also hit more than one person at once.
11. Humans have better peripheral vision, hearing, and sense of smell than commonly realized. They just have an annoying habit of ignoring them.
    
12. Trail blazes are really useful.
13. Have a first aid kit; whether you're hiking alone, with a buddy, or with a group, not having one around is an invitation for disaster.
14. If you don't feel spiderwebs, someone else was already through here today.
15. Walking sticks are very much optional, but somehow always seem handy when you have one.
    
16. The deadliest mushroom in North America looks really innocuous.