By Frank Lucasale 
In 2022, researchers at the University of Copenhagen made a discovery that quietly rewrote human physiology.
They found that the soleus — the deep calf muscle behind your shin — houses a reflex system so powerful it acts like a second heart.
Not metaphorically.
Functionally.
Dr. Henrik Pedersen, lead researcher, described it this way:
“When the soleus is inactive, your lower body becomes a storage tank.
When it’s active — you restart youth.”
Why This Matters
This “peripheral heart” does what the real heart can’t do alone:
- Pushes oxygenated blood back toward the torso
- Clears metabolic waste from muscles
- Prevents the sluggish circulation that leads to stiff joints and fatigue
- Supports the brain’s fluid-cleaning cycle
It’s one of the most important yet overlooked mechanisms for staying energetic and youthful.
The Movement That Turns It On: The Soleus Push
After hundreds of tests, the team found only one exercise that fully activates this internal pump:
The Soleus Push
- Sit with both feet flat on the ground.
- Lift your heels slowly while keeping your toes planted.
- Lower back down.
- One rep every second.
- Continue for 10 minutes.
Unlike running or walking, this move doesn’t exhaust the muscle.
It awakens it.
Within minutes, you feel warmth rising through your legs — the “second heart” switching online.
Clinical Trial Results After One Month
Participants who practiced the soleus push daily experienced:
- 43% increase in blood oxygenation
- Lower resting heart rate
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Enhanced cerebrospinal fluid circulation — the brain’s natural cleaning system
Their bodies weren’t just working better.
They were rebooting from the inside out.
Try It Right Now
Sit tall.
Feet flat.
Lift your heels — slow… steady… controlled.
Drop them.
Repeat.
- It’s simple.
- It’s quiet.
- It’s evolution’s hidden upgrade to keep you youthful long after your main heart begins to tire.
This is the muscle you’ve been ignoring — and the “second heart” you didn’t know you had.