CALV TRAINING TIPS

[PHIL HERNON]

I WILL PREFACE THIS BY TELLING YOU THAT IF YOU SQUAT HEAVY THEN ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IS SEATED HEEL RAISE EACH WORKOUT.....OR HOWEVER YOU STRUCTURE YOUR TRAINING.

1. STANDING HEEL RAISE.....GREAT GASTROC MASS BUILDER. SMITH MACHINE, LOAD IT UP, BACK TIGHT,KNEES LOCKED TIGHT........ STAND DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH, GO UP ON YOUR TOES AND BACK DOWN.......DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF WITH THE STRETCH AT THE BOTTOM........IF YOU ARE TOO CO0NCERNED ABOUT NOT GETTING THE "STRETCH", THEN CONTINUE YOUR OWN ROUTINE IF IT IS WORKING SO WELL.

2. SEATED HEEL RAISE.............KNEES BENT AT 90 DEGREE ANGLE, GREAT SOLEUS BUILDER......DO NOT STRETCH PAST AN IMAGINARY FLOOR.

 

[oldfella]

Phil,
Will a standing calves raise machine do for the gastroc? In the smith machine do you stand on the floor or up on a block with your heels off the back edge?

Some good tips there, thanks Phil

 

[phatkid77]

im guna say, floor...thus no stretch....

phats

 

[SABAGOY]

Sounds like familiar advice...

 

[rAJJIN]

Phil,
do you stand on the floor or up on a block with your heels off the back edge?

That was going to be my question also.

 

[edge250]

the best way to do the seated version is sitting backwards on a lying leg curl machine. put your knees under the pad and pump the shit out of your calves. this allows the for the shorter range of motion to be maintained. i have done this for quit awhile and never really knew phil preferred shorter range calf movements.

 

[MAINEVENT]

the best way to do the seated version is sitting backwards on a lying leg curl machine. put your knees under the pad and pump the shit out of your calves. this allows the for the shorter range of motion to be maintained. i have done this for quit awhile and never really knew phil preferred shorter range calf movements.

Focker, you know ive been trying like hell to build my calves. Keeping secrets eh?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

No block

No, I said do not concern yourself with the stretch...........you will open yourself up for injury with a stretch. Never in nature is there a need to press from a stretched position......it is always from the floor and that is how we were built to lift..........keep it natural guys.......well, you know what I mean.

 

[Jimbo]

No, I said do not concern yourself with the stretch...........you will open yourself up for injury with a stretch. Never in nature is there a need to press from a stretched position......it is always from the floor and that is how we were built to lift..........keep it natural guys.......well, you know what I mean.

Phil, you kind of remind me of the old ancient wise man who sits ontop of a mountain. You are slowly giving us all your years of bb wisdom. First, and may I say the greatest thing ever was "eat,when hungry concept" Now, tips on triceps/calves..................... Preach on brother, phil. I am listeing.

 

[edge250]

Focker, you know ive been trying like hell to build my calves. Keeping secrets eh?

cause you need more focus on the gastroc rather than the soleus. that and just walking around 20-30lbs heavier will force your calves to grow somewhat carrying around the extra weight all day.

 

[VanR__]

I should try calves with no stretch.

Reps, sets advice?

 

[loser]

goes against everything iv ever read or heard.


AWESOME!!!

 

[powerrack]

No, I said do not concern yourself with the stretch...........you will open yourself up for injury with a stretch. Never in nature is there a need to press from a stretched position......it is always from the floor and that is how we were built to lift..........keep it natural guys.......well, you know what I mean.

how about what happens when you climb up a hill while carrying a load?

How about walking - what happens when you push off on the back foot?

I think in both of these real life situations you end up in the stretched position, it's natural.

Just curious on your thoughts on this?

Thanks bro

 

[KTT]

SEATED HEEL RAISE

I have noch machine to do seated heel raises, and doing them with the smith machine is uncomfortable. So I read an old article by wyldeone and do this excercise instead:

"Try getting in the leg press machine and turning around so you are leaning over the seat and have your ass towards the leg-press to where you stomach is over where your back normally would be and place your toes at the bottom of the press with your heals hanging over its almost as if your doing a seated calf raise its just you isolate all three heads of the calf at once and it works great 4 sets of 20 rep! 2 times a week. I hope you guys can understand what i'm trying to say as its a hard exercise to explain but it works GREAT for stuborn calves. "

 

[alecaf]

I've actually tried every exercise phil randomly mentions and have all worked amazing. The 45 degree angle lateral raises is the best medial shoulder exercise ive tried. I wasn't able to do the tricep exercise you mentioned cuz i didnt understand it well, or its just hard to get used to. I also started doing decline bench and can see a difference in my chest already, have also gone up in strength significantly. I will defenitely try this one aswel.

Thanks a lot phil for the tips.

 

[halflife]

LOAD IT UP, BACK TIGHT,KNEES LOCKED TIGHT

I must try this Phil, I've always been taught to to keep knees slightly bent throughout movement cause that squeezes them throughout the movement. BUT tight knees it is

Thanks

 

[T TOTAL]

I WILL PREFACE THIS BY TELLING YOU THAT IF YOU SQUAT HEAVY THEN ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO DO IS SEATED HEEL RAISE EACH WORKOUT.....OR HOWEVER YOU STRUCTURE YOUR TRAINING.

1. STANDING HEEL RAISE.....GREAT GASTROC MASS BUILDER. SMITH MACHINE, LOAD IT UP, BACK TIGHT,KNEES LOCKED TIGHT........ STAND DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH, GO UP ON YOUR TOES AND BACK DOWN.......DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF WITH THE STRETCH AT THE BOTTOM........IF YOU ARE TOO CO0NCERNED ABOUT NOT GETTING THE "STRETCH", THEN CONTINUE YOUR OWN ROUTINE IF IT IS WORKING SO WELL.

2. SEATED HEEL RAISE.............KNEES BENT AT 90 DEGREE ANGLE, GREAT SOLEUS BUILDER......DO NOT STRETCH PAST AN IMAGINARY FLOOR.

Very interesting as sometimes i do bodyweight calf raises from the floor and the pump is unbeleivable. Wish i'd listened to my body more years ago as opposed to doing what some magazines say do, ie, all the way up and all the way down for a full stretch!!!

 

[btech]

sounds great phil, thanks

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Lighter load

how about what happens when you climb up a hill while carrying a load?

How about walking - what happens when you push off on the back foot?

I think in both of these real life situations you end up in the stretched position, it's natural.

Just curious on your thoughts on this?

Thanks bro

When in nature are you ever walking up a hill STEEP ENOUGH to give you that kind of stretch with maybe 400 pounds on your back? Anyone ever done that? I am sure maybe once or twice in your lifetime but it is not an every day " natural" thing to do.......humans first instinct anyway would be to place your feet sideways not walk straight up.

 

[btech]

When in nature are you ever walking up a hill STEEP ENOUGH to give you that kind of stretch with maybe 400 pounds on your back? Anyone ever done that? I am sure maybe once or twice in your lifetime but it is not an every day " natural" thing to do.......humans first instinct anyway would be to place your feet sideways not walk straight up.

It all makes sense. But, just for the sake of discussion,

a) What about humans instinct, when benching, to keep elbows tucked in and bring bar lower than the nipples?

b) How would a person naturally want to squat? Lo-bar style, leaning over?

c) How about bicep curls? Would it be best to always stick to DB's, and only use supinating or hammer curls?

d) Shoulder presses; all the way down to the delts, and all the way up to lockout?

These ways seem the most natural to me.