calves

chip bronson

Trusted Member
calves

i have not had access to my treadmill for the past couple of years - it's been in storage since my move 3 years ago. i used to use the treadmill on a high incline as i felt it helped my puny calves. and it did. i started to notice last winter that my calves were not as full as they used to be so i needed to find a way to jolt them. i workout at home and have a limited setup. i have a calf block and i improvise seated calve raises but they just weren't cutting it. i decided to add donkey calf raises to my arsenal. damn, i wish i'd thought about it earlier. my girl sits on my back and we're in business. i'm happy to say that my calves have put on almost a full inch over the past few months and looking more in proportion with the upper legs.

i know it's an old school movement but do any of you guys still use it? if not, i highly recommend it.:cool:
 

-MU-

Trusted Member
Hey that's good to know...I have never tried it but may try it on my off days here at the house with the wifey.
 

vtliftvt

Trusted Member
donkey calves are great...I can really squeeze and contract at the top as compared to leg press or standing presses. My two favorite are seated and donkey. i like to superset the two:

1) seated so I get a DEEEEEEP stretch and dont focus as much on the squeeze. i push up as hard and far as I can but thats not my focus...my focus is the stretch

2) donkey, less focus on the stretch and more focus on the contraction and squeeze

so essentially, im stretching the fascia...pumping it full of blood...stretching...pumping full of blood etc.

i have SHITTTTY calves...and this has been helping a lot.
 

chip bronson

Trusted Member
i'm always looking for something to get these 'bad boys' moving along. :eek: i'm gonna give your superset a try for a few weeks and let you know how it goes. thanks vt.
 

vtliftvt

Trusted Member
It will also stretch your achilees as well and will allow you to squat deeper :D

My trainer has me doing that then some days doing standing super set with sitting then after 3 rounds I do 1 X 50 without any weights on a step or something...i leave and i can hardly walk due to the calf pump haha.
 

chip bronson

Trusted Member
this is true. that's why i used the treadmill set to a steep incline. and it did greatly improve my ankle flexibility and squatting depth and stability. i also like your idea about incorporatiing the high reps. sometimes at the end of the workout i'll do 100 reps in rest-pause fashion, stopping every 25 reps or so for about 5-10 seconds.

i know some will scoff at this but my calves suck. my family all have small calves. i've tried all but the gains are small and slow in coming. as a result i'm open to trying different things even if they do seem to go against the 'current' grain.

It will also stretch your achilees as well and will allow you to squat deeper :D
My trainer has me doing that then some days doing standing super set with sitting then after 3 rounds I do 1 X 50 without any weights on a step or something...i leave and i can hardly walk due to the calf pump haha.
 
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