Just Burning Calories Does NOT Cause Long-Term Weight Loss
What if I told you that most exercise does not cause long term weight loss? This is a secret the ...
Exercise Execution
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Vitamins: The Forgotten Factor Holding You Back
Even a slight vitamin deficiency can halt muscle gain in its tracks... the scary thing is, you're probably deficient already! ...
Taurine
Taurine is one of the best amino acids to help improve muscle soreness because it helps to push glutamate conversion ...
Resistant Starch, part 2 of 3 – Where can I find it?
What foods have resistant starch? There are 4 types of RS (resistant starch). Unlike most other ingredients, resistant starches are ...
MI40 Strength: Intro to Coach Adam, & Boss of Bosses Meet – Part 1
MI40 Strength Coach Adam Miller coming at you with an intro into the world of powerlifting... and how you can ...
MCT’s versus LCTs: Which are best for boosting performance and burning fat?
Not all fats are created equal. Put simply, there are good fats and bad fats: the so called unsaturated and ...
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Leg Presses
Ben's top-shelf tips for leg pressing your way to massive legs!
Straight-Leg Calf Raises
Here are the best exercises for targeting the big meat belly of the calves, the gastrocnemius – perfect your execution ...
Side-Delt Movements
Want side delts like BPak? Here you'll find his best execution pointers for the medial delt exercises you should ...
Pullups & Pulldowns
BPak's best execution tips for getting the most out of pull-up and pulldown movements!
Ab Vacuums
Looking for a 'trick' to help you get a smaller waistline? Vacuums are what you're looking for...
Shrugs
Want titan-sized traps? Here are the best 'shrugging' exercises and how to execute them to pack on the pounds!
Straight-Leg Calf Raises
These exercises place emphasis on the Gastrocnemius.
Guidelines for all straight leg calf movements
(unless specifically stated otherwise)
- place the ball of the foot in contact with the pad / platform / ground
- medium stance unless stated otherwise (hips, knees and ankles inline)
- keep knees stable throughout (when standing, lock out quads and contract the glutes)
- ensure full ankle flexion and extension (not foot)
- only come up from the bottom when the tibialis anterior at the front contracts
- focus on driving the weight through the big toe (not via the outsides of the feet)
- when you think you’re up all the way, go a little further (max height); aim for a huge peak contraction and really fight for those inches – bring the heels up as high as physically possible
- consciously think about pulling the knees / ankles together throughout (‘intent’).
Standing Calf Raises / Hack Squat Calf Raises
- Exercise Specific:
- Alternative Foot Positions:
> 1. Wide stance: feet outside of shoulders, about 18” apart
> 2. Narrow stance: bring knees / inner thighs together
> 3. Toes In: 45º internal rotation
> 4. Toes Out: 45º external rotation. - Optional variation: bend knees ‘slightly’ on the way down (though keep them rigid), extend the quads and lock them out on the way up (this works both heads of the calf).
Donkey Calf Raises
- Exercise Specific:
- lean forward a little from the hips (not the spine) keeping the chest up
- ensure the weight is placed over the tailbone / directly over the ankles; centre of gravity should stay over the toes
- push weight away with butt
- no bend or extension of knees, try to almost lock them out
- just briefly tap heels to the floor at the bottom before immediately performing the ascent.
Horizontal / Leg Press Calf Press
- Exercise Specific:
- sit proud, torso to leg angle should equal 90º
- push hamstrings into pad to lock-out quads
- Alternative Foot Positions:
> 1. Wide stance: as wide as possible on platform
> 2. Narrow stance: bring knees / inner thighs together.
Standing Isometric Holds on Toes
Great exercise for learning how to ‘feel’ & contract the muscle
- Exercise Specific:
- perform an isometric hold in the top position for as long as possible
- hold onto a support for balance
- consciously keep shoving up as high as possible throughout (no relaxing).
