calf Tibialis Anterior

jornT · 11-03-2005, 04:27 PM

I never really saw anyone train these or ever heard anyone on this forum training them. Well to be honestly neither do I but should I? And in general, how should a calf split be in terms excerises.
How many for gastrocnemius, how many for soleus and how many (if any) for tibialis anterior?
And what does your calf day look like? (note I know alot of guys train calves multiple times a week but I'm not a fan of that, I'm more a beliver of hitting them once a week as hard as possible, and I wouldn't even have time to do more than once)
Finnaly, I really like to know nr of reps for easch excerize you guys do/recommend, cuz my calves seem to react incredible to high reps. When doing baby weights for 25 reps the burn after 20 reps is alomst too much and after 25 I drop the weight and drop to the ground and massage my calves like a little cry baby cuz the acids burn the shit out of thme. I'm almost ashame to say it, but I'm really scared to do calves. The pain is sooooo intense and after hitting them heard i usaully can't walk for 2 days. But when I hit them for 6 times that weight for six reps and can't pull another rep then I don't really feel anything just can't do another rep. And I know that I need to do high weight to recruit other types of fiber, but it doesn't feel like doing anything.
Sorrie for the long post, but my calves are by far my worst developt muscles and probaly the ones which I train hardest. SO I really need your help:
Questions:
- What your guys calf training (excericize and reps)?
- Train tibialis Anterior? Why or why not?
- Any other tips?

philosopher · 11-03-2005, 04:41 PM

i train them twice a week... training 1 heavy weight training 2 light weight and more reps.

training 1 (at leg day):
seated calf raises 3 sets 8-10 reps
donkey calf raises 3 sets 8-10 reps
standing calf raises 1 set 8-10 reps

training 2:
standing calf raises 2 sets 20- 25 reps
seated calf raises 2 sets 15-20 reps

i dont think its nessesary to train them if youre not doing contests as bb'er altough some peopel say that a well developed anterior tibialis adds more depth and symmetry. It will make your calves appear larger from the front and side.

remember to train youre calves in the "pain zone" when they hurt they grow, when they dont they dont

jornT · 11-03-2005, 05:03 PM

Thx philosopher! Another question: Do you guys use diffrent foot positions during excercize? So 1 set fout pointing outward next staright and and next pointing inwards? Anyway, I always notice my feeds slip outward, it's really tough to keep pointing inwards.

philosopher · 11-04-2005, 02:19 PM

you can change if you want to work out different areas. i personally dont do it.

Rocky · 11-05-2005, 10:02 AM

To be honest - mine slip out aswell. If you can keep a fairly straightish position you're hitting the most muscle at once and is probably enough for recreational liftin. Can't hurt to alternate foot position from one workout to the next though for more thorough training!

canablistic_Turnip · 11-06-2005, 05:18 AM

Lift a dumbell off the floor with toes using dumbell. I have done it with 30kg. Makes your calf look huge from the front. Variation is using barbell but you have to cordinate both feet at once.

other muscles that are neglected are forearms reverse side eg reverse wrist curls

And Stenoid mastus (excuse the spelling) The old head harness with a weight attached

Also doing abdominal work with weights. And Hig flexor work. I know these are not methods used by most bbr's but my strength in lifts increased when I stopped neglecting minor body parts. Study the anatomy charts neglect nothing! (even if it means being inventive and creating new exercises Arnold did it, Rhul has, Haney and sergio have all created new exercises to suit their needs!)

jornT · 11-06-2005, 12:55 PM

Anyone ones an alternative to seated calf raises? I tried them with a barbell on my leggs, but even with 2 towels around it, it hurt too much to complete my set.. We don't got a fancy machine for it either. And because it hits the soleus primarly as in contrast with standing or donkeu calf raises I need a replacment excercize. Any ideas?

Uriel · 11-06-2005, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jornT

Anyone ones an alternative to seated calf raises? I tried them with a barbell on my leggs, but even with 2 towels around it, it hurt too much to complete my set.. We don't got a fancy machine for it either. And because it hits the soleus primarly as in contrast with standing or donkeu calf raises I need a replacment excercize. Any ideas?

Do one leg at a time, that way you get the same workout using only half of the weight. Less pain, same results.

jornT · 11-06-2005, 04:43 PM

If you use only half of the weight, but also use only 1 legg, don't you distribute half of the weight on half the surface, and so having the same amount of pressure/pain ?

canablistic_Turnip · 11-07-2005, 04:19 AM

Uriel means standing one leg calf raises dumbell each hand (I assume)

canablistic_Turnip · 11-07-2005, 04:21 AM

Jorn Have you got the arnold encyclopedia there it explains the variations of calf raises that can be used by shifting foot positions. There is a lot of variety you can get just by putting your toes in, out ect.

canablistic_Turnip · 11-07-2005, 04:24 AM

Leg press calf raises anouther option with variety of foot positions, donkey calf raises with variety of foot positions, standing calf raise machine or if this is not avaliable use a block on the smith machine. Hope this helps and good luck! :)

Rocky · 11-07-2005, 02:17 PM

I do my calf raises one leg at a time with a dumbell - but having done both, both legs at the same time is definately better for control and a better stretch imo.