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Get Motivated, and Stay Motivated

Today I drove to the gym today heading into my first leg day of the week. My current training protocol ...

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MI40 Strength: Hypertrophy & Strength Periodization Programming – Part 1

Covered:
> Where does hypertrophy training fit into a strength athlete’s training cycle?

> The science of strength

> The 7 fundamental ...

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The Serotonin Advantage

In a startling feat of biological engineering, our body must involuntarily produce an array of chemicals to promote specific actions ...

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Zinc Periodic Table

Zinc: The Little-Known Mega Mineral You Should Learn to Optimize

From boosting testosterone production & supporting lean muscle growth, to optimizing joint health & immune function, getting enough of this ...

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Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Why You Should Care!

The hormonal and metabolic processes that occur during sleep The three primary factors to consider for those seeking muscle hypertrophy ...

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MI40 Strength: Intro to Coach Adam, & Boss of Bosses Meet – Part 2

In case you missed it, catch Part 1 here. Now, during my prep for this meet I had the best training ...

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Bent-Knee Calf Movements


Guidelines for all Bent-Knee 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 also about pulling the knees / ankles together throughout (inward ‘intent’).

 

Seated Calf Raises

    Exercise Specific:

  • some assistance with the last few reps (pulling with forearms) is acceptable, though use common sense to determine if you’re just being too ambitious with the weight and adjust accordingly next time if so.

 

Squatting Bodyweight Calf Raises

    Exercise Specific:

  • hold onto something for support, then squat down until the bottom position is reached
  • ensure centre of gravity is over the toes
  • remaining in this position throughout, raise up onto the tips of the toes at the top
  • attempt to momentarily touch heels to the ground at the bottom if ankle flexibility allows (with no compromising of form); this may not be possible for some but not others – just work within the range achievable with perfect execution.