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Strength, Power, Reactivity, & Speed Discussion / Re: Calfs
« on: April 14, 2011, 03:56:36 pm »the achilles tendon will take over any time in the rom when you bounce out of the bottom (however low you go). This is one of the main reason a lot of athletes dont feel like they are gaining much calf size when doing calf raises, if you pause in the bottom, the gastroc/soleus will take the brunt of the work, if you bounce or rebound out, the achilles tendon dominates. Both methods are good, but starting out controlled and slower is the way to go, once you have that base you can get more explosive with them.
Lance, When your at the very bottom of the ROM, is your Achilles in it's most lengthened or shortest state?.
Strecthed, but if you pause at the bottom for a second or two, it doesn't "spring back" as much. Otherwise, it would be easier to perform calf raises this way (but it ain't ).More ROM. With your toes elevated, the starting point of the rep can begin in dorsiflexion as opposed to a neutral position (defined here as soles of feet being parallel to the floor) if you don't have them elevated.
Thanks Dreyth.
Hopefully somebody can help me out with this next question.
Lets say your doing calf raises in either standing or seated position with the toes elevated on some platform. At which point in the ROM (dorsiflexion/neutral/plantar-flexor) is the Achilles tendon being optimally worked?.
the achilles tendon will take over any time in the rom when you bounce out of the bottom (however low you go). This is one of the main reason a lot of athletes dont feel like they are gaining much calf size when doing calf raises, if you pause in the bottom, the gastroc/soleus will take the brunt of the work, if you bounce or rebound out, the achilles tendon dominates. Both methods are good, but starting out controlled and slower is the way to go, once you have that base you can get more explosive with them.
just remember,
pause = no bounce!