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you want big and strong calves do this lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qNzzQUWldDM#at=64

Quote from: adarqui on March 20, 2011, 07:01:11 pm

i'd do 5 (or more) sets of calf raises to fatigue on days you really train them, using a weight heavy enough to fatigue them by 20-25 reps.. they respond better to higher rep training imo.

make them stronger and you will jump higher/run faster.

adarqui, Do you think calf/achilles training reacts better to dynamic or isometric work the best?, specifically in the weight room. Or a combo of both?.

Just found this: http://jap.physiology.org/content/107/4/1181.short


What you reckon?.

It states: Isometric contractions reduce plantar flexor moment, Achilles tendon stiffness, and neuromuscular activity but remove the subsequent effects of stretch.

Isn't that a good thing?. Reducing achilles tendon stiffness?.

i hate isometrics with a passion, i love quasi-isometrics (heavy lifting).. much of very heavy lifting are a series of isometric contractions, in a sense. the problem with purely isometric contractions is that, whether yielding or overcoming, their specificity/transfer just plain old sucks.. overcoming isos hit the tendons hard, yielding hits the muscles hard, but they both have horrible transfer to actual dynamic movements imo.. for example, a calf raise iso, you'd be better off just repping out the calf raises on a bar and improving strength through as much of the rom as possible, rather than working different iso angles and hoping it transfers.

isometrics are the devil in disguise.. hardly anyone, anywhere, has ever utilized them to achieve significant gains..

you want to improve strength in the calves/achilles with more transfer to sport/jump/sprint? hit them hard with regular barbell/db calve raises, standing (and possibly seated), and make sure you progress that strength over time.. like i said before, a 1xBW calve raise vs 2xBW calve raise works the exact same as 1xBW squat vs 2xBW squat in regards to jumping/sprinting etc..

regardless of muscle stiffness, tendon compliance, and all that minutia, you want to improve your measurables on the simple isotonic lifts, that's it, nothing fancy.. then you want to jump, sprint, do rebounds, and eat good.. no substitute for that.

isos are a devil in disguise because they seem fancy, are backed by a ton of 'clinical research', but they have no substantial application in ACTUAL performance enhancement, don't care what the inno sport huggers say.

pC hope that helps.. lol








and lol @ axel's nut comment, i love that quote.

and lol @ axel's nut comment, i love that quote.

Where's this?.  

Hi Andrew

I agree about thge use of isos from a performance point of view as being limited. This is my experience as well. However, and I appreciate I am getting off topic here, I have found weighted split squat isos to be beneficial in a warm up to help get the muscles activated. I know the guys I train seem to feel better and from my own experience I beleive they help alleviate knee pain because my quads and glutes work better afterwards.

Jack

Hi Andrew

I agree about thge use of isos from a performance point of view as being limited. This is my experience as well. However, and I appreciate I am getting off topic here, I have found weighted split squat isos to be beneficial in a warm up to help get the muscles activated. I know the guys I train seem to feel better and from my own experience I beleive they help alleviate knee pain because my quads and glutes work better afterwards.

Jack

thanks for the input jackW

Jack, do you view them superior to other forms of glute activation pre workout (glute bridge holds etc)?

What duration do you normally do them for/weight?

the only problem with those, for me personally, would be that they would stretch out my quads too much before dunking etc.. i've done them before prior to sprints/dunks and it wrecks how my quads feel, it's odd.. for stuff before dunking/sprinting, i like the prone glute/prone rev hyper stuff..

that's my 2cents on that..

pC

I have found weighted split squat isos to be beneficial in a warm up to help get the muscles activated. I know the guys I train seem to feel better and from my own experience I believe they help alleviate knee pain because my quads and glutes work better afterwards.

How do you employ the weight, dumbells?, weighted vest? & for what duration?.




Doing them for time/bodyweight alone (60secs+) seems kinda tough.


<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otBgoY3l2Ts" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otBgoY3l2Ts</a>

the only iso i ever do is this iso i saw lance post a while back that basically mimics a single leg jump at full extension...and the only reason i do it is i feel it helps get my glutes,hams and calves firing properly...so yeah i do isos only for firing patterns

What about a basketball "aggresive" defensive stance? If I really really play defense and hold that defensive stance, I get sooo tired in the quads and calves... it's really weird. I basically stay in that defensive stance position more or less isometric in nature, with just a small knee/hip angle variation. It's interesting what you guys think about that?