Marginal Gains

[HollyWoodCole]

I assume you taped them before and now. What was the gains and in what time frame?

If this guy put on 2" Snake is going to come un-fukkin-glued

 

[Viduus]

Ballet dancers don't do heavy weight and low reps, and have pretty sweet calf muscles.

But they definitely do full contractions though.

Just an observation.

Thats a really good point. Also to state the obvious we’re doing maybe 30-60 extra reps on calves a few times a week. That’s a very small percentage when you figure we do thousands of reps on any given day. Are we really stressing them at all?

30-50 heavy sets for biceps is a decent percentage of our normal daily use. I probably go through a few days a week we’re the heaviest thing I curl is a gallon of milk or a laptop case.

 

[CJ]

I assume you taped them before and now. What was the gains and in what time frame?

I didn't, but they have a much more angled muscle edge, if that makes sense. It's not as rounded, has sharper edges.

 

[Jin]

All obese people have massive calves.

 

[snake]

I didn't, but they have a much more angled muscle edge, if that makes sense. It's not as rounded, has sharper edges.

Yeah I'm a numbers guy. I need to quantify those gain.

 

[CJ]

Yeah I'm a numbers guy. I need to quantify those gain.

Me too, usually. But I do want to believe that there's hope! :32 (18):

I know I have an old set of measurements in one of my numerous notebooks. I'll have to dig it out.

 

[Long]

All obese people have massive calves.

It's so many times your weight each step when you walk and way more when you run.

Soooooo high volume, daily, heavy weight?
Arnold did daily's, angles, seated, foot position, high weight, donkeys and he went from no calves to pretty damn good calves.

 

[Bobbyloads]

I’m not a pro just a year in but I never realized the importance of shoulders nor did I work on them for like then first 6 months now I love to do them as well that’s when I really started noticing my arms that I’m actually making progress now I hit them twice a week but I’m having issues with my rear delts can’t seem to activate them to get the feeling of working just them. I guess need more time put in.

When I first started lifting my shoulders were shit. I disliked doing them at all. Frankly I hated doing shoulders. Then I decided that **** it I'm going to do them first, hardest and do more of them. I almost always hit them front, side, rear and pressing movements now. I feel like I cheated if I do less. Shoulders have been my favorite for years now. I also have a deep pain that radiates from both shoulders at night so...

Calves are a bitch. Like abs and forearms. Got to hit them every day, with the feet at all three different angles.

 

[Bobbyloads]

For me it’s legs in general had surgery on both knees and they aint the same so I feel like every time I do squats or any rough work out on the legs they start popping in hurting bad.

 

[hulksmash]

Ballet dancers don't do heavy weight and low reps, and have pretty sweet calf muscles.

But they definitely do full contractions though.

Just an observation.

The issue is defining "pretty sweet".

Went to the ballet around Christmas. They all had above-average size in calves, but we would say they have "small" calves.

18" is probably the minimum for "big calves" for 5'8-5'11 height. You see everyone saying "more reps, more reps" yet only a few have "big calves".

Even Arnold admitted to using very heavy weight, albeit with a lot of reps. Very heavy weight+full ROM+pause when feet are flat is the key.

Light weight wastes time AND changes your gastrocnemius to slow-twitch fibers, which is injurious due to its purpose of being "explosive".

 

[Long]

I’m not a pro just a year in but I never realized the importance of shoulders nor did I work on them for like then first 6 months now I love to do them as well that’s when I really started noticing my arms that I’m actually making progress now I hit them twice a week but I’m having issues with my rear delts can’t seem to activate them to get the feeling of working just them. I guess need more time put in.

Lying rears. A lot of them.

 

[Jin]

Lying rears. A lot of them.

Please explain the movement. I’d like to try them.

 

[Long]

Please explain the movement. I’d like to try them.

Lay down on a bench or couch on your side. Let your upper arm hang down across your chest to the floor with dumbbell in hand. In a very controlled movement with a straight arm lift the weight in an arched movement. From the floor, out in front of you, to above you. It isolates the rear delt far better than something like bent rears in my opinion.
It doesn't take much weight at first unless you are a beast.

They are time consuming and I used to switch them out for bent rears when I was in a hurry.

 

[Beserker]

I can vouch for that, really isolates the rear head... used to be a staple. I first used them years ago to help rehab a torn labrum, then stuck with them. Doesn’t take heavy weights get a good pump on this one.

 

[gymrat827]

Lay down on a bench or couch on your side. Let your upper arm hang down across your chest to the floor with dumbbell in hand. In a very controlled movement with a straight arm lift the weight in an arched movement. From the floor, out in front of you, to above you. It isolates the rear delt far better than something like bent rears in my opinion.
It doesn't take much weight at first unless you are a beast.

They are time consuming and I used to switch them out for bent rears when I was in a hurry.

Ill give them a shot when i actually have more than 40 min in the gym. 9wk old little girl has me going in every direction than the one i intend.

 

[HollyWoodCole]

My favorite way to hit the rear delt is the cable crossover. Doesn't take much weight at all, 10-15lbs will kick your ass.