Calfs - Shoes or Bare Feet

CapePrimetimer · 10-20-2005, 12:48 PM

I've been doing calf exercises in my bare feet...but I understand that if
you stand on a board and allow your heels to touch the floor then it is
suppose to be better. Is it better to wear sneakers or shoes or some other
kind of footwear??

NuclearArms · 10-20-2005, 01:01 PM

In a gym with no shoes = stupid

Seriously, don't take the risk. Ask, what is the benefit? You may get an additional 1/4" stretch and add, 1/16" to your calf by doing things without your shoes on. Unless your expecting to compete against Tom Platz, what's the point.

kimsquit · 10-20-2005, 01:01 PM

I guess it depends on what sort of calf exercises you're doing

pict · 10-20-2005, 01:38 PM

i've always done them barefoot. so far my feet haven't fallen off (1973-present). personal preference no matter what people say.

phikappa · 10-20-2005, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NuclearArms

In a gym with no shoes = stupid

Seriously, don't take the risk. Ask, what is the benefit? You may get an additional 1/4" stretch and add, 1/16" to your calf by doing things without your shoes on. Unless your expecting to compete against Tom Platz, what's the point.

Yeah, save your toes. There the only ones you've got!

kimsquit · 10-20-2005, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phikappa

Yeah, save your toes. There the only ones you've got!

...and if you break one, you'll have to call a Toe Truck

GREENFEATHER · 10-20-2005, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimsquit

...and if you break one, you'll have to call a Toe Truck

We can tell Chris is carb depleted, LOL!!

Seriously, I do train barefoot and I take full responsibility for smashed toes. It's a Blackfoot thing, you wouldn't understand!!

**fitnessman** · 10-20-2005, 02:56 PM

Larry Scott was the first one to bring this up. Barefoot and calves go together well...Leave the socks on.

Amazing what that little bit of ROM can do!

jaguarr · 10-20-2005, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GREENFEATHER

Seriously, I do train barefoot and I take full responsibility for smashed toes. It's a Blackfoot thing, you wouldn't understand!!

I train barefoot, too, and I'm definitely not Blackfoot.

PS - Chris, eat a carb or two, buddy. You're scaring people, now.

jag

phikappa · 10-20-2005, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimsquit

...and if you break one, you'll have to call a Toe Truck

**fitnessman** · 10-20-2005, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phikappa

LMAO!!!!

On a side note, for those of you who have not trained calves without shoes.....Try it!!!! You will never wear shoes again!

kimsquit · 10-20-2005, 03:28 PM

Here is a great guide for proper calf raising techniques

CapePrimetimer · 10-21-2005, 04:27 AM

Thanks for the advice....have a carpeted home gym.....standing on a board
with bare feet to get the extra stretch does make a difference ....will try it
with socks...like the toe truck pic...

Baldsnake · 10-21-2005, 06:00 AM

Scroll down to Strength Shoe Training

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drsquat10.htm

Barefoot or shoes. Either way....getting your heel way down is correct. But, no more important than a full extension at the top and lock. Barefoot will help if you need to develope the mind/body connection.

Observation. Calfs are very very much genetic. Some folks have HUGE calfs from the get go....i.e. Hillary Clinton. On the opposite end of the spectrum....my sorry ass spindles.

mom24boys · 10-21-2005, 06:48 AM

I only wear shoes if i have no other choice

must be the hillbilly in me.

vja2000 · 10-21-2005, 09:01 AM

You guys are going to all laugh at me, but I tried an experiment and it has worked a meracle with my calves. A little history; my calves always pretty much sucked. No matter what I did or how I did it, they never came up and we're talking for many years, here. Then, one day I got an idea. I realized that my feet were the problem and not the calf work. Sort of the way your grip gets fatigued before you're finshed with your deadlifts or pull ups, my feet were giving out before my calf work was done. I don't know why it took me so many years to figure out that it was my feet and not my calves that were the problem.

I began looking for a way to "firm up" my feet for the work load on my calves. I tried different sneaks and that didn't work. I then tried wrapping my feet and that helped, but it didn't solve the problem completely. Then, one day, while I was buying a pair of shoes, I saw these flat women's shoes. I started to think, "hmmm, I wonder..." They had a hard, flat surface with no heal, of course, and were of synthetic material, so very little stretching. They were only $20.00, so I bought a pair. Anyway, when y'all are done laughing, check this out; the shoes are flat, have a hard surface on the bottom, fit really tight, and are very low cut giving me a complete range of motion. Basically, it is like wrapping my feet in a bench shirt. The shoes do not give and have not stretched at all. They keep my feet from spreading out and provide a hard surface to "rock" on. All the stress from calf work is now centered directly on my calves. I didn't have to scuff the bottom, because my calf machine has a non skid surface.

My calf work with these shoes has never been so intense. My calves are absolutely fried after working them now, this was never the case before. I can feel my claves days after I work them. The muscle growth in my calves is greater now than ever before in my life. I am doing more weight in a more controlled manner than ever before; no bouncing, no short range motions, etc. Just full range with strict form; this is a first for me. And, with no more foot pain. And, my toes practically stay out of the picture altogether now, which was also an issue for me over the years; toe pain primarily on the second toe from the big toe. Sometimes my feet would actually cramp up; I'm not getting this anymore, either.

Now, I'm sure there is a pair of shoes out there that would work just as well, but for $20.00? I doubt it. I workout at home, so the whole macho gym thing doesn't come into play. There's no way I would wear these shoes in a gym. They do look good on me, though; I mean, they're a nice looking blue color and I do have a great pair of legs

Seriously, though; it has been the only thing to work for me yet and I'm sticking with it. Calf work is the only thing I use them for and I keep them next to my calf machine. Other than these shoes, I do workout barefoot...

Vince

GREENFEATHER · 10-21-2005, 02:44 PM

My calves are a tad under 19.25". Y'all will hate me, but I rarely train them, maybe every 3rd leg workout. They really overshadow my quads, I'm on a serious mission now that I figuered out my squatting issue.

**fitnessman** · 10-21-2005, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CALF MONSTER

My calves are a tad under 19.25". Y'all will hate me, but I rarely train them, maybe every 3rd leg workout. They really overshadow my quads, I'm on a serious mission now that I figuered out my squatting issue.

I will admit to rarely working them as well....But when I do...Socks only! Full ROM!

fitbyfifty · 10-21-2005, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimsquit

Here is a great guide for proper calf raising techniques

Ha, Ha, Ha!!! I loved this one!!!

That was good, thanks for the laugh!

Brenda