Barefoot calf raises . . . better?

[IR45N]

Most gyms require wearing shoes, but those of you who train at home, do you do calf raises (any kind) barefoot. Seems this would be an advantage. And, fwiw, anyone, which do you personally favor the most; standing, seated or donkey calf raises (even if you do all 3)?

[themyth2009]

I take my shoes off and do in socks at the gym. Probably against the rules but IDK. I feel a better range of motion that way. Do I get better results. I dunno.

Seated.

[kneedragger85]

I've never done them barefoot...not sure what advanage there would be beyond missing out on the cushion of your insole. (is that an advantage?)

As far as preference I do both seated and standing (sometimes replace stand w/ leg press) to hit both soleus and gastronemecus (sp) muscles. Never done donkey but it seems they would fall in line with standing.

[IR45N]

Maybe just thinking you've got a bit more range of motion + the Arnold/old school gym traning where you could go shirtless and shoeless and no one gave it another thought. Now, it's no shirt, no shoes, =no gym.

I guess if your shoes are flexible enough, it wouldn't make that much of a difference.

[Frank87]

I take my shoes off and do in socks at the gym. Probably against the rules but IDK. I feel a better range of motion that way. Do I get better results. I dunno.

Seated.

I worry about athlete's foot, and all the other bacterial / germs. I used to not worry, but I got nail fungus on one my toes that has been a huge pain, from the locker room.

So now I'm super anal about keeping clean at the gym.

[socket]

When I went to a gym, I used to do all of the variations barefooted, we even did squats barefoot
No one was offended until the owner switched over and it became a trendy "fitness" center.... then they had staff walking around and if they saw you with no shoes.......well, it became an issue.
One of the main reasons I left, as well as many other members.... was the know it all pencil neck staffers that were hired to "help" But that's a rant for another thread.
Now I only do standing calf raises on my stair case with DBs, and I keep my shoes on for traction.
That said, I hardly train calves anymore....once every few weeks.
Since falling in love with the DLs again, my calves have actually grown more from them then any amount of standing calf raises I've done. My wife even complimented the increased size of late. Any time a wife compliments a man on increased size, its always an instant ego boost

[themyth2009]

I worry about athlete's foot, and all the other bacterial / germs. I used to not worry, but I got nail fungus on one my toes that has been a huge pain, from the locker room.

So now I'm super anal about keeping clean at the gym.

I dont set barefoot in the locker room ever. Advantage of living 2 minutes from gym.

[Capt_Lou]

here you go....Last paragraph

http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/index...rticle&pID=809

[socket]

here you go....Last paragraph

http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/index...rticle&pID=809

Good find Captian!

"Another tip that will make your calf training more effective comes from former Mr. Olympia Larry Scott. He says to always do your calf exercises barefoot. Why? Because you can get up on your toes at the completion of each rep better and get a fuller range of motion. Of course, if the block on your calf machine is made of steel and seems more suitable for torture than calf training, that may not be possible. IM"

[2nd_chance]

I'm too lazy to unlace my HT CT's.

[Florida.Brian]

Hum... this seems somewhat similar to the advocates of barefoot running. In addition to a altered heal strike, running barefoot leads to more range of motion which strengthens the muscles in the feet. Or so the theory.

Google for Running Barefoot, Forefoot Striking & Training Tips Harvard

The Vibram FiveFingers footwear is supposed to give you a lot of the benefits of barefoot without some of the drawbacks of going completely unprotected. I had an acquaintance that recovered from an achilles tendon tear and swore by them.

Google for Vibram FiveFingers

Brian

[Zuggie]

Hum... this seems somewhat similar to the advocates of barefoot running. In addition to a altered heal strike, running barefoot leads to more range of motion which strengthens the muscles in the feet. Or so the theory.

Google for Running Barefoot, Forefoot Striking & Training Tips Harvard

The Vibram FiveFingers footwear is supposed to give you a lot of the benefits of barefoot without some of the drawbacks of going completely unprotected. I had an acquaintance that recovered from an achilles tendon tear and swore by them.

Google for Vibram FiveFingers

Brian

I saw a special on barefoot running on HBO last night, was very interesting.. Don't know about running barefoot on cement, but definitely thinking about ordering one of these Vibrams and giving them a try.. Imagine the calves you could sculpt without using the heel for running .. drool

[IronCharles]

My gym owner has a cow if you take your shoes off in the gym!

But I do all my cardio at home on the recumbent bike, which is always set at a very high resistance. And I always pedal it barefoot. Makes a huge difference in how my legs feel!

[hochspeyer]

I has teh flat feets- doing almost any type of exercise barefoot is very bad.

[dungeonmistress]

i used to do them in my sox at the gym and yes, i feel like i get a much better stretch barefoot than in shoes.

[ironwill2008]

I train mostly in my own gym, but still always wear shoes. I'd be concerned about my toes slipping off a calf block if I trained barefoot. On exercises like Leg Press Calf Raises, that could have disasterous results.

[GuyJin]

I think it has something to do with proprioception--the feeling you get from gripping with your toes and that transmits the signal to your muscles to contract harder. Not quite sure where I read it; maybe IRONMAN. Pavel Tatsouline (sp?)--the kettlebell instructor--mentioned that he usually has his trainees do thier leg exercises barefoot and that may translate into being able to do a bit more weight.

Whatever the case, I go barefoot when I train at home. It just feels better to me.

[OZBB]

I do my calves on the leg press machine..... Call it the "toe press" and find it really hits my calves without the weight resting heavy on my shoulders. I always wear shoes, feels more stable and supported that way. I tried it once barefoot and found that my toes felt strained / sprained for a while after. When I do them, I explode up for count of 1, pause for a count of 3, and slowly return for count of 3..... once I started doing the pause at the top my calves really responded.

OZBB

[Wanderlei]

I has teh flat feets- doing almost any type of exercise barefoot is very bad.

if everyone trained barefoot - knee, ankle, hip, lower back and up injuries would be hard to come by and everyone's posture would be alot better.

its very simple and the idea hard for dum asses to grasp. our bodies were never designed to wear clothes, shoes, hats, etc. if this stuff was never invented, the human body would be more advanced in natural evolution than it is today.

shoes clump ur toes together. phuk up ur bones, cause ur feet to become flat footed. i had pain from ankle anterior impingement and left knee pain. i started rocking VFFs and POOF pain GONE. ppl tell me my posture is better aswell!.

when we die today, and 2000+ years down the track when they find our petrified remains, they will know from our slouched backs and haunched over shoulders that we lived in this era where computers, tv and media ruled the world.

/end rant and on a side note, i just saw on ufc.com in the pre-fight vids rashad was rocking them Vibram VFF's. he must be looking for every edge possible in training lol.

[Onnagodalavida]

Most gyms require wearing shoes, but those of you who train at home, do you do calf raises (any kind) barefoot. Seems this would be an advantage. And, fwiw, anyone, which do you personally favor the most; standing, seated or donkey calf raises (even if you do all 3)?

My background is as a physician. I started doing standing calf raises at home barefoot. I notice if I push up with the ball of my foot that connects to my big toe (first metatarsal-phalangeal joint), I feel the part of my calf muscle working that is closer to the other leg (the medial portion). I can do a complete set. I then still find fresh strength to work more by shifting to pushing up with the ball of my foot that serves the pinkie toe and toes #3 and 4. Then I feel the burn more in my side (lateral) calf.

So, I find shifting where I push down with my foot necessary to completely working the calf. That shift only seems possible when barefoot.

Our bodies evolved not wearing shoes. I'd imagine we'd get the best leg workouts using the leg as it was originally intended to function, i.e. barefoot.

[dragon1966]

Totally agree with that! I've done only 2 workouts so far with bare feet on my vertical leg press machine, but for the leg press and calf raise the difference in feeling once the shoes are removed is amazing! OK I need to take it a bit further and try it a few more times..... But there was a feeling barefoot of so many more muscles being involved.............

I partly started wearing (simple) shoes for leg workouts as my home gym floor is so cold in the winters!

[ElrondHubbard]

Interesting necro! I don't mind this discussion continuing. I'd never thought of the point about athlete's foot in the gym before.

I workout at home, and I do it mostly barefoot. However, I do don sandals for standing calf raises. I do one leg at a time holding a 75 lb dumbell, with my foot hanging over a 2" platform. If I tried to do that barefooted, the edge would dig into my foot, and I don't think the pain would be helpful. Those who've developed tough enough feet to do this, though, get full props from me.

[Garage Rat]

My two cents.
I believe doing calve work without shoes is best if your feet can handle it.
There is a better neuromuscular connection.
I personally like donkey heel raises bare foot,feet on a block.
If Arnold went bare foot for calve work in Pumping Iron then it's got to be good right?

[writefast]

Most gyms require wearing shoes, but those of you who train at home, do you do calf raises (any kind) barefoot. Seems this would be an advantage. And, fwiw, anyone, which do you personally favor the most; standing, seated or donkey calf raises (even if you do all 3)?

Yep and I do feel it is a more effective way to train the calf. For me, grab a dumbbell, grab a step with your toes, and go up to as close to your tippy-toes as you can, drop to below parallel (as far as the tendon will allow), repeat.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Interesting necro! I don't mind this discussion continuing. I'd never thought of the point about athlete's foot in the gym before.

I workout at home, and I do it mostly barefoot. However, I do don sandals for standing calf raises. I do one leg at a time holding a 75 lb dumbell, with my foot hanging over a 2" platform. If I tried to do that barefooted, the edge would dig into my foot, and I don't think the pain would be helpful. Those who've developed tough enough feet to do this, though, get full props from me.

IDK the thought of my toes slipping off the leg press makes me cringe like IW. Same experience as you doing them single leg on a block at home, more weight won out over socks and the block digging into my foot at the bottom of the ROM as the best way forward.

[Bo_Flecks]

If Schwarzenegger went barefoot for photo shoots, it MUST be the right way to work calves.























































Oh wait...

[Fishman15]

If Schwarzenegger went barefoot for photo shoots, it MUST be the right way to work calves.























































Oh wait...

Ridem cowboy....