My gym doesn't have a standing calf raise machine and i'm not a fan of doing them on the leg press.
I found out that doing them on the smith machine works out my calves great.
But i stand on one of those plastic step-on things so i can get full range of motion.
The problem is that it's made of plastic and my gym is pretty ghetto. Everything falls apart. And one of these step-on things already have a crack in it.
I'm worried if i stand on there with enough weight, it will break and 200 lbs will fall down on my back possibly killing me.
So i want to bring a piece of wood with me to stand on that's solid.
Solid wood is pretty expensive. So i was thinking of glueing a few sheets of ply wood together.
Do you think this will be strong enough to handle possible 200-400 lbs+?
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11-19-2019, 02:46 AM #1
DiY block of wood for calf raises?
Cobra Kai never dies!
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11-19-2019, 02:48 AM #2
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11-19-2019, 03:02 AM #3
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11-19-2019, 04:18 AM #4
Would also be good, but harder to store/transport.
I just have the equivalent of an American 4x6. I just put it against the wall when not used. It doesn't slide at all. Maybe a 4x8x 4x10 would be better so it doesn't have a chance to tipp when going above 3 plates. (I'm just below 3 plates and I might get a larger one)
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11-19-2019, 04:33 AM #5
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11-19-2019, 05:00 AM #6
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11-19-2019, 05:39 AM #7
Don't you have the same spine pressure during squats though?
When i do the seated calf press, i feel tension on my lower back. The standing one actually feels better.
I also get to go a lot heavier on the standing one, which promotes more muscle growth.
And yeah, they're 2 small muscles. But they're also the most important leg muscles there are imo.
No one is going to see your glutes when you wear trunks outside. Calves is all that shows unless you wear short shorts.Cobra Kai never dies!
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11-19-2019, 05:39 AM #8
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11-19-2019, 10:25 AM #9
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11-19-2019, 11:32 AM #10
I've tried the seated cable one. It puts pressure on my bottom back. You can only adjust it to certain levels. I feel it's either too long or too short.
I'm not a fan. Also i don't feel proper ROM with it.
Maybe different seated calf raise machines would be better, but my gym is very ghetto so it doesn't have it.Cobra Kai never dies!
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11-19-2019, 04:15 PM #11
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11-19-2019, 06:11 PM #12
Count me in on an easily made homemade calf block.
I eventually painted mine black and placed anti-skid tape on it. It has held up well. I do have big feet so the height is fine for me.
I use this for barbell calf raises and also tried it with a dip belt and a lat tower via the lower pulley. I also have a seated calf machine that I also like to use.
()---() York Barbell Club #29 ()---()
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11-19-2019, 09:26 PM #13
During squats the spine is not vertical and the weight used is lower, but even if you get the same pressure, you are hitting all your leg muscles... there is no other exercise as effective as squat for legs but there are suitable alternatives for calves.
It is strange that you feel tension on the lower back during seated calf press. Alternatively I would prefer donkey calf raises (no homo).
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11-19-2019, 09:51 PM #14
I have a design I consider significantly better. I'll take a picture if you need it but it might take a couple days. It was a post about 9 inches in diameter, then about 1/5th of it was cut off to make a flat bottom, preferably with a table saw if you can find one. That way it's nicely rounded, not so hard on the mid foot. So if you have any builder friends, they have off cuts of them from doing foundations and big sheds, but nothing to stop you cutting down a log.
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11-19-2019, 09:53 PM #15
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11-20-2019, 08:47 AM #16
If it needs to be a portable system, build a calf raise block as described above, and then put heavy dumbbells on your thighs and sit on the end of a bench.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUGQ4MGg_Cw You could also use a weight plate put on the floor as he does later in the video.
If you don't like doing it seated, can do them standing with the same calf raise block either with a barbell on your back or with dumbbells in each hand.Last edited by ampire; 11-20-2019 at 09:02 AM.
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11-20-2019, 10:06 AM #17
Here is an option for decompression of the spine; I have 1, it works & is relatively cheap & certainly easy to store: https://www.spud-inc-straps.com/the-big-ray-strap.html
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11-20-2019, 12:09 PM #18
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11-20-2019, 01:00 PM #19
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11-20-2019, 01:03 PM #20
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11-23-2019, 01:01 PM #21
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11-25-2019, 07:47 AM #22
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