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Banana
I train calves without my shoes - always have. Yeah, it may seem novel if you don't do this but I find it superior to training with shoes for a couple reasons:
1. It keeps your calf poundages under control because if you go too heavy, it hurts your feet. Keeping poundages under control allows you to use a full range of motion while training the calves. It should be no secret that calves need a full range of motion, maybe more than other muscle groups, as they are very used to the midrange from walking all day. They are not accustomed to the stretched portion nor are they accustomed to the fully flexed portion of a calf raise.
2. Grip. Those of you train in your shoes know damned good and well that you have to continue to adjust your feet as they slip off of the block most times. This being said, I also think that this limits the stretched portion of the movement to some degree because if you don't stretch as far down, you don't slip as much either.
3. If wearing high tops while training calves, they basically get in the way in the front of the ankle. As you stretch and drive the heels down, the shoe in the front of the ankle acts similarly (but not to the same degree) as a knee wrap while doing squats. This can limit the range of motion and/or the stress placed on the calf in the stretched position.
4. It is old school and old school is good.
Now, do NOT come at me with the argument of "it will break down your arches". ALL calf training has the potential to break down arches as there is no arch support when the heel of your foot is not on the ground at the same time as the ball of your foot. I have been approached about this time and time again over the years and it burns me every time.
Your thoughts?
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1. It keeps your calf poundages under control because if you go too heavy, it hurts your feet. Keeping poundages under control allows you to use a full range of motion while training the calves. It should be no secret that calves need a full range of motion, maybe more than other muscle groups, as they are very used to the midrange from walking all day. They are not accustomed to the stretched portion nor are they accustomed to the fully flexed portion of a calf raise.
2. Grip. Those of you train in your shoes know damned good and well that you have to continue to adjust your feet as they slip off of the block most times. This being said, I also think that this limits the stretched portion of the movement to some degree because if you don't stretch as far down, you don't slip as much either.
3. If wearing high tops while training calves, they basically get in the way in the front of the ankle. As you stretch and drive the heels down, the shoe in the front of the ankle acts similarly (but not to the same degree) as a knee wrap while doing squats. This can limit the range of motion and/or the stress placed on the calf in the stretched position.
4. It is old school and old school is good.
Now, do NOT come at me with the argument of "it will break down your arches". ALL calf training has the potential to break down arches as there is no arch support when the heel of your foot is not on the ground at the same time as the ball of your foot. I have been approached about this time and time again over the years and it burns me every time.
Your thoughts?
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