One of my buddies asked me this question today: “How come we aren’t doing any excercises for calves and biceps?”
I replied with something along the lines of they are not what we need to focus on, our focus being strength training (football/wrestling) and that just running and doing olympic lifts and pulls was enough training for them.
Am i correct? Do strength athletes not need to focus on calves/biceps individually at all?
Funny, I was just thinking about some similar topic I wanted to post. Does anybody, inclusive the bodybuilders here, do any work for the calves at all?
About biceps? Well in most sports I doubt you really need. But I suppose doing chins/gymnastics they already have tons of stimulation. Ok, I said that just for not beeing blamed of mini-hijacking.
I tend to be more focused on strength training than on just hypertrophy. So I don’t work calves very often. Occasionally I’ll throw them in if I have time. But I’m hoping the sled pulling will build them up a little. Been pulling backwards uphill lately. Wooo-wee baby!
[quote]sinnaman18 wrote:
…just running and doing olympic lifts and pulls was enough training for them.
[/quote]
I think you’re okay. Keep doing the big lifts, pulls, etc.
[quote]sinnaman18 wrote:
One of my buddies asked me this question today: “How come we aren’t doing any excercises for calves and biceps?”
I replied with something along the lines of they are not what we need to focus on, our focus being strength training (football/wrestling) and that just running and doing olympic lifts and pulls was enough training for them.
Am i correct? Do strength athletes not need to focus on calves/biceps individually at all?[/quote]
I wholeheartedly believe that focusing on the basic lifts to get bigger and stronger is the key to success. However, I also know that to bring up weak points and to create a balanced physique, you need to throw in some work for those bodyparts (arms, calves, forearms, delts).
I agree with CT’s new article about doing some extra work a few times a week for those bodyparts. Be sure to check his new program, and if you feel the need to work the arms, calves, forearms or delts more, then do it as he recommended.
I haven’t focused much in the last few years on those bodyparts, and luckily, the basics have helped keep decent size, but I am adding in more work for delts and arms now to help even out my body as I continue to get bigger and stronger.
[quote]gojira wrote:
I tend to be more focused on strength training than on just hypertrophy. So I don’t work calves very often. Occasionally I’ll throw them in if I have time. But I’m hoping the sled pulling will build them up a little. Been pulling backwards uphill lately. Wooo-wee baby![/quote]
Backwards uphill? Good gravy, that sounds like one heck of a workout.
Behind-the-knees sled dragging will blow up the calves. I think there is a picture of it in Dave Tate’s article on sled dragging.
Maybe you’ll want to give 'em a try.
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
sinnaman18 wrote:
One of my buddies asked me this question today: “How come we aren’t doing any excercises for calves and biceps?”
I replied with something along the lines of they are not what we need to focus on, our focus being strength training (football/wrestling) and that just running and doing olympic lifts and pulls was enough training for them.
Am i correct? Do strength athletes not need to focus on calves/biceps individually at all?
I wholeheartedly believe that focusing on the basic lifts to get bigger and stronger is the key to success. However, I also know that to bring up weak points and to create a balanced physique, you need to throw in some work for those bodyparts (arms, calves, forearms, delts).
I agree with CT’s new article about doing some extra work a few times a week for those bodyparts. Be sure to check his new program, and if you feel the need to work the arms, calves, forearms or delts more, then do it as he recommended.
I haven’t focused much in the last few years on those bodyparts, and luckily, the basics have helped keep decent size, but I am adding in more work for delts and arms now to help even out my body as I continue to get bigger and stronger.[/quote]
I agree. Just be careful if you haven’t been doing any direct calfwork for awhile. Work into it a little slowly. I hadn’t done any for some time. When I started ABBH, I jumped in and trained calves with the normal parameters. Every other body part was absolutely fine as expected. But 10x3 heavy sets of calf raises was not a good idea. I was damned near house-band for 2 days. I don’t think I’ve ever had DOMS like that.
i have to do my calves because when i do calve raises it doesnt just effect my calves i find it makes my whole upper leg muscles hurt. ive seen pro wrestlers and there calves are huge.
[quote]crazylegs89 wrote:
ive seen pro wrestlers and there calves are huge.[/quote]
But what does that really mean?
Absolutely nothing