Reverse calf raises

A necessary evil? From what I’ve read, they help create that wide look from the front. I never see anybody do them.

Some say your calves will become imbalanced if you don’t incorporate them.

What’s your take?

Well, I do believe that dorsiflexion exercises would help with calf strength/size development, but I have yet to find a comfortable way to perform these exercises with an appreciable amount of weight.

What are reverse calf raises? how do you do them

They can be done with manual resistance. Hook your toes under something. They can be done standing or lying down and control the resistance with your leg and hip. They can be done on a seated calve machine. Instead of putting your feet on the foot rest lock your toes underneath. Manually resisting with your legs and hips can be a HUGE load for them. Just try to keep the resistance level on each one the same.

There is an inexpensive device called a DARD that allows you to perform this exercise. It’s plate loaded. Do a google search for it.

Trench

I utilize the following movement:

Hang a medicine ball so that is about 12 inches off the ground. Sit on ground and kick the ball ball toward you with ankle flexation.


Here a pic


Another pic

I personally like dorsiflexions with a dumbbell held between my feet. Just sit on a bench with your knees just over the edge and flex away. You can hold a suprising load comfortably between your feet.

If you need extra resistance why not just do 1 leg at a time. If this is still to easy hold a dumbell in 1 hand.

You can also do them on the leg press machine. Just stick your heels on the top of the pressing area and do like in the pictures. It’s pretty easy to load on about 400 lbs and still do 'em this way, which can make some of the other leg pressers look at you funny.

nice… diagrams from the arnold encyclopedia… KICKASS!