Is this really worth doing for my calves?

[Hybrid93Hatch]

At work (airport security) we have a lot of down time. I am looking for activities to do during these times as long as they are not to crazy looking, lol.

Some activities I do:

1) Using a standard brick I raise it to shoulder height with arm straight out. I do this to the front and sides.

2) Dips - With my back toward a table I place my hands on and dip down and back up

3) Calves - With toes from right leg at the heel of my left leg I go up a couple inches on my toes with the left leg.

I'm also in the gym 3-5 times a week after work.

 

[Kalrog]

I don't know how much strength you are going to get from doing that in addition to the gym. I bet the gym is what does the most good from a conditioning stand point. But I would keep doing these things if for no reason than it gets some stretching and keeps the blood moving. That is sooo important in a mostly sedentary job, and it should actually help you when you do go to the gym. I spend most of the day in front of the computer, but I make sure to do some stairs when I get a break and that helps me a lot.

 

[dswithers]

I agree with Kalrog, anything that keeps you moving is good. Any motion is burning calories and helping to reduce body fat. I have heard of people who claimed to have added an inch to their arms in 2 weeks by doing just enough once every hour to get a mild pump in their biceps and triceps (maybe 1 set of curls with the brick and 1 set of your table dips). You might want to give it a try if you have the opportunity!

 

[Hybrid93Hatch]

Thanks for the input. I find myself doing 15 / 25 / 50 reps for each calf at a time. In between I stretch my calves by pointing my toes toward my shin. I've probably done 200 reps for each calf today. I think this should help since my lower body does not get as much attention as my upper does.

 

[dustin265]

without resistince to shock the muscle the muscle will get used to doing a certain thing and you will reach a platoe with it and in order to get bigger you need to use weight with you exercises.

 

[PGA200X]

dustin you completely missed his point and made another poor post. The misguided information you give out is making you look really bad.

Hybrid isnt going to hurt you but the benefits it will give you may be neglagable. You can do movements that you otherwise would NOT do at a gym. You can do reverse stomach contractions. You do these by sitting upright and bringing your stomach in (like you're trying to make yourself skinny) and holding it for 10 seconds and repeat it for 10 reps or so. So many people don't know that you need to work your subabdominals. Thy play a MAJOR role in stability. Get yourself some light dumbells and do rotator cuff work if you're not already doing some at the gym. Get a towel and do some stretching. Which needs to be done AWAY from training to increase your rang of motion. Stretching before training offers ZERO benefit and can actually make you more prone to an injury. Stretching after training will not increase your ROM since they will already the ROM will already be maxed. The only benefit that stretching AFTER training gives you is increasing the POTENTIAL for increase blood flow. Fi it does the amount is neglagable. So much for all the misinformation we've been fed about stretching huh. Warming up has light years more benefits than pre training stretching and it doesn't pose the same risks as pre training stretching does.

 

[Scott Ewing]

Im a skinny calf guy and have done reading all over the place as a result, and there are so many suggestions on the subject but one constant is that the calves, like the forearms are muscles that take a beating all day long. As a result, they are more prone to resist workloads that mimick a normal day. Perhaps Dustin was just saying that, if you keep doing the calf work at work and doing it the same, your calves will adapt very quickly? Is the advice best put as: shock the muscle every few weeks by changing it up? Ie: 200 reps daily like he is doing now, then do them with a block, then do them with weights such as a dumbell in his hand, and so on? Im curious myself just to clarify the many tips i myself have heard.

Thanks

Scott out