Was nice seeing so many TTW posters at Chung-Fed!

Federer and Del Potro

Federer and Del Potro

Talk Tennis Guru
Hope you guys all enjoyed!

3fuhZZS.jpg
 
Last edited:
Mainsacross

Mainsacross

Semi-Pro
Hitman said:
LOL - Legendary calves.
Click to expand...
Hope you don't mind me piping in. I know you're the resident TTW muscle building expert and hope you will take a question from me. How do I shake my chicken calves? I have thick thighs that are getting bigger with squatting and deadlifting but the calves never seem to grow as much in proportion. Is there a functional exercise alternative to calf raises? I usually stay away from isolation exercises but would this one be an exception? No other way to grow em but to work em independently?
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
Mainsacross said:
Hope you don't mind me piping in. I know you're the resident TTW muscle building expert and hope you will take a question from me. How do I shake my chicken calves? I have thick thighs that are getting bigger with squatting and deadlifting but the calves never seem to grow as much in proportion. Is there a functional exercise alternative to calf raises? I usually stay away from isolation exercises but would this one be an exception? No other way to grow em but to work em independently?
Click to expand...

OK, I will try to help you. Do you focus on bodybuilding exercises only? Do you do any cardio? Any functional training?
 
Mainsacross

Mainsacross

Semi-Pro
Hitman said:
OK, I will try to help you. Do you focus on bodybuilding exercises only? Do you do any cardio? Any functional training?
Click to expand...
I play tennis 6-10 hours a week. That's my cardio. I have a really simple starting-strength style workout. Squats, deadlifts, and push ups / bench press. I alternate between pushups and bench press because of time constraints and because I seem to make no progress on the bench. I am making decent newbie progress with Squats and deadlifts but struggle with the bench, which I hear is normal because the bench uses the smaller muscle groups.
 
Mainsacross

Mainsacross

Semi-Pro
I should clarify that my primary purpose in working out is strength training to improve my tennis performance and endurance. Improving the way my body looks is a nice added benefit. The chicken legs (and twiggy arms) are things that both look disproportional to the rest of my body and that i think hold me back from improving my lifts.
 
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Deleted member 77403

Guest
Mainsacross said:
I play tennis 6-10 hours a week. That's my cardio. I have a really simple starting-strength style workout. Squats, deadlifts, and push ups / bench press. I alternate between pushups and bench press because of time constraints and because I seem to make no progress on the bench. I am making decent newbie progress with Squats and deadlifts but struggle with the bench, which I hear is normal because the bench uses the smaller muscle groups.
Click to expand...

OK. Lets focus on those calves. This is what I recommend to force your calves to grow.

During your weight training workout, I want you to snatch a barbell, with as much weight as you can lift safely but it still be challenging, and bring it up to your chest. Now, from that position, perform a front squat, go deep and then as you push back up to a standing position, tip-toe and squeeze those calves. Put that weight back down and then repeat.

Also, I recommend you invest in a jump rope. You do tennis for cardio, so before you play, do ten minutes of jump rope. Just do as much as you can, but alternate 100 double feet jumps, with 100 alternating knee ups.

Finally, at home, on your stairs, do 100 to 200 calf raises every other days, slowly, stretching them all the way at the bottom, and then contract and squeeze them at the top.

Give this a try for about six weeks and I confident you will see some gains.
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
Mainsacross said:
I should clarify that my primary purpose in working out is strength training to improve my tennis performance and endurance. Improving the way my body looks is a nice added benefit. The chicken legs (and twiggy arms) are things that both look disproportional to the rest of my body and that i think hold me back from improving my lifts.
Click to expand...

OK. Try the routine I have given you to help you shape out those calves.
 
Mainsacross

Mainsacross

Semi-Pro
Hitman said:
OK. Lets focus on those calves. This is what I recommend to force your calves to grow.

During your weight training workout, I want you to snatch a barbell, with as much weight as you can lift safely but it still be challenging, and bring it up to your chest. Now, from that position, perform a front squat, go deep and then as you push back up to a standing position, tip-toe and squeeze those calves. Put that weight back down and then repeat.

Also, I recommend you invest in a jump rope. You do tennis for cardio, so before you play, do ten minutes of jump rope. Just do as much as you can, but alternate 100 double feet jumps, with 100 alternating knee ups.

Finally, at home, on your stairs, do 100 to 200 calf raises every other days, slowly, stretching them all the way at the bottom, and then contract and squeeze them at the top.

Give this a try for about six weeks and I confident you will see some gains.
Click to expand...

Front squats are pretty hard for me. I'll give it a try but it will take some work. My balance is not the best and my hips aren't the most flexible. I should be able to handle a lower weight load and work my way up though. The idea is to go up past the standing position of the front squat to a tip toe right? That's where the calf gains come from...

Jump rope is a good idea if I can learn to do it! Two left feet syndrome here but I should give it a go nonetheless. It's probably great for warming up and footwork anyway.

The calf raises I will definitely do. I will pay particular attention to the contraction and the stretch.

Thank you, Hitman, your advice is much appreciated!
 
West Coast Ace

West Coast Ace

G.O.A.T.
Mainsacross said:
I play tennis 6-10 hours a week. That's my cardio. I have a really simple starting-strength style workout. Squats, deadlifts, and push ups / bench press. I alternate between pushups and bench press because of time constraints and because I seem to make no progress on the bench. I am making decent newbie progress with Squats and deadlifts but struggle with the bench, which I hear is normal because the bench uses the smaller muscle groups.
Click to expand...
Walk around on your toes.....
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
Mainsacross said:
Front squats are pretty hard for me. I'll give it a try but it will take some work. My balance is not the best and my hips aren't the most flexible. I should be able to handle a lower weight load and work my way up though. The idea is to go up past the standing position of the front squat to a tip toe right? That's where the calf gains come from...

Jump rope is a good idea if I can learn to do it! Two left feet syndrome here but I should give it a go nonetheless. It's probably great for warming up and footwork anyway.

The calf raises I will definitely do. I will pay particular attention to the contraction and the stretch.

Thank you, Hitman, your advice is much appreciated!
Click to expand...

Samuel-Beckett-quote-Fail-better.png
 
Mainsacross

Mainsacross

Semi-Pro
Hitman said:
Samuel-Beckett-quote-Fail-better.png
Click to expand...
Little-known fact: Sam Beckett had a single-handed backhand. He liked to play tennis without a racquet or ball or hitting partner. He would play with imaginary partners and always lost. He blamed the single-hander for his losses but never switched it to a two-hander. He kept persevering and working on his shot. Finally, at the ripe old age of 75, he won a match against himself with a single-hander down the line. It was at that precise moment that he came up with that quote.
 
D

Deleted member 77403

Guest
Mainsacross said:
Little-known fact: Sam Beckett had a single-handed backhand. He liked to play tennis without a racquet or ball or hitting partner. He would play with imaginary partners and always lost. He blamed the single-hander for his losses but never switched it to a two-hander. He kept persevering and working on his shot. Finally, at the ripe old age of 75, he won a match against himself with a single-hander down the line. It was at that precise moment that he came up with that quote.
Click to expand...

Learn something new everyday. :)
 
D

Deleted member 307496

Guest
Hitman said:
OK. Lets focus on those calves. This is what I recommend to force your calves to grow.

During your weight training workout, I want you to snatch a barbell, with as much weight as you can lift safely but it still be challenging, and bring it up to your chest. Now, from that position, perform a front squat, go deep and then as you push back up to a standing position, tip-toe and squeeze those calves. Put that weight back down and then repeat.

Also, I recommend you invest in a jump rope. You do tennis for cardio, so before you play, do ten minutes of jump rope. Just do as much as you can, but alternate 100 double feet jumps, with 100 alternating knee ups.

Finally, at home, on your stairs, do 100 to 200 calf raises every other days, slowly, stretching them all the way at the bottom, and then contract and squeeze them at the top.

Give this a try for about six weeks and I confident you will see some gains.
Click to expand...
Not a huge bodybuilding expert but I have some decent knowledge in terms of fitness, etc and I can say that walking will define your leg muscles more than anything.

But it has to be a significant amount. Not just around the corner and back. You need to walk for miles daily.
 
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