I want Federer calves!

[Curious]

You could always do it outside. How high are your ceilings? Mine are 8ft and I'm fine at 6'1

I was half joking. My main concern is the terrible condition called sesamoiditis that causes pain in the balls of feet only on the bigtoe side. I suffered from this for more than 2 years and playing tennis is like torture with it. Now mostly recovered I'm very wary that it may come back. Pounding the feet seems to be the biggest contributing factor.

 

[natalia]

I want Chung calves...or even Verdasco's but Fedr? Nah his calves are more wierd than big.
His legs look like they're bending backwards

OMG - you need to get your eyes checked, my friend, and ASAP!

Chung calves!?!? - Too much meet in too little space.
Verdasco? - meh.

 

[Deleted member 754093]

I was half joking. My main concern is the terrible condition called sesamoiditis that causes pain in the balls of feet only on the bigtoe side. I suffered from this for more than 2 years and playing tennis is like torture with it. Now mostly recovered I'm very wary that it may come back. Pounding the feet seems to be the biggest contributing factor.

I would avoid it, then

 

[natalia]

Calves are crucial to have great footwork, agility and I'm determined to work on developing great calves. Genetics being a limiting factor? BS!
I'm starting this 100 reps a day for a month (with perfect form) body weight calf raise program which an online source claims is incredibly effective. Any thoughts, any one tried something like this?

Good choice of role model, Curious! - Roger has The Hottest Legs in the Universe (hence my avatar )

Seriously, genetic is important, but there is still many things you can do to get those calves grow - just ask any pro classic ballet dancer!

 

[Curious]

Good choice of role model, Curious! - Roger has The Hottest Legs in the Universe (hence my avatar )

Seriously, genetic is important, but there is still many things you can do to get those calves grow - just ask any pro classic ballet dancer!

Thanks. I'm determined to beat my genetics!

 

[NuBas]

I can't do them consecutively yet, but they're pretty tough. I usually do them after I'm done with a normal jump rope routine. I'll try to do 50 double unders followed by 20 seconds of rest for 15 minutes. Sometimes I'll alternate between 50 and 100 and increase the rest time a little. It's much more fun and conducive to tennis conditioning than doing a ton of body weight raises

When I used to do them, I haven't done them recently just cause I do other things but I like to do them for 5 minutes straight alternating between both feet to one foot or both foot side to side or alternating feet backward forward etc, there are tons of ways to make it fun for 5 mins straight. Its not hard if you do it right.

 

[travlerajm]

1. Be careful with jumping rope - hard on your achilles tendons if not used to - I injured mine when I showed up for a 6am tennis boot camp class and the instructor had everyone warm up by jumping rope for a minute straight.
2. Also, any time you do calf raises, be sure to keep your knees slightly bent - if you lock your knees, it places a lot of stress on the ligaments of the knee and risks injury.
3. ramp up your workout slowly - start with small number of reps and light weight, let your calves adjust the repair cycle for a week or two before each incremental increase in the workout intensity.

 

[travlerajm]

I don't do weights in the gym much lately, but when I do calf work, I prefer to use the sitting leg press machine rather than calf raises. That way I don't need to load my spine with weight and risk back injury - can push the weight against my back instead.

 

[NuBas]

I was half joking. My main concern is the terrible condition called sesamoiditis that causes pain in the balls of feet only on the bigtoe side. I suffered from this for more than 2 years and playing tennis is like torture with it. Now mostly recovered I'm very wary that it may come back. Pounding the feet seems to be the biggest contributing factor.

You know I was bit tough criticizing your match play other thread but I did not realize you were above 50. Kudos to you for your desire and hunger to improve. Tennis unfortunately can be a pounding sport especially if you do not move quietly around the court. I used to underestimate leg strength until I really realized you need legs conditioned enough to move well around the court and for me simply playing more helped me a lot, only thing I did outside of playing was body weight squats like 100 reps.

Jumping rope if done correctly, you barely lift off the ground and you land quite softly and its mostly on the ball of your foot. I have seen gyms with softer surfaces in their stretching rooms where it would be less impactful as hard surfaces.

IMHO injuries usually occur when something is off and from experience, I am willing to bet its from poor conditioning and strength. Basically means you are not used to the activity. Through playing you can actually get stronger from small injuries.

 

[Deleted member 754093]

When I used to do them, I haven't done them recently just cause I do other things but I like to do them for 5 minutes straight alternating between both feet to one foot or both foot side to side or alternating feet backward forward etc, there are tons of ways to make it fun for 5 mins straight. Its not hard if you do it right.

Double unders?

 

[NuBas]

Double unders?

No no just once under but you do different things with the feet.

 

[Deleted member 754093]

No no just once under but you do different things with the feet.

Oh, i was talking about double unders

 

[NuBas]

Oh, i was talking about double unders

Talking about something along these lines except I don't criss cross like him with the arms where you just stand still and do the X

 

[NuBas]

Wouldnt you rather have Pacquiao calves?

 

[Curious]

Wouldnt you rather have Pacquiao calves?

I can imagine how well he would move on the court. Amazing footwork.

 

[TnsGuru]

You might not have Feds calves but he may let you have his cow for cheap!!

 

[Curious]

You might not have Feds calves but he may let you have his cow for cheap!!

How can you bend your back right in the middle so much? Great flexibility!

 

[styksnstryngs]

100 reps a day won't do anything. You need to train both low weight, high rep and high weight, low rep, but also the different areas of the calf, supination and pronation, and give it time to rest and build up the muscles again after you tear them. Or just be asian, it's worked for me.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

 

[Curious]

I'm still doing 100 calf raises most days of the week. They look more defined although I'm not sure how much volume I have gained. I feel stronger and lighter though. This guy (Andrey) is proof you don't need volume as he is one of the fastest and with highest stamina on the court:

 

[Hmgraphite1]

I'm still doing 100 calf raises most days of the week. They look more defined although I'm not sure how much volume I have gained. I feel stronger and lighter though. This guy (Andrey) is proof you don't need volume as he is one of the fastest and with highest stamina on the court:

I find it critical to do them every morning and throughout the day to loosen up my ankle/ Achilles area, combine with assisted lower back extension and assisted lunges. This preps me to do more intense exercises or tennis. When I saw this commercial I thought of this thread, the creator must be watching

 

[dParis]

"If you want better calves, find better parents."

- Anonymous

 

[Curious]

"If you want better calves, find better parents."

- Anonymous

Again Rublev is proof that you can have great calves without great volume of them. Maybe parents are not that relevant then!

 

[dgold44]

Calves are crucial to have great footwork, agility and I'm determined to work on developing great calves. Genetics being a limiting factor? BS!
I'm starting this 100 reps a day for a month (with perfect form) body weight calf raise program which an online source claims is incredibly effective. Any thoughts, any one tried something like this?

Fed has huge legs but skinny arms

 

[Curious]

Fed has huge legs but skinny arms

But also big back, chest and shoulder muscles.

 

[Curious]

And I’m amazed he doesn’t have 6 packs!

 

[dgold44]

And I’m amazed he doesn’t have 6 packs!

Very few men have 6 packs

 

[Curious]

Very few men have 6 packs

Most of ATP guys do.

 

[dgold44]

Most of ATP guys do.

They all have huge legs and bird arms !!!
Most do

 

[dgold44]

Almost impossible to get a 6 pack without perfect genes and diet
I tried many years ago and gave up

 

[dgold44]

Calves are the one muscle I have
I have good shins too
I smash a sock of broken rocks on my shin bones and don’t feel anything

 

[dgold44]

Good shins for good kicking !!!

 

[Curious]

Almost impossible to get a 6 pack without perfect genes and diet
I tried many years ago and gave up

I thought anyone could get it if they are thin enough.

 

[dgold44]

I thought anyone could get it if they are thin enough.

No !!!
Plenty of “skinny fat “ guys who look super thin in cloths but the opposite when they take their shirts off
Very odd folks and physique

 

[dgold44]

I dropped down to a bone thin 150 and had no 6 pack
It’s all genes
I was sick at the time

 

[Curious]

I dropped down to a bone thin 150 and had no 6 pack
It’s all genes
I was sick at the time

But think about it, everyone has those abdominal muscles, right? It’s only the fat that covers and prevents them from being seen.

 

[Hmgraphite1]

But think about it, everyone has those abdominal muscles, right? It’s only the fat that covers and prevents them from being seen.

I think you gotta really work them and not have da fat

 

[FiReFTW]

I dropped down to a bone thin 150 and had no 6 pack
It’s all genes
I was sick at the time

Because you have 0 ab muscles, losing fat is only one part of the equation, you also have to work abs in order to increase their size so they are visible.

If you never worked abs in your life and sedetary sure you have abs but they are extremely small, you would probably have to get down to like 5% bodyfat to see them, which is extreme.

This is around 4% bodyfat, im sure everyone would have a six pack if this lean:

 

[Hmgraphite1]

Because you have 0 ab muscles, losing fat is only one part of the equation, you also have to work abs in order to increase their size so they are visible.

If you never worked abs in your life and sedetary sure you have abs but they are extremely small, you would probably have to get down to like 5% bodyfat to see them, which is extreme.

This is around 4% bodyfat, im sure everyone would have a six pack if this lean:

I don't think I would have any follow through on my ohbh if I was that muscular

 

[StringSnapper]

@Curious have you heard or tried "shrimp squats" before? When my groin heals I'm gonna start doing them.

Imo calves are a lot to do with genetics, they may grow from playing tennis naturally but so will the rest of the leg. I think it's not as much bang for your buck doing calf raises vs something like unassisted shrimp squats (which is the entire leg basically).

Also check out zverev, super skinny everything but he's a great mover and a relatively uninjured guy for being so tall. Super skinny everything, but big ass quads. He would be doing all the most functional exercises possible, so imo quad size is a more relevant gauge of how strong and injury proof your legs are. Especially how much muscle meat hangs over above your knee cap when your leg is relaxed

 

[Curious]

@Curious have you heard or tried "shrimp squats" before? When my groin heals I'm gonna start doing them.

Imo calves are a lot to do with genetics, they may grow from playing tennis naturally but so will the rest of the leg. I think it's not as much bang for your buck doing calf raises vs something like unassisted shrimp squats (which is the entire leg basically).

Also check out zverev, super skinny everything but he's a great mover and a relatively uninjured guy for being so tall. Super skinny everything, but big ass quads. He would be doing all the most functional exercises possible, so imo quad size is a more relevant gauge of how strong and injury proof your legs are. Especially how much muscle meat hangs over above your knee cap when your leg is relaxed

Similar to single leg squats. Yeah there are so many options.
I now know that strength doesn’t necessarily require bulky muscles. Andre Rublev is another good example as I posted before.

 

[stingstang]

Mix in some hill sprints. You'll get them burning.

Tennis loads them up good too if your footwork is sound - split-stepping and on toes

 

[Deleted member 743561]

Have to imagine that Federer takes a page out of this fellow's book.

No shortcuts, I'm afraid.