How to get calves like boxers/thai boxers?

[shincheckin]

kick, skip rope, squats, run.

 

[Replay19]

I basically do most of the suggested advice for example being on the ball of the foot, but my calves still look small. I can run miles or jump rope on the ball of both feet, for extended periods of time, at a high speed intensity or just kicking. The thing is, being able to do this, my calves just end up being super muscular but in a very skinny way. My goal is to add more meat to it somehow and not just have speed but a bit more power.

Does anyone know if doing calve raises with the heavy barbell weights will increase the calves in size?

 

[JohnMc]

Calf raises.

 

[Towel88]

Get a pair of minimalist shoes or at least something without the raised heel, it's not natural and takes away from working the calves and puts more wear on your joints and knees

 

[shincheckin]

Get a pair of minimalist shoes or at least something without the raised heel, it's not natural and takes away from working the calves and puts more wear on your joints and knees

great point. Shoes have gotten to the technology now, they provide so much support, we dont even use our foot muscles, or calf and leg muscles. The only time I wear shoes is at work and I run in vibram 5 fingers. So im pretty much in sandals 24/7. its much healthier for your feet, gets them stronger, and you allow them to breathe.

 

[Noodles03]

Did someone said calves.

 

[Tayski]

Calves s size is mainly genetic... (Like wrists... ). I don t think you can have a big evolution with training... ( maybe powerlifting or bodybuilding... )

It's partly genetic but training definitely influences it. My brother and I are only 18 months apart from the same parents and I have calves twice the size of his because of all the cycling and martial arts I've done through the years.

 

[listrahtes]

great point. Shoes have gotten to the technology now, they provide so much support, we dont even use our foot muscles, or calf and leg muscles. The only time I wear shoes is at work and I run in vibram 5 fingers. So im pretty much in sandals 24/7. its much healthier for your feet, gets them stronger, and you allow them to breathe.

If you are distance running five fingers is a sure way to injure yourself. Its not minimal shoe = more natural. Our body isnt build for hard surfaces we today have and risk of injury with such shoes in running a trail is enourmous. You will find NO competitive runner at all doing this besides marketing gimicks and that should be a clear indicator to you.

Really heel strike is ok as is forefoot to midfoot. It depends on your pace but you cant run a heel strike in vibram without damaging your heel. You have not enough support when stones etc are on the road.

Annother thing were you are right is that these super support shoes destroy natural biomechanics like many Asics running shoes because they have an increase from fore to backfoot of 10 and more mm.

Best really is to not make an ideology out of it, test many different brands in medium to light supported models (Altra but also Nike, Saucony, NB, Adidas...etc.) and run a lot. 90% of people using barefoot shoes walk with them like an elephant which is a clear sign its the wrong shoe for them. I have very different running shoes I constantly change in between. This varies the stress and input my feet get.

For someone not knowing how to run a mid/forefoot strike I always recommend Newton Running shoes. In your case maybe look up Altra if you like a sandal feeling with zero increase.

 

[shincheckin]

If you are distance running five fingers is a sure way to injure yourself. Its not minimal shoe = more natural. Our body isnt build for hard surfaces we today have and risk of injury with such shoes in running a trail is enourmous. You will find NO competitive runner at all doing this besides marketing gimicks and that should be a clear indicator to you.

Really heel strike is ok as is forefoot to midfoot. It depends on your pace but you cant run a heel strike in vibram without damaging your heel. You have not enough support when stones etc are on the road.

Annother thing were you are right is that these super support shoes destroy natural biomechanics like many Asics running shoes because they have an increase from fore to backfoot of 10 and more mm.

Best really is to not make an ideology out of it, test many different brands in medium to light supported models (Altra but also Nike, Saucony, NB, Adidas...etc.) and run a lot. 90% of people using barefoot shoes walk with them like an elephant which is a clear sign its the wrong shoe for them. I have very different running shoes I constantly change in between. This varies the stress and input my feet get.

For someone not knowing how to run a mid/forefoot strike I always recommend Newton Running shoes. In your case maybe look up Altra if you like a sandal feeling with zero increase.

yeah running barefoot, or in vibram 5 fingers is natural but you have to run on the balls of your feet. I have been running in my vibram 5 fingers for several years now. I dont do long distance though. Just short runs of a few miles max.

I have looked into the newtons actually and for a while wanted to run every other day switching shoes back and forth as i feel it works different muscles. I can run father easier in my vibrams than normal shoes but thats because I have become conditioned. At the beginning it was very difficult to run short distances and took building up. Im sure you already know or have heard this before but I buy into the barefoot running because humans are long distance running animals and were not born with shoes so it only makes sense to run the way you are forced to when barefoot.

 

[William Huggins]

yeah running barefoot, or in vibram 5 fingers is natural but you have to run on the balls of your feet. I have been running in my vibram 5 fingers for several years now. I dont do long distance though. Just short runs of a few miles max.

I have looked into the newtons actually and for a while wanted to run every other day switching shoes back and forth as i feel it works different muscles. I can run father easier in my vibrams than normal shoes but thats because I have become conditioned. At the beginning it was very difficult to run short distances and took building up. Im sure you already know or have heard this before but I buy into the barefoot running because humans are long distance running animals and were not born with shoes so it only makes sense to run the way you are forced to when barefoot.

Early Homosapiens, yes, long distance hunters but we did interbreed with Neanderthal which are ambush predators.

I always wondered if the complete lack of Neanderthal genetics in certain parts of Africa contributed to their overall superior long distance running abilities........

 

[shincheckin]

Early Homosapiens, yes, long distance hunters but we did interbreed with Neanderthal which are ambush predators.

I always wondered if the complete lack of Neanderthal genetics in certain parts of Africa contributed to their overall superior long distance running abilities........

they still did everything barefoot and the percentage of DNA in people is very small.

 

[William Huggins]

they still did everything barefoot and the percentage of DNA in people is very small.

There is only a small percentage between us and chimpanzees........it's not the size of the percentage it's what it's used for.

 

[listrahtes]

they still did everything barefoot and the percentage of DNA in people is very small.

they still did everything barefoot and the percentage of DNA in people is very small.

I would never argue with its more "natural" .If you want more natural go to africa and look at some feet from people too broke to have shoes. You get all kind of BIG problems from it /ripped horn skin that opens up infections.overstretched ligaments..etc . There is a reason why every african runner who has the money buys sports shoes and no not barefoot.

You just dont have enough stability to prevent injuries with stones, branches...etc. If you can do that at moderate speed (less than 5min/km) on different grounds (wood..etc) really you are the first I know of. All the other barefoot "runners" I know do it very slow and yes then its doable.

Barefoot was just the only option back then. Average age of our ancestors was less than 30years. No one cared if it was painful to run after a certain time and while you could develop chronic problems you were likely dead at that point . Even a flat shoe is not for everyone and I am a huge supporter of that.

If you prefer it this way that is great and I would also do it then. Absolutely but there really is no masterplan humans should walk / run barefoot.


One example. You need at least ca. 3,6km/h to get into a rolling forward movement. If you are slower you crash down on your heel . Which is fine on soft grounds or with shoes. In barefoot shoes I can hear people much farther away like an elephant because they crash down on the heel without any cushion and well thats not healthy at all (hello heel spur) and 3,6 is quite fast to walk.

Also well think about how much concrete neanderthals had to walk over

sorry it got too long. Again if its your thing sure do it.

 

[shincheckin]

I would never argue with its more "natural" .If you want more natural go to africa and look at some feet from people too broke to have shoes. You get all kind of BIG problems from it /ripped horn skin that opens up infections.overstretched ligaments..etc . There is a reason why every african runner who has the money buys sports shoes and no not barefoot.

You just dont have enough stability to prevent injuries with stones, branches...etc. If you can do that at moderate speed (less than 5min/km) on different grounds (wood..etc) really you are the first I know of. All the other barefoot "runners" I know do it very slow and yes then its doable.

Barefoot was just the only option back then. Average age of our ancestors was less than 30years. No one cared if it was painful to run after a certain time and while you could develop chronic problems you were likely dead at that point . Even a flat shoe is not for everyone and I am a huge supporter of that.

If you prefer it this way that is great and I would also do it then. Absolutely but there really is no masterplan humans should walk / run barefoot.


One example. You need at least ca. 3,6km/h to get into a rolling forward movement. If you are slower you crash down on your heel . Which is fine on soft grounds or with shoes. In barefoot shoes I can hear people much farther away like an elephant because they crash down on the heel without any cushion and well thats not healthy at all (hello heel spur) and 3,6 is quite fast to walk.

Also well think about how much concrete neanderthals had to walk over

sorry it got too long. Again if its your thing sure do it.

yeah i agree with you 100% about most the stuff you stated and sounds like were both aware of the pros and cons of barefoot running.

Obviously shoes are going to protect your feet from rocks/glass/twigs etc.

Regarding the body mechanics, like i was saying before the body is not designed to land on the heel when running, even on soft terrain such as grass. So ideally barefoot running on soft grass is better than in shoes heel striking on the same surface. Yes there are many x factors that can be thrown in like rocks/twigs, but just generally speaking purely from a body mechanics perspective, were designed to run with the forefoot strike (on soft terrain). The injuries that you mention with people stomping their heels happens im sure, but thats where running correctly and also having some common sense comes into play. When i run in mine and want to come to a stop quickly or whatever it all has to be done on the balls of the feet. When I first found out about barefoot running and read about the science and "technique" of barefoot running, it instantly and specifically reminded me of when i would run at the park barefoot with my dog as a kid, I naturally/unknowingly ran on the balls of my foot. So it really "clicked" for me. From a 10/10 perspective I think like you said a shoe such as the newton with a designed forefoot strike is best for running. My goal with the vibrams was more for building and strengthening the muscles in feet/ankles than anything.

 

[Pope Leo VII]

time to simply things, throw a few 100k kicks on either side.. BOOM problem solved

 

[Chungungo]

Roadwork on the balls of your foot.

Footwork on the balls of your foot.

Kicks with the support leg on the balls of your foot.

Repeat for years.

Is not dangerous ?
Sometines I walk in the balls of my feet, can even do the Titanic feet stand at almost 100 kg and have beautiful calves but never wondered if is healthy.

 

[brucelee]

Riding a bike up the mountain will make calves a lot bigger. Move to Switzerland.

 

[AndyTran]

Riding a bike up the mountain will make calves a lot bigger. Move to Switzerland.

Been there for a month and ride the bike a few times.
Wonderful exp, dead legs ...

 

[never enough]

Don't you still need a calorie surplus to build muscle?
So if you're doing calf exercises without the surplus are you actually going to see results? Or is this just bro science