Traps and calves ... Too stubborn

[BIGTOY79]

Guys,

Training my calves and traps twice a week ... max 10 reps with 30 secs rest ...

Would like to focus on max volume on those 2 muscles ... am i on the right path ?

Cheers,

[AD]

what exercises are you doing?

[BIGTOY79]

Traps: Bar shrugs ... Dumbell shrugs ... Cleans

calves: One leg standing calve raise ... Standing calves raise ... Donkey raises

[AD]

i personally only train each area once a wk.

for traps, i like heavy weights at low reps (6-8), slow motion up and down, with dropset.

for calves, i like higher reps, usually 10-12, and rest-pause till i hit 20reps in total.

[bigsiv]

Just bumping this thread for more info on training the traps. Shrugs aren't really cutting it is there something else I can do to hit them a little different? Ideas?

[kelkel]

Vary your pace from workout to workout. Vary your rep scheme as well. Give behind the back shrugs a try as well for something different. Include drop sets and rest pause sets.

[bigsiv]

Vary your pace from workout to workout. Vary your rep scheme as well. Give behind the back shrugs a try as well for something different. Include drop sets and rest pause sets.

Try that tomorrow kelkel cheers. Seems very stubborn muscle group for m. Looking a bit out of proportion because of it.

[kelkel]

If you do the same thing over and over again your body expects it and only puts out enough to get through that particular workout. There are really only two ways to increase intensity, either increase the weight or shorten the rest periods. Get mean when you train and if back/traps/calves are a weak point then they should always be trained first in the week and first in your workout if at all possible. Monday is not national chest day like it seems!

[Beethoven]

If you do the same thing over and over again your body expects it and only puts out enough to get through that particular workout. There are really only two ways to increase intensity, either increase the weight or shorten the rest periods. Get mean when you train and if back/traps/calves are a weak point then they should always be trained first in the week and first in your workout if at all possible. Monday is not national chest day like it seems!

Monday does seem to be national chest day. I work shoulders and no one in sight. Kel, how do you like upright rows for traps? Just started doing them again.

[kelkel]

Monday does seem to be national chest day. I work shoulders and no one in sight. Kel, how do you like upright rows for traps? Just started doing them again.

I don't. Unnecessarily rough on the shoulder joints, IMHO. If you do them put them last in your trap work when your warmed up. The closer the grip (within reason) the more emphasis on traps. The wider the grip, it's more delts.

[Beethoven]

Got it, thanks.

[Beethoven]

I actually started doing them again because the lateral raises we're becoming a problem due to some tendinitis in my elbow. Thought I would do those in lieu of laterals.

[kelkel]

I suffer from radialis pain almost all the time in one arm. Matter of fact I wear a tennis elbow strap that goes directly around the radialis and helps to keep vibration out. Hell, I'm wearing it in my avi pic. Definitly helps.

[Beethoven]

Yeah I see it. Lol. I carry two in my bag. I think over the years I've had more needles in my elbows than in my glutes.

[kelkel]

Try warming up your radialis with a 5lb dumbell or plate. Simply hold it in your hand straight down at your side and slowly pronate and supinate your wrist focusing on the area in question. Experiment with grip tension for added focus. I'd also suggest DMSO with aloe. Amazon has it. Less than 90% strength.

[Beethoven]

Try warming up your radialis with a 5lb dumbell or plate. Simply hold it in your hand straight down at your side and slowly pronate and supinate your wrist focusing on the area in question. Experiment with grip tension for added focus. I'd also suggest DMSO with aloe. Amazon has it. Less than 90% strength.

Will do. A buddy of mine gave me a concoction with DMSO, and it has helped as of late. Still going to stay away from the dumbells a little while longer though.

[DontTaseMeBro]

Great question. My calves suck, so I won't weigh in there. To add a little variety on traps, you might do some deadlift high-pulls (assuming you work them with legs). I like them, but we all respond differently. Good luck (and if you get a secret weapon for calves, please post it).

[ickythump]

this is a few weeks old I know but I like face pulls from varying pulley heights for traps at end of workout

[EasyDoesIt]

I actually started doing them again because the lateral raises we're becoming a problem due to some tendinitis in my elbow. Thought I would do those in lieu of laterals.

You can use seated lateral machine if available. I always face my body towards the seat, keep my hips back and lean forward slightly. The lateral seat always goes back at the top and tends to hit front delts more than i want on laterals.

[ghettoboyd]

this may be unorthodox but I like to do deadlifts with the trap bar the heavy weight makes the traps sore as fuk the next day also I shrug with it, love the trap bar...I think that's what they call it anyways...

[ickythump]

I think it's a trap bar isn't it?? I did... either stiff leg dl or Romanian on Wednesday..., which ever where you.... wait, I did both....ummmm, well one or both of them has my traps burning still I actually forgot trap raises today because it seemed like I'd done them... almost left the shower but I figured I was good lol

[EasyDoesIt]

Great question. My calves suck, so I won't weigh in there. To add a little variety on traps, you might do some deadlift high-pulls (assuming you work them with legs). I like them, but we all respond differently. Good luck (and if you get a secret weapon for calves, please post it).

Aahh yes if only there were a secret weapon for calves. I am genetically NOT gifted in the calf area.
For growth i have to work my calves 3 times per week. Just a suggestion. If working 12-15 rep range, before you fail, try contracting to top and hold for 5 seconds. Do a slight lower and hold for 5 more seconds, do two more lowering of heels and 5 second holds, last one being fully lowered. Back up to top and repeat. Probably only get 2 or 3 reps with holds before calves are screaming. My heavy days i will do 7 reps or whatever i can get with drop sets included. I will drop set until i can't anymore. That will be one warm up set around 15 reps, then three sets which may include around 5 drop sets. Some days i will do sets of 25 utilizing pronation and suppation technique. Pressing from inside ball of foot and outside ball of foot also straight from the center. I use pronation and suppation all the time on calves. It sucks not having a lot of muscle fibers in calves. That has been the best methods for me to get any growth in calves.
Hope i explained that well enough and not to confusing.

[EasyDoesIt]

this may be unorthodox but I like to do deadlifts with the trap bar the heavy weight makes the traps sore as fuk the next day also I shrug with it, love the trap bar...I think that's what they call it anyways...

I agree on heavy for traps. At least for me anyways, heavy weight rips the traps up good. Heavy cleans also hit my traps great especially if i have not done them in awhile.
Sometimes i will take a couple 45lb plates and do 2 sets of 50 with them and it hits them pretty well. But i only do it every once in awhile.
Not sure what trap bar is? At least not the name, but i think i know which bar your talking about.

[Brett N]

Trap bar -

[EasyDoesIt]

Trap bar -

That's the equipment i thought poster was speaking of.
Thanks

[M302_Imola]

this may be unorthodox but I like to do deadlifts with the trap bar the heavy weight makes the traps sore as fuk the next day also I shrug with it, love the trap bar...I think that's what they call it anyways...

Love me some trap bar shrugs! I think it helps that your palms are facing inward and your grip is fairly wide.

[-KJ-]

Love me some trap bar shrugs! I think it helps that your palms are facing inward and your grip is fairly wide.

My gym needs to get a trap bar. DBs are ok but as you said it helps with a wider grip.

[EasyDoesIt]

Try using a smith machine with a close grip as if you were holding for a close grip upright row. It will fry traps. My old gym had a few great pieces of equipment for traps. They were about the width of trap bar, but you could load it up and just bend over slightly to grab the handles and when you were failed out, just let go and nothing to damage, it had rubber spotters.

[M302_Imola]

My gym needs to get a trap bar. DBs are ok but as you said it helps with a wider grip.

Me and my workout partners kept telling our gym to get one but they kept putting us off. We finally broke down and all chipped in on one we purchased off of ebay. I guess we kinda donated it to the gym. What sucks is having to wait if someone is using it...want to be like "hey bitch, we bought that"! lol

[-KJ-]

Me and my workout partners kept telling our gym to get one but they kept putting us off. We finally broke down and all chipped in on one we purchased off of ebay. I guess we kinda donated it to the gym. What sucks is having to wait if someone is using it...want to be like "hey bitch, we bought that"! lol

That's funny, i couldn't do it because a lot of guys at my gym don't give a shit about others or the equipment.

But kudos bro, for me BB wide grip will do for now!

[EquilibriumZ]

Aahh yes if only there were a secret weapon for calves. I am genetically NOT gifted in the calf area.
For growth i have to work my calves 3 times per week. Just a suggestion. If working 12-15 rep range, before you fail, try contracting to top and hold for 5 seconds. Do a slight lower and hold for 5 more seconds, do two more lowering of heels and 5 second holds, last one being fully lowered. Back up to top and repeat. Probably only get 2 or 3 reps with holds before calves are screaming. My heavy days i will do 7 reps or whatever i can get with drop sets included. I will drop set until i can't anymore. That will be one warm up set around 15 reps, then three sets which may include around 5 drop sets. Some days i will do sets of 25 utilizing pronation and suppation technique. Pressing from inside ball of foot and outside ball of foot also straight from the center. I use pronation and suppation all the time on calves. It sucks not having a lot of muscle fibers in calves. That has been the best methods for me to get any growth in calves.
Hope i explained that well enough and not to confusing.

Thx gonna try this. Calves better grow.. But how much can you expect them to grow in a short period of time (lets say 2 months) (natty)

[EasyDoesIt]

Well, as you know it's a bi...t to get anything from them. Hard to say how much, but getting enough to say "Finally some growth" is a relief. Don't be afraid to work them hard enough to think you're over training them. You won't be. They are such a dense muscle, as we use them all the time. One more thing is i used seated, standing, donkey but not on same day and also leg press machine doing singles.. But i only use one type of equipment per workout. You should have to stretch them in between sets and very well after or they will cramp up bad.

[tarmyg]

EasyDoesIt,

Sorry, I have to ask if I understand this correctly:

1. Raise Calfs to top and hold for 5 seconds
2. Lower Calfs about 1/3 of the way and hold for 5 seconds
3. Lower Calfs about 2/3 of the way and hold for 5 seconds
4. Fully lower calfs and hold for 5 seconds
5. Rinse and repeat until you can not do it anymore
6. Drop weight and start again.

Thank you for this one, will try this 3 times/week in addition to my Leg day.

Thanks
~T

---

"I stay mostly by myself, but it's OK, they know me here"
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[EasyDoesIt]

1. Raise Calfs to top and hold for 5 seconds
2. Lower Calfs about 1/3 of the way and hold for 5 seconds
3. Lower Calfs about 2/3 of the way and hold for 5 seconds
4. Fully lower calfs and hold for 5 seconds
5. Raise and repeat until you can not do it anymore.
Use a weight that you are going to complete 12-15 reps before the lowering reps, you can not completely max out on that weight but you should be pretty finished. At the end of 12-15 reps do exactly as (above 5 notations). You are correct on lowering in 3rds. You should only be able to get 3 max of the lowering reps out.
It's not a drop tho, do your rest which is about 45 sec to a minute and use same weight or more if not heavy enough, but do not drop weight.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I DO 5 SETS TOTAL OF THE ABOVE ROUTINE.

Drop sets i do max 7 reps, completely different routine on different day. It is my heavy day. I do around 5 drop sets and 3 total working sets of 5 drops.

BOTH ROUTINES STRETCH THEM IN BETWEEN SETS AND STRETCH WELL AT THE END OR WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING HOME THEY WILL START CRAMPING BADLY.