8 Keys to Calves - Pragmatic Bodybuilding with Jeff Alberts

[@noru_ego]

Not for nothing but Jeff has become my favorite 3dmj guy. Thank you for the content 🙏

[@Team3DMJ]

🙏🏻 and you’re welcome. -Jeff

[@flesh_blanket]

It's amazing how this man, fully natural has the mass the leg mass of 4 enhanced physique bodybuilders combined!

[@SuccessMindset2180]

1. Size of muscles play important role in better looks in muscles 2. Stronger calves help with faster running 3. Rep and set ranges depend on type of training

[@BunDinYo]

Awesome input as always. I love it!

[@Team3DMJ]

Thanks, appreciated. Yup, that’s one of my go to exercises especially during contest prep where I’m not as pliable. Helps to ease burden off my back. Thanks for watching. -Jeff

[@ParvParashar]

Absolutely phenomenal video as always! Thank you so much for such great and highly valuable content. Truly amazing work. It’s really informative and inspiring. I greatly appreciate all the super helpful advice you’ve shared with us. 🙌

[@Nicholas19823]

Great development Jeff! I dont think most people realise how much effort and work is actually required! I dont wanna believe it either , but I do….

[@jeffalberts7968]

Thanks so much and yes, thousands of reps over the years. Nothing fancy, just up and down over and over again.

[@fdu6]

For me seated raises have really helped. They seem to have helped with thickness

[@adiboisjoly]

my calves genetics are so bad, I should get a tax credit

[@franktomlinson7996]

😅

[@Team3DMJ]

Use the credit for top of the line calf equipment 👍🙂-Jeff

[@KenanTurkiye]

Toes In, Toes Out, both for gastroc (standing) and soleus (sitting) work, with enough ! volume for each ! (in/out) best way to tax your calves.

[@KenanTurkiye]

.....once you do in/out for gastroc and soleus, your calves will grow so big you'll have time to train your tibialis anterior again in a two way method, sitting high and sitting low, with a kettlebell over your toes to curl, thickening both the upper and lower sections of them front tibs, to the point they are almost as big as half cut bowling pins. 👍

[@jeffalberts7968]

@@KenanTurkiyedid that for years and rate of gain wasn’t too much different from when I simply switched to a wider stance which hit entire calf evenly. What produced my results was more about effort, frequency and consistency. Simple, but works.

[@RonMexico527]

Hey Jeff, what made you buy a leg extension/curl machine when you already had that bench leg attachment? Thanks!

[@jeffalberts7968]

The quality of the attachment wasn’t great

[@jeffalberts7968]

@@RonMexico527both

[@shaunzero]

As a guy with really bad calve genetics, this has motivated me a lot. I'm still not going to train them consistently and blame my genetics, though.

[@Team3DMJ]

The latter on point 👍-Jeff

[@killerkhatiby009]

Hey Jeff, where did you get that calf block used during the standing smith machine calf raises? I've been using a slant board at home and it works well enough but my feet definitely slide down every 8 reps or so and as I get more flexible my ROM is starting to be limited by the slant angle so I'd like to go deeper into the stretch. I know I can just stack some plates but that's a bit more of a hassle since I don't have large plates with flat edges and grippy surfaces like bumpers and end up having to put some counterbalance weight on the standard iron plates I do have to keep them from tipping and it's just a slippery metal surface too so it's not ideal.

[@Team3DMJ]

I built it 20 yrs ago out of 2x4’s and ladder tape for grip. Easy project and very inexpensive 👍-Jeff

[@emptyclothescrashingcars1572]

Can i ask what smith machine you use? I'm in the market for one but there are so many options. I bought the powertech sled a few years ago and love that thing for the price. As always, thanks for the great content!

[@killerkhatiby009]

Are you looking for an all-in-one with a rack + cables integrated similar to what Jeff has? I believe the model Jeff uses is from Hoist and is pretty old and there are better options nowadays. For a premium option I'd look at the MAXUM Fitness SX2, basically comes with everything you need to do tons of different exercises. Alternatives would be the Harbor Heavyweights HH80 v2 or Vesta Fitness Pro Series Ultimate Rack w/Smith. For an entry-level option (plate-loaded cable system) the best I've seen is the Mikolo M4. This is what I personally use and it's pretty great for the price, definitely not super heavy duty or commercial grade like the premium ones above, but it'll be good enough for most people. All of those use standard size upright posts and holes so you can get attachments and expand the functionality from many different places, plus they have lifetime warranties and are the best priced options too given the features and quality. Unfortunately I'm not super familiar with stand-alone smith only machines, so hopefully it was an all-in-one style you're looking for 🤣!

[@Team3DMJ]

Hoist, but Google search options based on what you need, space and budget. Always fun getting new equipment 💪🏻-Jeff

[@mattheweley]

Nice camera upgrade sir

[@Team3DMJ]

Thanks, but all credit to Brandon Wells who does all of video/photo/edit for the podcast, 3DMJ Vault, etc. He does awesome work. -Jeff

[@WILD__THINGS]

What do you mean when you say lactic acid buildup prevents you from reaching failure? Are you saying you can't endure the pain or that it lactic acid buildup physically stops you?

[@jeffalberts7968]

The latter

[@jrv7054]

Whats your calves measurement ?

[@jeffalberts7968]

Idk

[@ew-zd1th]

Whats your thoughts abiut training the rotator cuff with external rotation for bigger looking shoulders? Because they seems under the delts and maybe can push them out like the brachialis pushing Out the bi,

[@Team3DMJ]

If it’s me, training rotator cuff for shoulder health/stabilty, but I’m not holding my breath its making my Delts look bigger. Anytime I do a lateral or ohp, I’m training my rotator cuff. You want bigger Delts, put more energy into training your Delts. -Jeff

[@ew-zd1th]

@@Team3DMJ when i train Them i got a Pump in my Delt afterwards

[@DanielQuintana-vh6wb]

Only 2nd pause in stretched position

[@forestman8729]

I also don't have the best calve-genetics (short muscles, long tendon) but since i train them consistent with the standing calve raises twice per week with 4-5 sets per session, full stretch every rep and consistently progressed in reps and weights over time with standardized technique my calves grew almost as good as any other bodypart, maybe a little bit slower. You have to think in longer time periods, after 5 years 1.5 inches more girth can still be impressive

[@Team3DMJ]

Just like any other body part , 💯! Good work, keep it rolling! -Jeff

[@j-uk2189]

Can I still build good legs without any form of squatting due to l3 l4 worn?

[@Team3DMJ]

Can a baseball pitcher be good without a 98mph fastball? Yup! A good curveball, off speed pitches, slider, etc. You find exercises you can do safely and perfect them with intention. All the best! -Jeff

[@ew-zd1th]

Have you experienced very low rep phases and pump sarcoplasmic training like phases and would you say both have given you more Hypertrophy or potenciated Hypertrophy afterwards or while doing them?

[@Team3DMJ]

We know through research one can create hypertrophy anywhere between 5-30 reps as long as we are hitting the appropriate proximity to failure. So whether you’re doing a phase of low reps or high reps you might see good results. I’m one who doesn’t get too lost in all the fancy jargon as it make it seems more special that what it probably is. With that said, we all are different and someone might see better results with lower reps and someone else maybe better with higher reps. Personally speaking, my rep ranges are based on the exercise in question and where I can maintain good form and able to have accuracy with proximity to failure. If you think from a skill component vs listening to fancy jargon that influences us to do something that may not feel good, meh. Find sweet spots and roll! Pragmatic bodybuilding 👍-Jeff

[@ew-zd1th]

Since i do myo reps but the mini sers just lenghtend partials (1 full rom activation set, then 10sec rest 3s lenghtend partials then again 10 sec rest, Till i dont get 3s any more) i got stronger, bigger i dunno i am at maintaince and just donl it for maybe 1 months or so

[@Team3DMJ]

Regardless if myo reps, LPs, straight sets, etc it’s all baseline if you’re consistent and the goal is to get close enough or to task failure and level up performance over time. Keep pushing! -Jeff

[@ew-zd1th]

@@Team3DMJ i have tried normal Sets and after this with failure Sometimes, hadnt got me stronger this fast

[@Team3DMJ]

@@ew-zd1ththat’s great! There’s no universal way to training, so it’s nice to explore!

[@mikesmicroshop4385]

Caves are a unique muscle group! The muscle is denser and has an extremely high neural muscular activation level! Where most muscle groups may have 40% to 70% activation calves have a 90+% neural muscular activation! You use your caves all day as you walk so they by design can take a great deal of work without substantial hypertrophic activation! As a result, to stimulate growth, you need to greatly exceed the normal workload of daily use! This will obviously require increasing the weight substantially, and MOST people will require rep ranges in the 15 to 25 area! Yes, it will hurt! Get over it!

[@iansuncoast]

Yeah not the best genetics but it was the higher reps that burned , that actually started to blow up my calves

[@gokukakarot1855]

No. 9: Subscribe to Wolfcoaching

[@user-hq9gj1cm2m]

wow what a vague and generic video. totally pointless, just kept repeating train your calves with intent for 7 minutes. Bro....

[@Team3DMJ]

Many need simplicity not overly complicated nuance where focus gets lost on what matters most and that’s the big rocks. To those who may be reading your comment and my response, maybe you could kindly respond with some productive thoughts as to how one should train their calves for max gains👍-Jeff

[@JamesSmithTexas]

Maybe you should enter Jeff’s next bodybuilding contest and beat him since you know so much

[@Team3DMJ]

@@JamesSmithTexasthat’ll be really fun 👍😂