Thread: Calf raises - whats the point?

Hrm, this other trainer at my gym was telling me that I need to dorsiflex in midair because I don't land quietly enough, and it would somehow help with that. He can land with like complete silence. I don't land in silence, but it's not loud by any means. Maybe it's my shoes or something...

Thanks for the clarification though.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Hrm, this other trainer at my gym was telling me that I need to dorsiflex in midair because I don't land quietly enough, and it would somehow help with that. He can land with like complete silence. I don't land in silence, but it's not loud by any means. Maybe it's my shoes or something...

Thanks for the clarification though.

I can land really quietly too.

when your foot hits the floor, between mid foot and the ball of the foot, your ankle will naturally doriflex to absorb force (as the arch flattens out). If you are loud on your feet, check to make sure you are flexing your hips enough when you land. Try single response jumps for a few weeks and just work on sticking the landing, standing to recover, counter move and jump again. Don't even worry about the vertical. Worry about the landing. One way I teach jump training is to have the person jump up to an aerobic step first. that way there is less ground reaction force since the step is a few inches up it keeps them from going all the way to the ground (even that few inches makes a huge difference) and it is perfect because it is just high enough to keep the ground reaction force lower and just low enough that they can jump up to it. Once they can do that we move onto multiple response jumps on the ground.

Originally Posted by P-funk

I can land really quietly too.

when your foot hits the floor, between mid foot and the ball of the foot, your ankle will naturally doriflex to absorb force (as the arch flattens out). If you are loud on your feet, check to make sure you are flexing your hips enough when you land. Try single response jumps for a few weeks and just work on sticking the landing, standing to recover, counter move and jump again. Don't even worry about the vertical. Worry about the landing. One way I teach jump training is to have the person jump up to an aerobic step first. that way there is less ground reaction force since the step is a few inches up it keeps them from going all the way to the ground (even that few inches makes a huge difference) and it is perfect because it is just high enough to keep the ground reaction force lower and just low enough that they can jump up to it. Once they can do that we move onto multiple response jumps on the ground.

That's how I was practicing, jumping up onto a small box. Dunno. I swear I land just as quietly when doing a tuck jump on flat ground compared to jumping onto a small aerobic box. I think the trainer was just being anal.

Thanks, P-Funk. I've been away a couple of days on vacation, but I will try the things you've mentioned: stretching my anterior tibs, calf hops, dorsiflexing swing leg, dorsiflex lifts with a weight plate.

I have really high arches, does this contribute?

I hope it works because it affects the lenght and intensity of my cardio sometimes.

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Thanks, P-Funk. I've been away a couple of days on vacation, but I will try the things you've mentioned: stretching my anterior tibs, calf hops, dorsiflexing swing leg, dorsiflex lifts with a weight plate.

I have really high arches, does this contribute?

I hope it works because it affects the lenght and intensity of my cardio sometimes.

high arches are typically an imbalance between tight/overactive posterior tibiallis and weakened peroneals (unless it is structural and something you were born with),

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Thanks, P-Funk. I've been away a couple of days on vacation, but I will try the things you've mentioned: stretching my anterior tibs, calf hops, dorsiflexing swing leg, dorsiflex lifts with a weight plate.

I have really high arches, does this contribute?

I hope it works because it affects the lenght and intensity of my cardio sometimes.

ya, I got the same problem. I know I can last longer on the treadmill, but my shins bother me sometimes, especially when I'm doing sessions longer than 20 minutes. Great info P-funk.

Originally Posted by P-funk

high arches are typically an imbalance between tight/overactive posterior tibiallis and weakened peroneals (unless it is structural and something you were born with),

I've always had a real high arch in both my feet.