[Kevin B]

Rack pulls the day before squatting may be tough on your lower back – if possible I would try to follow those with leg exercises that don’t stress the lower back so much) and put the back squats on days that do not have anything too taxing on the lower back. Just IMO based on my own experience

[Kevin B]

I have more or less a decade of lifting behind me(most of it for training’s sake with a little powerlifting thrown in) but a series of nasty surgeries took me out of the gym for about a year. When I started to get back into lifting I originally went with an upper/lower before JP’s Instagram posts last summer convinced me that FBW would be more fruitful for me to help get strength back. Been on FBW since August or so and really loving it but finding it a little more taxing to recover and daunting looking at the workouts ahead now, and the sessions are taking longer for sure. I will try stay with it a bit longer but I believe the best program will be the one you can stick to. (I suppose I’m hitting that 5-6 month mark JP has mentioned is very hard to get people to stick with FBW past)

[Kevin B]

What’s (finally) helping me build some calves is below

Frequency – I’m currently on FBW 3x p/w and hitting them hard and 3 times a week consistently is very much helping
Technique – I find it’s helping to rest at the bottom at full stretch for at least 3 secs (take rebound from achilles out of the equation with a full intense contraction at the top.
Variety of movement – I’m currently using DC standing presses, seated calf raise, leg press calf raise, donkey raises
Exercise placement – Out of my 4 rotations on FBW, I start the session with calves before my squatting movement so I am training them fresh (not an afterthought in the session) and generally the stretch actually helps warm up my posterior chain for squatting variation
DC – One of my 4 days is just a 1 set, all out DC set. 15 secs stretch at bottom, explode up(and contract hard), 5 secs down, 15 secs at bottom. Repeat for 12-15 reps. These are brutally hard (and long) sets
Variety of rep ranges – My lowest rep ranges are 8-10 with highest at 15-20 (though I don’t think it’s unusual to go higher) but as JP says aim to get strong across a variety of rep ranges

Combining all these techniques to get as strong as I can on them. I sometimes do my ‘back off’ set before my heavy set (mostly on donkey raises) as this helps me connect with the movement a bit better.

You may need to experiment to see what helps you but this is what I have found is helping me progress consistently.

[Kevin B]

Ye! We will do 320 ish for sure . He can do it , and if he is here with me and Corinne , we can bring out the absolute nasty nasty fucker in him every session . I can’t wait to go

Hoping for some video content from these sessions!

[Kevin B]

Probably less likely to turn pro if starting at 26 but what’s stopping you from taking it as serious (or not as serious) as you wish?

[Kevin B]

Happy birthday Corinne!

I don’t post often but you have quickly become one of my favourite athlete’s of any sport and a huge inspiration. Hoping you have a great day! 🙂

[Kevin B]

Hi all,

Any need to get some delt work in there, either with vertical push or direct delt work? Seems like an overlooked area

[Kevin B]

Check out Dusty Hanshaws video on YouTube about calve stretching . I started doing those 4 min stretches everyday and it’s done wonders . ive even been able to lower the volume

I think this is the video Vinoth is referring to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mha8tVJby6I

[Kevin B]

I also find it difficult to get enough protein in purely from food sources (schedule, food availability outside of prepped food etc)

Do people have any tips on how to identify a ‘quality’ protein?

Thanks!
KW