Calf Exercises: How To Build Your Most Stubborn Muscles

If you're looking to build those calf muscles into something that Johnny Drama from Entourage would drool over, heed the advice of Roger Sciberras.

Some of us a born into wealth and money. Some are born athletes; others are born with brilliant minds capable of handling complex problems. Then there are the elite few, born with great calf muscles.

My dad gifted me with well-developed calves, but to build them up to be truly impressive, it took and takes a lot of effort. For those without the added benefit of genetics, it can seem next to impossible to grow and shape these muscles. 

But never fear; follow these 5 principles to breakthrough the barrier holding you back from great calves.

1. Train Heavy

Arnold once said: ‘You’re constantly using your calves all day and every day as you walk around. Then people go to the gym and train them with light weights and expect them to respond to that minimal resistance that they’re used to’.

And Arnie knows.

Calves are not used to heavy resistance, so if you are looking to build them, train them as heavy as possible for a maximum rep range of 10 - 12. 

Once you can complete 12 in any given set or exercise, bump up the weight.

2. Go Bare

When it is safe to do so, try training your calves with bare feet. This was popularised by Arnold Swarzenegger who believed he achieved a greater range of motion without shoes on.

When it comes to calves, every little bit helps.

3.  A Month of Pain

For 4 weeks, absolutely nail your calves by training them at every session. Pick one exercise per day/session for you valves, and perform at least 4 sets, heavy. Do this for 4 weeks before returning to your regular program

4. Hold and Squeeze

I see gym patrons day in and day out for almost every exercise ‘going through the motions’ of a workout; the weight swinging and bouncing boys who love to jump on their calf lifts – if they train them at all.

When you hit the peak of a movement (this goes for almost everything) pause and squeeze for a second. This extra tension as well as the focus you must put on the muscle is crucial to developing those calves.

Also, don’t drop back to the start position too quickly: go slow and control the eccentric phase.

5.  Mix It Up

I’m talking super sets, drop sets, negative reps, reverse pyramid training: the lot. Change up volume, rest times, everything: the calves need to be shocked more than any other muscle group.

8. The Top Three Exercises

Standing Calf Raises

Make sure you really stand up as tall as possible at the peak of the movement. You can also use this to train each calf separately.

Seated Calf Raises

Keep your back straight and make sure you avoid using momentum as much as possible. This is probably one of the more suitable exercises for going barefoot, as shoes can restrict your range of movement on this considerably.

Leg Press Calf Pushes

A chance to really go heavy, and try different angles for your feet: just be sure you have the safety catch in place.

The Only 5 Exercises You Need To Do For Cannonball Shoulders

None of the fluff, all of the facts. The only exercises you need to do for round and full shoulders that would make Arnold proud.

Exercise, fitness and building muscle is now more complicated than ever. With hundreds if not thousands of exercise variations and people purporting to have ‘the best’ exercise for any particular goal, we learn to just go back to the basics.

It worked in the good old days for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Slyvester Stallone, why mess with it.

So here are the five classic exercises you need to master to possess cannonball deltoids.

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Why?

There is nothing more staple for shoulder development than the classic shoulder press. Arnold Schwarzenegger even created his own version which includes a twist, aptly named the Arnold Press.

Dumbbells are chosen over classic bar presses, due to the unilateral isolation benefits of single arm movements.

How?

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, place them with palms facing out, in line with each shoulder. Push the dumbbells straight up over your head until they meet at full extension, then after a moment’s pause, slowly lower them back to your starting position.

Sets and Reps?

3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps. 

How Often? Once per week.

2. Front and Lateral Raises (Supersetted)

Why?

Because nothing shapes and hits the deltoids better than combining front and lateral raises.

How?

Have two sets of dumbbells ready, a heavier one for the side raises, and lighter for the front. With a slight bend in the knees and elbows, raise two dumbbells to the side until your hands are slightly above the parallel to the ground point, then lower slowly. Once the set repetitions are completed, grab the lighter dumbbells and perform the same movement, this time to the front of your body as opposed to the side.

Sets and Reps?

3 sets of each, with a minimum of 8 reps and a maximum of 15.

How Often?

One to two times per week.

3. Barbell Shrugs

Why?

The penultimate trap builder. There really is no other way. 

How?

Grabbing a barbell with a shoulder width grip, let your arms hang and the bar almost rest along your thighs. Then literally shrug your shoulders straight up and down to raise and lower the resistance.

Sets and Reps?

3 sets of 8-12 reps.

How Often?

Up to twice per week.

4. Barbell Push Press

Why?

Easy to learn, uses the whole body and develops explosive power which will benefit other exercises.

How?

With a slightly less than shoulder width grip, grab a barbell and hold it above your shoulders, elbows tight. Slightly bend your knees until you hit the half squat position, and as you extend your knees straight, press the weight over your head to full extension.

Sets and Reps?

Start with a lighter weight and do 3 sets of 12 reps, to ensure good form.

How Often?

Once a week.

5. Rope Face Pulls

Why?

Because not much else will target the rear deltoids in such a precise fashion. Also, it’s very easy to squeeze and focus on the muscle group being used in this exercise, without adding too much weight.

How? 

Face a high pulley with a rope attached, and, whilst leaning back slightly, pull the rope toward your face, splitting your hands as you get to your face. Pull the rope as far back as you can, keeping your upper arms in a parallel to ground position.

Sets and Reps? 

4 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

How Often?

Twice per week.

7 Highly Effective Testosterone Boosting Tips

Be the man you were built to be, and raise your testosterone along with your power and strength.

Testosterone. The holy grail of muscle building and fat burning power. The stuff the Greek Gods were carved from. The stuff men are made of.

It is no secret that testosterone is what maketh a man, but apart from that it also hosts a myriad of benefits to possess, not limited to greater energy, enhanced sexual prowess, muscle building capabilities, better sleep and better overall 'feeling' of wellbeing.

The issue is once we hit 27 - 30, our natural testosterone production begins its decline, increasing our risk for certain conditions such as heart disease, as well as reduced capacity to maintain muscle mass and an overall reduction in physical performance.

Don't fear, however. There are some simple and effective ways to reignite your testosterone engine, and keep it firing well into the latter years of your life.

#1: Embrace Fats

If you want to eradicate your testosterone and subsequent muscle mass and manliness, then follow a low-fat diet for a year. But don't hit the deep fried fish & chips just yet, I'm talking about the healthy fats, which are essential to supporting your body's ability to produce testosterone.

Stick to fats such as olive oil (kept in dark glass is best), coconut oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and more. These will boost your cholesterol levels high enough so that it can be converted into testosterone, whilst also helping you maintain good levels of healthy cholesterol.

#2: Sleep

Many of us will forgo sleep for things such as watching television or working under the premise that sleep isn't that important. We do this to the point where some of us brag about not getting much sleep because we are just 'so flat out right now'.

Add to this the double whammy of getting into bed late, and then sitting on your phone for the next 30 minutes, arguing with people on Facebook or checking your instagram. Not only are you getting less sleep, but every moment in front of a screen in the hours leading up to bed time is depreciating your sleep quality for that night.

Before bed, make an effort to read or even meditate to get your body relaxed and ready for an optimal nights rest. If you must use a computer in the hour before bed, try installingf.lux to lessen the harm, try supplementing with magnesium before bed and develop a caffeine curfew.

Better and long quality hours of sleep is directly correlated to testosterone levels in men.

If you're only averaging five hours of sleep a night, expect a testosterone drop of 10-15 percent, as published in a study published in the University of Chicago.

Shoot for eight hours, be happy with six.

#3 Lift Heavy Things

Get lifting, and keep it compound. That is, don't worry so much about isolation exercises, stick to things such as deadlifts, squats, bench presses, pull ups, and so on.

In a nutshell, the more muscle mass you stimulate during a workout, the greater the subsequent testosterone boost to your system. Research has proven time and time again that high-intensity weight training (choosing weights so that you reach muscle failure by 10 reps) can stimulate increases in testosterone secretion.

#4: Power Pose

Sounds crazy but it works!

Amy Cuddy elaborated on this in her famous TED talk, showing that 2 minutes of high power poses showed an immediate increase of 20% from baseline testosterone levels. Conversely, those performing low power poses, such as head down and hands folded, displayed a 10% decrease. So you can make up an extra 30% of an immediate change to testosterone, just by how your posture your body throughout the day.

#5 Sacrifice Sugar

You probably knew this would make the list. It seems sugar is the root of all evil, and while it certainly has its place, exercise moderation.

Excess consumption of sugar will lead to a spike in your insulin levels, which results in decreased glucose in your bloodstream, which leads to you craving more sugar.

The more and more sugar you have in your system, the more body fat you will develop. The more body fat you develop, the greater the conversion of testosterone to oestrogen. Just to make sure it does the job, high sugar is correlated to high levels of stress hormones which subsequently restricts testosterone production further.

#6 Be a Bloody Man

It's time to stop playing second fiddle to all those around you! If you want to boost your testosterone levels and start conquering life at the same time, live each day with passion and with manly aggression. If you want to raise the bar and your testosterone, don't expect it to happen if your mental and physical outlook is one of a pregnant sloth.

One of the reasons why Tony Robbins is so full of growth hormone and testosterone (one of the reasons, I stress) is that he wakes up every morning and charges up his body with a series of rituals, then drives through the day like a mack truck, always full of energy.

#7 Beer Banishment

Alcohol is another substance which raises the rate of testosterone to oestrogen conversion. Worse still is alcohol mixed with hops, aka beer.

As with sugar, no need to cut it out completely. A few drinks every so often is fine, just perhaps rethink the bottle of red or six pack with dinner every other night.

Bonus Tip: Supplement

When all else fails, you can try supplementation.

Having owned and worked in many supplement stores over the years, you'd be shocked to see how many teenage boys and early twenties men would come in seeking testosterone boosters. At those ages, when your natural testosterone is at its peak, you may as well bury the money in a pit rather than spend it on testosterone boosters. However, as you come into your mid 30's and onwards, they can be a real asset.

The ingredients in the testosterone booster are of critical importance here, as the most commonly sold boosters typically have ingredients that have no real study based research of their effectiveness. This relates to Tribulus and horny goat weed to name but two (even though I've felt positive effects personally from Tribulus in particular).

Other ingredients to look into are Fenugreek, D Aspartic Acid, Bulbine Natalensis, stinging nettle root, and scots pine pollen.

6 Quick Tips To Get Your Body In Shape For Summer

No fad diets, no gimmicky pills. Want help losing some kilo’s? Follow these quick and simple tips to get the ball rolling. 

Well, summer is right around the corner and things are starting to heat up. But again, like every year, you've left getting back into shape until it is too late, and you're coming to the realisation that you're carrying a few too many extra kilos than you'd prefer, and your confidence with your shirt off down at the beach, is quickly dwindling. 
Don't fear. While I don't advocate for any fad 'quick fixes', there are some things you can start today, to help you drop a lot of water weight quickly, and also help you drop any excess fat in the coming weeks. These tips are focused around the diet and nutrition aspects of fat shedding, but remember, don't neglect working out, and working out hard.
Here are six sure fire tips to shed those unwanted kilos.

1. Drink more water
Drinking more water can help you lose weight: FACT. However, in saying that, water consumption doesn't directly help you burn fat, rather it affects things such as your appetite and physiological system indirectly.
If you drink 250 mL of tap water (not cold water) with a couple of dashes of lemon juice, a half hour before a meal, you will not only feel the appetite suppressing affects from the water filling up your stomach, but your digestion is also going to be improved for that meal, just by drinking that one glass of lemon infused water.
During the day however, if you can drink your water ice cold, which keeps you fuller for longer. The cold effect will also provide a temporary boost to your metabolism and its burning capacity.
"A lot of people confuse thirst for hunger so they'll tend to eat rather than drink water. If you're craving a midday snack and want to make sure your pangs are caused by hunger, not hydration, have a glass of water first. Then see if you're still hungry 30 minutes later" - Keri Peterson, M.D., Lenox Hill Hospital physician, New York City.
So as a general rule of thumb, drink at least two litres of water a day. I currently drink five to six litres, so don't be afraid to go higher than two. You'll feel fuller, be less likely to snack if you're constantly sipping from a water bottler (keep one on you as much as possible, all day), and won't confuse hunger with thirst.

2. Brush those teeth
Do you find that the hardest time to stick to any eating regime and to resist snacking, is late at night? It's the worst time to snack as your body won't be burning off the consumed extra calories whilst you're asleep, but there's a simple trick to help you win the war against snacking. Brush your teeth. 
The taste of residual fried chicken or pizza between your teeth at 10pm is a recipe for disaster. Your stomach is no longer full from dinner, and the taste of it in your mouth is enticing you to have one more leftover piece or to drown it out with some sweet ice cream nectar. Knock this problem on the head by having a clean, fresh tasting mouth after every meal, particularly dinner. You'll be less likely to even feel the urge to snack, and if you do, you'll be far less likely to follow through as you'll be spoiling that 'clean fresh feeling' brushing gives us.
And you'll have some fine, minty fresh breath.

3. Fasting
Fasting is making a resurgence and the benefits that are coming through as more and more studies are being completed, are incredible. We're not only talking fat loss, but also an improvement in insulin sensitivity, an increase in lifespan, significant improvement in brain function, an increase in release of growth hormone and is shown (though research is limited) to help prevent cancer in animal studies.
A quick overview of the top three methods for fasting.
   > Method #1: Leangains
Concept // Women fast for 14 hours and men fast for 16 hours each day. You will have a feeding window of eight to 10 hours. 
   > Method #2: 5:2
Concept // Eat normally for five days a week, and restricting calories to <500 for women and <600 for men, for two out of the seven days of the week.
   > Method #3: Eat - Stop - Eat
Concept // Fast for 24 straight hours, once or twice per week.
(EDITORS NOTE: Please see a medical professional prior to undertaking any fasting)

4. The power of protein
Q: "How many grams of protein should I consume per day?"  A: "All of them". 
Protein supplement shakes are everywhere, and generally they're a good idea unless you eat your weight in beef and chicken each day. If you're doing resistance exercises (which we all should be doing regularly), chances are you could benefit from a protein supplement.
In terms of fat loss, it's simple. A low calorie protein shake can be taken between meals to keep you full and stave off snacking. It can be taken prior to lunch or dinner to minimise hunger and bingeing during the subsequent meal time. It can be taken post workout to aid in maximum muscle recovery, and indirectly assist in keeping your metabolism firing. 
5. Get Spicy
Studies have revealed that a spicy meal can temporarily raise your metabolism by a factor of about 8%. It may seem small, but it's something and will pay dividends in the long term. Other thoughts are that spicy foods reduce hunger and thus you consume less food in that meal. One study revealed that adult men who consumed appetisers with hot sauce, consumed 200 fewer calories at later meals than the control group. So don't be afraid to add things like black or cayenne pepper, hot mustard,  wasabi, chilli, capsicum or horseradish to your meals. 

6. There's an App for that // Track it
If you want to succeed at anything, tracking your progress and holding yourself accountable is a great first step. The same goes for fat loss. Keeping a food diary, for example, will deter overeating and snacking and improves your chances at weight loss. 
When I started to use My Fitness Pal, I found that I was talking myself out of late night snacks simply because I didn't want to input those extra calories into my diary and see my calorie target get blown out of the water. Also, with a new FitBit, I was running out of the office and doing quick five minute jogs or stair climbs to get my steps up to reach my daily goal. It works.
Record what you eat, and you'll eat less. Period. Record your exercise, and you'll exercise more. Another period for effect. It is gratifying, and it makes reaching your eating and physical goals a game we can all play. 

Action Sports To Get You Ripped But May Kill You Doing It

Ditch the office humdrum and half-arsed gym regimen and challenge yourself with workouts that come with a side order of death.

When the clock strikes five around Australia, thousands of men drag themselves from behind their desks and head home to eat, sleep and then repeat the next day.

For those who hit the gym, many find themselves enduring the same monotonous unchallenging workouts. Staying in shape never used to be so pedestrian, and being a man never so dull.

For precisely this reason, we are seeing a surge in the number of men taking up action sports in a bid to reignite that adrenaline fire, muster some fear and develop their fitness. If you want to get in the best shape of your life and train your inner caveman at the same time, check out these sports.

They will get you ripped and light a fire in your soul at the same time >

Action Sport: Dodgeball

History: Once a brutal and deadly game played in Africa, where they used rocks as opposed to balls.

Muscles Worked: Deltoids // Pectorals // Triceps - Boasts a high cardio factor.

Athlete of note: Ben Stiller was a competitive and self-confessed 'angry' dodgeball player during his youth and channeled that energy for his starring role in the 2004 film ‘Dodgeball’. 

Kill Factor: VERY LOW. However, injuries are rife such as broken necks, dislocated fingers, broken noses and torn rotator cuffs.

Survival Tip: Avoid repeated shots to the cranium. 

Where do I sign up?: DODGEBALLAUSTRALIA

Action Sport: Paintball

History: The first recorded game was held (officially) in 1981, with a few friends competing against one another in the woods. One of the players was a Sports Illustrated writer, who published an article about it, and the rest is history.

Muscles Worked: Overall body workout - very high cardio factor. 

Athlete of note: Scott Kemp

Kill Factor: MODERATE. A few recorded deaths and countless injuries including lesions, blinding, and falls on a paintball field. Survival Tip: Keep your mask on.

Where do I sign up?: MINISTRYOFPAINTBALL

Action Sport: Obstacle Course Racing

History: Obstacle course began in modern times with its application to various military training and testing protocols. However OCR blasted onto the world stage with Tough Mudder in 2010, garnering nearly 5000 participants for the first race, and now as a company is worth over $70 million dollars.

Muscles Worked: Extreme endurance workout and general upper body strength. 

Athlete of note: Andrew Pap

Kill Factor: MODERATE. Tough Mudder has one recorded death however other similar obstacle course have multiple deaths recorded; drownings being the main cause. However injuries are common including hypothermia, heart attacks and ankle injuries.Survival Tip: Train long and hard in preparation for an obstacle race.

Where do I sign up?: SR or TM

Action Sport: Rock Climbing 

History: Graduating from mountainous necessity in the late 19th century to sporting endeavour. With numerous offshoots such as indoor rock climbing, bouldering and free climbing to name but a few.

Muscles Worked: Forearms // Abdominals // Back // Biceps // Quadriceps - Extreme cardio vascular workout, as well as being great for developing grip strength. 

Athlete of note: Chris Sharma

Kill Factor: VERY HIGH. Dozens of deaths per year. Survival Tip: Stay indoors and don't watch Cliffhanger before a climb. 

Where do I sign up?: Find a rock to climb, or head here.

Action Sport: MMA 

History: Pankration, the ancient combat sport, was a mix of grappling and striking skills. More recently, MMA (mixed martial arts) competition can be traced throughout Europe, Japan and the Pacific Rim, as early as the 1900's. 1980 saw the first regulated MMA league in the USA. 

Muscles Worked: Abdominals // Biceps // Triceps // Back - Extreme overall cardio and conditioning workout. 

Athlete of note: Conor McGregor

Kill Factor: EXTREME. A low amount of sanctioned event recorded deaths, but due to the young age of the sport little statistical inference can be drawn. A 2006 study compares the risk to that of professional boxing, but injuries in the shoulders and legs are higher due to the grappling aspect of the sport. 

Survival Tip: Don't fight over enthusiastic newcomers... and don't be one.

Where do I sign up?: AFCMMA

Action Sport: Motorsport

History: The first pre-arranged race took place in 1867 in sunny old England. 1887 saw the first organised racing competition, but it wasn't until the 1930's that racers went from driving from expensive road cars to purpose built racing machines. 

Muscles Worked: Trapezius // Biceps // Triceps // Deltoids. The most extreme fitness is required, with drivers in F1 for example, peaking heart rates at over 200bpm during a race.

Athlete of note: Carl Edwards

Kill Factor: INSANE. You don't even need to be a driver to be killed or injured, with crew members, officials and spectators all having paid the ultimate price. 

Survival Tip: Don't do a Cole Trickle. Don't hit the pace car.

Where do I sign up?: KARTINGAUSTRALIA

Action Sport: Lacrosse

History: The Native Americans invented the full contact and high intensity sport of Lacrosse as early as 1100AD. Was once called 'stickball'.

Muscles Worked: Quadriceps // Hamstrings // Calves // Pectorals // Triceps // Biceps. Everything, really.

Athlete of note: Paul Rabil

Kill Factor: HIGH. Dozens of deaths recorded with the main culprit being ball strikes to the chest.Survival Tip: Invest in the best protective gear and suit up!

Where do I sign up?: LACROSSEAUSTRALIA

Action Sport: Downhill Mountain Biking

History: Developing from recreation to competitive sport in the mid 70's, downhill biking has grown in popularity massively, particularly for the adrenaline skiing junkies who bike down ski slopes that have dried up in the summer.

Muscles Worked: Abdominals // Leg Muscles // Biceps // Forearms

Athlete of note: Jared Graves

Kill Factor: LOW. Take basic safety precautions and you will live. Be prepared for some bones breaking when you tumble though. Survival Tip: Avoid cliffs.

Where do I sign up?: MOUNTAINBIKEAUSTRALIA

Action Sport: Parkour

History: Tracing its roots back to the WW1 era and its use on military obstacle courses, Parkour didn't come to popular culture until Frenchman David Belle began training by traversing the streets of Lisses, via running, climbing, vaulting and rolling.

Muscles Worked: Back // Biceps // Quadriceps // Forearms

Athlete of note: David Belle

Kill Factor: MODERATE. A few deaths recorded from high falls. However, joint injuries are rife in the sport.Survival Tip: Respect gravity. 

Where do I sign up?: PARKOURAUSTRALIA

Action Sport: Mountaineering 

History: Ever since Frodo and Sam trekked through mountain ranges on their way to Mount Doom, men have been hiking mountains and traversing rough terrain, evolving into a sport in the 1850's. 

Muscles Worked: Whatever muscles you possess, prepare for all of them to be in substantial pain. 

Athlete of note: Bear Grylls

Kill Factor: EXTREME. More deaths than a Rambo film. 

Survival Tip: Play Russian roulette instead. It's safer.

Where do I sign up?: AUSTRALIANSCHOOLOFMOUNTAINEERING