From Nick Nilsson
Author and Publisher of BetterU News
http://www.fitness-ebooks.com

Hey, I was just mucking around on my Powerful Training Secrets
site a few minutes ago, trying to figure what exercises to do
in my next training sessions today and came across this tip.

I think it's a really important one for calf training - I have a
link to it here...it's the same info as I've posted below but you
can sign up to get more tips on that page so I figured I'd give
you the link as well.

http://www.powerfultrainingsecrets.com/trial-membership/23-big-toe-big-calves.php

This tip is a bit of a change of pace... no pictures...no video
(this one would be tough to show in a picture or video but is
pretty easy to explain).

If you're looking to really build your calves, this one little
piece of advice will help TREMENDOUSLY. Yet you rarely, if ever,
see anybody mention this when you get instructions on calf
exercises.

So what is this advice? It's a simple thing...when you do a calf
raise exercise and you're coming to the top of the movement, be
sure to COME UP ON THE BIG TOE KNUCKLES (on the bottoms of your
feet, of course).

This activates the gastrocnemius (calf muscles) muscle bellies
strongly. The difference contraction and fiber activation will
surprise you!

Next time you do calf raises, don't use this technique and just
do them as you regularly do them. Notice how your feet move as
you come. Chances are, as you do the calf raise, your feet roll
to the OUTSIDE.

This is typical because this is the path of least resistance for
the biomechanics of your calves. If you look at how your feet are
shaped, the big toe is longest and furthest up. As you move
towards the outside of your feet, your toe knuckles slope
"downwards". Naturally, your feet will roll to this side unless
you force them not to.

This doesn't need a picture because you can look down at your
own foot and see this sloping!

I want you to stand up and try this right now doing just a
bodyweight calf raise on both feet just on the floor - you'll
feel the difference.

When you're doing the regular calf raise, the body naturally
wants to follow that path of least resistance and will roll
towards the outside. Do a few reps of this, just letting your
body take the natural path when doing the calf raise. Look down
at your feet as you do it - you'll see even though your toes are
all pointing straight forward, the downward slope of your toe
knuckles make your ankles roll out to the sides.

Granted, you can still get a LOT of tension on the calves even
when you roll out like this. And you can build good calves this
way.

Now to use the big toe technique. (when you use this in
training, lighten the weight up so you get the form exactly
right). Now, when you come up, try to put ALL the pressure on the
big toe knuckles of your feet and push down hard with the big
toes.

Your goal here is to try and put as much tension as possible on
the big toes rather than letting your feet roll out to the
outside as is the tendency. In fact, I want you to place NO
tension on the rest of your toe knuckles other than those big
toes as you come!

Come up and squeeze hard. Feel the difference? MAJOR contraction
in the calves. Now imagine adding weight to this technique!

This is the secret to getting those beautiful, just UGLY looking
calves that really stand out and mark you as a serious trainer! I
don't know about you, but my goal with my calves has always been
to have regular "non-training" people go "eww" when they see
them. :) That's when I'll know I've reached my goal.

Honestly, this big toe thing is one of the reasons ballet
dancers get such great calves. They dance on point, which is
basically on the big toes. The other toe knuckles don't play as
big a role.

So give this technique a try in your next calf workout. Lighten
the weight and come up on your big toe knuckles. It'll make a BIG
difference!

http://www.powerfultrainingsecrets.com/trial-membership/23-big-toe-big-calves.php

Nick