There
have been many occasions in which I have heard a freshly nationally ranked NPC competitor declare that he or she will hit the national stage and easily snap up an IFBB Pro Card. While I applaud the competitor’s enthusiasm and drive, I cannot help but snicker to myself when I hear such a statement. Honestly, if it were that easy to earn a Pro Card, there would be Pros populating the country in droves. Alas, there are only a finite number of Pro Cards given out each year, and the competition for them is fierce.
In
last month’s article I discussed the often forgotten anterior calf muscles and the way they can be trained in order to enhance your overall calf development. This month I am going to take a look at the posterior calf muscles, how to isolate them and then will show you an example calf workout that will help you maximize growth potential for this most stubborn of body parts!
Research
shows that interval training, or alternating short bursts of energy with brief resting periods, can improve muscle and build endurance more quickly than traditional exercise.
Sprint. Run as fast and as far as you can for 20 seconds, then slow to a walk until you catch your breath. Repeat for 10 minutes.
Set a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike for interval training. Most modern exercise equipment can be set to an interval training mode, which significantly increases the difficulty of the exercise for short periods of time.
Take quick walks. Fit some exercise into your work day and take 5-minute power walks. Take long strides and keep a brisk pace, or try going up and down stairs.
Whenever
I’m asked the question, “Do you lifts weights?” I will usually answer with “Well, sort of.” While it is true that weights are the primary tools used in my workout program, I don’t just “Lift things up and put them down!” Rather I am interested in using resistance for the purpose of stimulating my muscles.
Unfortunately, it seems that too often people go to the gym with the goal of improving their physique but what they really end up doing is carelessly pushing weights around. They seem to have no connection at all to the muscle contractions involved in the exercises they are performing. However, for me, training is all about the mind-muscle connection.
"Your
past doesn’t have to be your future!" -Francisco Colon
Congrats on a great showing! What made you decide to compete in the Men’s Physique Division?
What made me start competing was actually the pain of losing a dream. I was a National Team/ and Collegiate soccer player with the intentions of turning pro. Unexpected and horrific injuries soon followed. I had fallen into what thousands of athletes suffer from and that’s that loss of self-identity.
I fell into a depressive state when I knew my dreams and goals were over. I was always active in the weight room and ever since Men’s Physique was created, I was contemplating giving it a try. In the beginning I didn’t have the will to do so. After time had passed I convinced myself to give it a try.
Sure enough even though I didn’t place top 5 in my first show, I felt that feeling I had before. I could become something or someone in this sport. I could rebuild an image that was tainted, and create a new identity, new goals, and a new dream.
The pain from my past was a shadow of the pleasure I now receive from competing in this Men’s Physique division and the NPC.
More than 
170 MP Competitors took the stage at the USA's this year in Vegas with their eye on earning an IFBB Pro card. Keep in mind that there are no Masters classes at the USA's, only Open. This means that there are a ton of guys to be spread over six heigth classes and only one age class. When it was all said and done, 12 men placed well enough to earn their cards.
Overall
Xavisus Gayden 
Subscribe to RxMuscle on Youtube
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|||
