calves

[speakeasy]

I'm trying to build up my calves, but I feel like the calf press machine, where you stand on your toes and left the weight on your shoulders isn't working them efficiently. Is there any other recommended calf excersises you guys have tried?

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Bike.

 

[blinkwatt]

I'm not one to say 'it's genetics' but I think calves are the only muscles that your girth will be determined by genetics. I've seen people who lift the same amount of weights for the same reps for their calves....one has HUGE calves,the other has skinny looking ones. You just gotta deal with it.

 

[speakeasy]

Bike.

I actually do bike quite a bit, but perhaps not enough.

 

[AlexTheGreat]

I broke my right tibia at the beginning of the summer, and was forced to walk around with crutches ever since. I've cheated the system tho, jumping around on my good leg instead. What I can say is this: my left calf is now HUGE! I could see differences in a month's time. So, one good trick I'd advise you to do, even though it might seem weird, is to get some dumbells in your hands, and jump on one leg for as long as you can. if you can climb stairs on one foot, you'll get big. Trust me.

 

[shaunuk]

You could try the seated calf raise machine, or doing it on the leg press. Go for something like 3x15

From what I've heard, though, calves can be a ***** to get growing on some people, so I'll let the more experienced guys give their opinions/training methods.

-shaun

 

[Warboss Alex]

This is the one way I know to make even stubborn calves grow like hell. Disclaimer: it's a variation of the DC calf protocol and I didn't invent it, I just used it a little differently.

You'll need a 45 degree leg press for this. Put only the tip of your foot on the pad (basically it's a toe press). On the press, be explosive as you can. On the negative, make it slow, five timed seconds. On the bottom of the negative, hold it for ten timed seconds, i.e. stretch the calf in this way. Then on the positive explode up, back down for five seconds, hold at the bottom for ten seconds, etc. Don't cheat with the timing as that's where the magic lies.

Do 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps (if you really put your all into it you'll only manage one set). It will be easy for the first few reps but around the halfway mark it'll become painful and you'll be tempted to make the negative faster or the stretch at the bottom less time: DON'T. It's the stretching that does the trick.

You shouldn't be able to walk comfortably after this and will need a few minutes to gather yourself.

Yeah it's brutal but unless you have good calf genetics you need something like this: no amount of high-rep raises will do anything for you. If you do calves on a non-leg day then make sure to warm up on this exercise well, because brutal stretching of a cold muscle can be very nasty.

Your calves should change shape after a couple of months.

 

[(JJ)]

or do toe raises where u put the weight on ur shoulders like u would do for squats then just stand up on your tip toes and come back down. those work well. if its not enough then do it one leg at a time.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

I actually do bike quite a bit, but perhaps not enough.

Perhaps, it has a lot to do with form too. I don't have monster calves but they have hella definition. The bikes I ride you have to lock your shoes onto the pedals, both legs work during the entire revolution of the pedal stroke instead of just mashing down. An hour on a Lifecycle (with toe clips or foot straps) doing the preprogramed hill routine three or four days a week will typically show you results (definition) in only a couple of weeks.

 

[joekerr31]

you have to sleep standing up. you'll double the size of your calves in 3 months.

 

[mintxx]

you have to sleep standing up. you'll double the size of your calves in 3 months.

love it

try seated calf raise on a machine, you can put more weight on this way it seems to me. also second wba's suggestion: high weight, low reps, explosive push is the only thing that has made mine change any

 

[mrRuckus]

I'm not one to say 'it's genetics' but I think calves are the only muscles that your girth will be determined by genetics. I've seen people who lift the same amount of weights for the same reps for their calves....one has HUGE calves,the other has skinny looking ones. You just gotta deal with it.

Please sign up for a statistics class.


----


Alex said pretty much what you need to do and what i always see recommended. Slow reps, with a long stretch at the bottom. They're very painful and people don't want what works and will pick and choose the answer to their question that sounds the easiest so i know most of you won't do it. If i remember right, DC training does just one set of 12.

 

[Master Bates]

This is the one way I know to make even stubborn calves grow like hell. Disclaimer: it's a variation of the DC calf protocol and I didn't invent it, I just used it a little differently.

You'll need a 45 degree leg press for this. Put only the tip of your foot on the pad (basically it's a toe press). On the press, be explosive as you can. On the negative, make it slow, five timed seconds. On the bottom of the negative, hold it for ten timed seconds, i.e. stretch the calf in this way. Then on the positive explode up, back down for five seconds, hold at the bottom for ten seconds, etc. Don't cheat with the timing as that's where the magic lies.

Do 1-2 sets of 10-15 reps (if you really put your all into it you'll only manage one set). It will be easy for the first few reps but around the halfway mark it'll become painful and you'll be tempted to make the negative faster or the stretch at the bottom less time: DON'T. It's the stretching that does the trick.

You shouldn't be able to walk comfortably after this and will need a few minutes to gather yourself.

Yeah it's brutal but unless you have good calf genetics you need something like this: no amount of high-rep raises will do anything for you. If you do calves on a non-leg day then make sure to warm up on this exercise well, because brutal stretching of a cold muscle can be very nasty.

Your calves should change shape after a couple of months.

How many times per week do you do this? Also, how vital is it that it's a 45 degree leg press?

My calves f*cking SUCK. They always have. Doesn't help (aesthetically) that I'm thin boned. Months of squats/dead lifts don't work, months of biking doesn't work, months of running doesn't work.

 

[blinkwatt]

Please sign up for a statistics class.



I don't know what your beef is with me but let it go.

Last I checked,I'm one of the very few who has PROVEN themselves on this board.

@ Master Bates,

Doing it with a 45 degree angle compared to a 180 degree flat leg press is like comparing freeweights to machines almost. When you have the 45 degree angle it's up to YOU to stabilize the weights,when it's the 180 degree flat press all you do is push it ******ds. Sorry I can't find a better way to explain it.

 

[Warboss Alex]

How many times per week do you do this? Also, how vital is it that it's a 45 degree leg press?

DO IT ON LEG DAY E.G. ONCE A WEEK, 1 SET SHOULD DO IT
45 DEG LEG PRESS IS THE 'EASIEST' WAY TO DO THE EXERCISE WITHOUT YOUR CALVES SLIPPING DURING THE STRETCH

My calves f*cking SUCK. They always have. Doesn't help (aesthetically) that I'm thin boned. Months of squats/dead lifts don't work, months of biking doesn't work, months of running doesn't work.

MUCH LIKE 100s OF CALF RAISES WON'T WORK EITHER.. CALVES ARE LIKE ABS, HIGH REPS DO VERY LITTLE FOR GROWTH

...

 

[Master Bates]

I've heard that calves can (or even should) be worked more than once a week because it's a muscle that's worked all the time, so it heals faster and therefor can be worked out more often. Is this true?

 

[mrRuckus]

There's a real simple answer to that.

Can you increase reps or weight more than once a week and keep it going consistently?

The fastest gains are going to come from the number of stimulus+growth cycles you can fit into the shortest window. It just matters how fast your body is able to recover which comes down to your workout plan, diet, and genetics.

I think this part is getting glossed over: the long stretch at the bottom of the rep is what is causing LOTS of people with 'bad' calves to finally grow.

 

[MrS]

Ankle raises.
Ankle jumps.
One legged ankle raises.
One legged ankle hops.
That calf machine **** in the gym.

 

[simon]

I'm lucky, my calves grow just from hill walking.