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jblessing1988
03-03-07, 6:22 pm
I was blessed with the shittiest calve genetics on the planet. Because of that I've tried every insanely painful calve workout I could think up or read about. If you've got any good tips let me know or if you need some let me know.

SDR
03-03-07, 6:46 pm
http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=311&section=

my personal tips:

experiment with rep ranges- donkey /standing calve raises go really heavy so that its hard to bang out 10 reps, but dont be afraid to hit the 20+ zone where you really burn the shit out of your salves, etching shape and adding depth to them.

for me personally, i train them hard once a week.

calves can be stubborn, but give them a reason to grow.....

vIShuS
03-03-07, 8:33 pm
I too have been blessed with these disgustingly small calves and cant help but worry about them everyday. Theres about 100 million different tips out in magazines and websites about training tips for your calves and the "secret" to make them grow. well sad to say there aint any "secret" for your calves and the only real way to get them to grow is to train them hardcore. You can see the tip of the week on the main page that insists you add 5 sets to every training session you have. I got a PM from G Diesel that suggested I train them with every training session and switch standing with sitting exersices (ex: monday=standing;teusday=sitting;etc..) Ive been using this technique for about 2 months and have seen my claves get some pretty good results from it. Make sure you have a full stretch and hold it for 2-3 seconds and the top of your stretch and have a 3-4 second negative. Hopefully this will give you some insight on gettin big calves.

-SiSu

Alivewhenimdead
03-04-07, 1:37 am
Not really sure where to post this...just had to celebrate a couple months worth or hard ass leg workouts to get my calves huge. I've always had stringy runner calves from distance work.

Kiwi129
03-04-07, 1:53 am
Nice work man. I'm working on mine too. I got a case of those "stringy runner calves" but I didn't do distance work...

P_Venkman
03-04-07, 1:56 am
Good job bro. Tell me, did you focus on straight leg raises or seated raises for overall size, and to get rid of the stringy look?

Alivewhenimdead
03-04-07, 2:20 am
what worked for me was just after each set of squats keeping the bar on my shoulders and just doin' some standing raises. ended up doing around 200 reps each workout.

jblessing1988
03-06-07, 4:44 pm
Train calves 2-3X/week. Mon- Standing raises on smith machine 5x20.
1st and 2nd set-20 straight reps
3rd set- between every 5th rep add 3 partials in the semistretched position.
4th set- do 21's- 7 in the bottom half, 7 in the top half and 7 full range reps.
5th set- same as 3rd set except at the end do a burnout with the partials until you can't handle the burn anymore.
3-4 sets of seated calf raises- nothing special here aim for 15 and go through full range of motion (go for a 2-3 count @ bottom)
Finish off with 3 X 15-20 reverse raises.
More tips later

BigAnt
03-06-07, 5:22 pm
I was blessed with the shittiest calve genetics on the planet. Because of that I've tried every insanely painful calve workout I could think up or read about. If you've got any good tips let me know or if you need some let me know.

Use the search...a lot of good replies to previous calf training questions....

Masculus
03-06-07, 8:08 pm
The best calf workout I get is simply a toe-raise on a leg press. Load up a moderate weight, and hit sets of about 30, letting the weight stretch your calves every 10 reps. I swear each time I do this workout, after even just the first or second set my calves are at least an inch or so larger just PUMPED, tight like im flexing when im not. And ive noticed enormous gains in my calf muscles, but I may have good genetics, im not sure.

Also, on a side note, if youve ever heard of the videogame DDR (dance dance revolution), its the reason my calves are big at all, its a dancing videogame that ive been playing for a few years, and you stay totally on the balls of your feet and my calves get a crazy workout just doing that for half an hour or so.

jblessing1988
03-07-07, 2:17 pm
Toe presses on 45 degree leg press-5x10-12
sets 1-3 do 10-12 reps pyramiding up in weight
sets 4-5 drop weight as to allow for 15 reps but don't do 15. Still aim for 10-12 but make each rep extremely slow. Spend 15 sec in the stretched position really flexing your toes toward your shins. Press up and hold in the contracted portion for a 5 count. Repeat until you can't take the pain anymore.

jblessing1988
03-12-07, 3:59 pm
Begin with standing one leg calve raises (holding a dumbell) 3x15. Next go to the donkey raise machine (If not available have a training partner or two sit on your back towards your hips.) Pump out 4 sets of 12-15 smooth controlled full range reps. Superset the donkey raises w/ 4x15 of seated calf raises. Another idea, if you've got cardio to do then skip the seated raises and walk at a fast pace on a high incline treadmill. Keep your strides long and really push off w/ the toes on your back foot.

The Razorback
03-12-07, 4:04 pm
Try working your calves before you do back and shrugs its something different but it can help shock them it sounds crazy but try it see what happens

Cstlfx
03-12-07, 4:19 pm
Arnold had a crazy calf workout because his calves were lagging as well, i'd suggest finding his workout and trying that one.

ChrisG
03-12-07, 8:07 pm
Just don't make the mistake of overtraining them like I did.. I was waiting on the shower to warm up and just started doing body weight calf raises, wasn't keeping count and ended up doing a shit load because I loved the burn lol.. woke up the next day and couldn't walk.. I've been walking on my tippy toes since Friday.

TufffGuY
03-12-07, 8:20 pm
i hit mine with 5 sets standng claf raise off block in smith machine then 5 sets on leg press REAL SLOOOOW 25-30 reps i do that 3x a week

moreiron
03-13-07, 1:45 am
allright i think this is arnolds calve workout but since its off truly huge.com
i aint sure but here goes Calves:
Standing calf raises 10 x 10
Seated calf raises 8 x 15
Oneplegged calf raises (holding dumbells) 6x12

jblessing1988
03-20-07, 11:43 pm
Calves have a lot of different techniques that different people swear by. Some like low reps (8-10), some like high reps (20-30+) and some are moderate (12-15). Personally I mix up my rep ranges from workout to workout and exercise to exercisel. Also by pyramiding you get the best of all three worlds. By starting with high reps and from there increasing weight through the moderate range and dipping into the the low you will stimulate your calves with all three ranges. Another debate with calves is to train them on leg day or not. I choose to train them on seperate days. I know some like to train them on leg day because the blood is already in the area, however I've never had a problem pumping my calves and my legs are always so dead by the end of leg day that I could not safetly or effectively train my calves with the intensity needed to make them grow. Experiment and see what works for you and let me know.

peanut
03-21-07, 1:27 am
have you ever read the artical writtin by the calf master himself "the house" callde "brand your calves" i read it and tryed some of the stuff it said and it helped i usually train my calves about 2-3 times a week and ive grown alot

NorthernBarbarian
03-21-07, 9:07 am
Walk. Walk everywhere and push off with your calves. I've do this and my calves look massive.

irondoc
03-21-07, 10:26 am
a new one i came up with recently is a variation of donkey raises. Get a dip belt (or a belt with a chain) and load up about three plates, sling it low on your butt and bend over at the squat rack and start pumping out reps. Make sure you stretch good at the bottom and contract hard at the top.

Hollow
03-21-07, 1:15 pm
I've got to try that one irondoc.

Calves can be trained more then once or twice a week and they can be trained "hard". You use these muscles everyday so you need to hit them even harder.

T_N_Muscle
03-21-07, 1:21 pm
I was blessed with the shittiest calve genetics on the planet. Because of that I've tried every insanely painful calve workout I could think up or read about. If you've got any good tips let me know or if you need some let me know.

I was blessed with quite the opposite, in fact, i never train them. they are 16" same as my biceps

Ragnar13
03-21-07, 3:11 pm
Like irondoc mentioned, the dip belt calf raises are awesome. I have noticed a nice change in my calves since I add those to my calf training.

irondoc
03-21-07, 3:43 pm
I was blessed with quite the opposite, in fact, i never train them. they are 16" same as my biceps

ouch!!! that is like getting shot down in front of your buddies!!!

T_N_Muscle
03-21-07, 3:43 pm
ouch!!! that is like getting shot down in front of your buddies!!!
Its ok, im a GIRL..... hahaaaaa

irondoc
03-21-07, 4:03 pm
Its ok, im a GIRL..... hahaaaaa

I know-thats why it was so damn funny!!!

T_N_Muscle
03-21-07, 4:07 pm
I know-thats why it was so damn funny!!!
he he

irondoc
03-21-07, 4:34 pm
Its ok, im a GIRL..... hahaaaaa

by the way, awesome pics on your page, your dedication is something to be admired.

brandonA
03-21-07, 4:46 pm
I too was blessed with nice calves...(sorry) about 17 to 18 inches right now....when i am standing in line, whereever, i do toe lifts...just slowley raise up on to your toes and then back down....plenty of time....we are always in a line some where....
-B

T_N_Muscle
03-21-07, 4:51 pm
by the way, awesome pics on your page, your dedication is something to be admired.

Always nice to be recognized, thank you!!!

feelthepain12
03-21-07, 10:41 pm
I also have some shitty genetics when it comes to calves and I was just wondering how often I should train them. I try to do standing and seated calf raises 2 or 3 times a week, but I also have practice 3x a week and run a lot during that. Any advice?

The TITANIC
03-22-07, 9:57 am
jus wanna know from you bro's what the trick to colossal calves is?

i mean,my lower body is all good besides my calves.
know you've heard this a million times before, but i honestly have tried evrything...from changin routines, exercises to even my diet!
wats the deal...how did you get your calves to be huge?
holla back...

Hollow
03-22-07, 10:26 am
a new one i came up with recently is a variation of donkey raises. Get a dip belt (or a belt with a chain) and load up about three plates, sling it low on your butt and bend over at the squat rack and start pumping out reps. Make sure you stretch good at the bottom and contract hard at the top.

Tried these last night! Awesome, wicked pump...still feeling it today. Thanks for variation on this one.

Mean Machine
03-22-07, 10:56 am
Lots of good stuff in this thread

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=3573

billmd1334
03-22-07, 11:58 am
Search bro... there is actually a good thread about this not too far down

musclealchemist
03-22-07, 12:09 pm
500 hours in the gym to get awesome calves, at least thats what Arnold did

Maccabee
03-22-07, 12:42 pm
Same here guys but recently I gained an inch. I worked them out twice a week with 3 days in between of rest. So if I hit my calves on a sunday I will hit them again Thursday. I did a light day with reps ranging from 20-30, and a heavy day were my reps were 6-15. It worked for me.

BigTex
03-22-07, 6:21 pm
I train mine once a week EXTREMELY HEAVY.... I have 22" (keep in mind I am 6'6") caves But I still like to keep them like every thing else growing... I do smith machine calf raises off a wood step with a deep drop and almost a 2 part rep.. I go up pause and up for a squeeze. I use 6 plates each side and go till I can’t do any more (8-10 reps) about 4 sets....Then I do seated raises in the same fashion… Very heavy and with the 2 part rep.
A leg press is another good place to train them heavy just extend out and do presses with your toes.

I used to have good calves but now I have great calves with years of heavy training. Genetics are tuff but I believe enough time and heavy weight you can make a big difference even with weak genetics.

Brute Strength
03-22-07, 6:33 pm
I also have some shitty genetics when it comes to calves and I was just wondering how often I should train them. I try to do standing and seated calf raises 2 or 3 times a week, but I also have practice 3x a week and run a lot during that. Any advice?

I train mine twice a week, with heavy weights and great calve genetics which really helps alot, and bang big calves, but i stopped training twice a week them for a while because they didn't compliment my quads because they were a little too big.
Try this
-standing calve raises
-seated calve raises
- then take some heavy weights and go on your steps and step up then down, did them in elementary gym class and helps alot now

stumblin54
03-22-07, 6:39 pm
I loaded the Smith Machine up, stood on three stacked plates, and pounded my calves. They grew like weeds after doing five sets a day for two weeks straight, and now I train 'em three times per week. Crazy veins and still crazy pumps. Switch it up though and figure out if it takes high volume or balls heavy weight to induce growth (or both), and once you figure that out attack them. Peace.

Stumblin

jblessing1988
03-23-07, 12:24 am
A calve exercise that is often skipped or missed is reverse raises. It's basically the opposite movement of a normal standing calf raise. Instead of standing on the balls of your feet on a calf block, stand with your heels on the block and the rest of your foot overhanging. Then flex your toes up towards your shins and down again. I prefer to do these at the end of a calf workout with 3x15xbodyweight. Also I prefer to use a narrow calf block(2") that way my heel can drop a little lower and I get a better contraction in my tibialis anterior(muscle in the front of your shin, just to the side of the bone.) This isn't exactly a mass builder but it adds definition to your leg and makes you look a little bigger from the front. There is an actual machine built for this exercise but I've never got the chance to use one.

jblessing1988
03-24-07, 1:44 pm
I also have some shitty genetics when it comes to calves and I was just wondering how often I should train them. I try to do standing and seated calf raises 2 or 3 times a week, but I also have practice 3x a week and run a lot during that. Any advice?

My advice would be to continue training calves at least twice a week. I would schedule them on days you don't have practice because if you train them hard before practice your ability will suffer, and on the other hand I wouldn't train them after practice either because all of that running and such will fatigue your calves making it difficult to properly stimulate them in the gym. So try hitting them on non practice days when you will have plenty of rest both before and after training.

feelthepain12
03-26-07, 5:21 pm
Alright thanks for the advice bros. I'll try it and let you guys know how it works out.

jblessing1988
04-03-07, 11:17 pm
Just though I should let you all know that I am going to build myself a standing calf raise machine. (I've already built a leg press and a squat rack in the shop.) It will be a mix between a plate loaded and lever action. Blueprints are already drawn and I look forward to building it this May.

TheNaturalG
04-03-07, 11:30 pm
No matter what you do for calves I think the stretch at the bottom of exercise is very important.

jblessing1988
04-26-07, 1:46 pm
I know that I've said before that I don't like to train calves on leg day. But on occassion after leg day, if I still have a little energy left, I will hit calves too. With the blood already surging through my legs, I tend to get a descent pump in my calves. Overall I still don't care for calves after legs but mix things up and see if it works well with you.

jblessing1988
04-26-07, 1:52 pm
I had a good calve day today. My routine was back, traps, and calves. I started my routine with calves. Feeling extra pissed at their rebellion to grow I hit them extra hard- 20 sets. Start with toe presses on a 45 degree leg press pyramid up in weight w/ each set. Reps should drop too (15x180,13x270,11x360,10x450,9x495) Superset these with 5 sets of standing bodyweight raises with reps of 10-12 (be sure to get strong contractions, slow drops, and long stretches.) 10 sets done. Next go to the seated calf raise and bang out 5 sets of 10 (I left my weight constant but pyramid if you wish). Superset seated raises with 5 sets of 15 reverse raises. Make sure to stretch thouroughly afterwards and your calves should feel great!

FFmaple16
04-27-07, 12:33 am
i hear ya bro, i have shitty calves too and i work them hardcore 2 days a week. i just started a new calf routine this week and after my first day today i could barely walk out of the gym...

Smith Machine raises(go heavy): 5x12-15
seated raises: 3x30-40 1st set- heavy as hell do 20
2nd set- lighten the load do 30
3rd set- lighten the load alot and hit 40

Reg no weighted calf raises: just do 2 sets of 15-20 so you can get a nice stretch in after all the weight.

hope it helps like i said i hit this about 2 times a week.

jblessing1988
04-28-07, 12:28 am
Check out the James "Flex" Lewis calf training article in the may issue of Flex. His routine is a little different but his calve development is amazing.

Skater51o
06-21-07, 3:33 pm
Haven't seen much talk bout calves. Basically, my calves suck. Wan't to build them up and I've been working on it, but they are still soft. especially the inside. I dont know much about the calves anatomy so idk what part this is but its the part on the inside of the leg. How do you hit those? Also maybe you guys could go over some of your routines? Thanks

afshin
06-21-07, 4:51 pm
You could just search it on google or on these articlesto get a specific answer bro

COLE
06-21-07, 5:02 pm
I have been training calves only once a week lately and they seem to be responding great. I do 4x15 standing calve raises on the Smith Machine on edge of a 3" box superset with seated calve raises 4x15.

Go as heavy as you can without loosing your form. Full stretching all the way down and all the way up with a pause at the top and bottom. If you cant do that then your using to heavy a weight.

I train my calves on chest day rather than leg day as well. Just remember we are all different and what works for one may not work for you. The best thing to do is pick something and stick with it for enough time to see if it is working before changing it up again. I would recommend 4-8 weeks at a time and then change it up a bit until you find something that appears to work best for you.

eblnyc
06-21-07, 6:08 pm
you could always get calf implants lol.

Spikes079
06-21-07, 6:12 pm
I do 3 sets of 12 toe straight 12 toes faced out and 12 toes faced in, this is all one set, then go to seated calf raises for 3x8-12 or calf raises of leg press for the same set and reps. Do this 2-3 times a wekk

rocky36
06-21-07, 6:17 pm
you could always get calf implants lol.

lol i seen a show on mtv that some dude did that

Chin
06-21-07, 7:15 pm
Regardless of what you do... just make sure you get a seated version and a standing version... there are tons of variations of calf exercises. And as some people have pointed out watch your feet positioning... its fairly crucial to a good pump when it comes to calves.

Chin

Skater51o
06-21-07, 7:21 pm
You could just search it on google or on these articlesto get a specific answer bro

Thanks for absolutely no help. Worthless post on your part

As for the rest of you thank you. That should be enough to get me started in the right direction.

Bruiser
06-21-07, 7:30 pm
calves can take a lot of punnishment. before my knee went out I was hitting them three times a week. low reps/high weight, high weight/low reps, toes in, toes out, toes straight. Try a barbell on the ground with small plates on it, sit on a bench in front of it and slide your toes under it, then curl it up with your toes. this will hit the "front: of it where it attaches to your knee.

Maharg
06-21-07, 7:40 pm
It might also be different for you in the fact your calves might need to take high reps to grow or you might need to do low reps to respond. Like one guy said do 4-8 week cycles on calves and a personal tip you might try high reps for 4 weeks then try low reps heavy weight on another 4 week cycle.

billmd1334
06-21-07, 8:06 pm
I have been training calves only once a week lately and they seem to be responding great. I do 4x15 standing calve raises on the Smith Machine on edge of a 3" box superset with seated calve raises 4x15.

Go as heavy as you can without loosing your form. Full stretching all the way down and all the way up with a pause at the top and bottom. If you cant do that then your using to heavy a weight.

I train my calves on chest day rather than leg day as well. Just remember we are all different and what works for one may not work for you. The best thing to do is pick something and stick with it for enough time to see if it is working before changing it up again. I would recommend 4-8 weeks at a time and then change it up a bit until you find something that appears to work best for you.


I've been doing the same thing... except I've been doing 4 x 20... works excellent

gflash77
06-21-07, 8:42 pm
I read under the tip of the week here on the website that any 5 sets of calves every workout helps build up the calves. Tried it for a few weeks, and it worked!

Torque757
06-21-07, 10:35 pm
Go for higher weight -lower reps in the 10-15 range.

girlbdybldr
06-21-07, 11:40 pm
Haven't seen much talk bout calves. Basically, my calves suck. Wan't to build them up and I've been working on it, but they are still soft. especially the inside. I dont know much about the calves anatomy so idk what part this is but its the part on the inside of the leg. How do you hit those? Also maybe you guys could go over some of your routines? Thanks

Basically your calf muscle is called the gastrocnemius, and that consists of two heads the lateral and medial (the medial being the part of the muscle that sticks out on the inside of the lower leg). The soleus muscle lies underneath your gastroc.

Calves like abs, seem to respond to higher reps 15-20 but with heavy weights based on the muscle fibers. They also seem to grow better with more frequent training. However everyone is different so find out what works best for you.

Include standing and donkey raises ... note seated calf raises works the soleus muscle.

Dingo
06-22-07, 12:39 am
dont bounce off the bottom. deliberate contractions and stretches, no hopping like when you jump rope.

the-craig
06-22-07, 7:56 am
you should try a 100rep set on standin calves raises and 1 or 2 heavier sets of 10-15reps before that, my calves hav grown an inch in a month

Nulllogik
06-22-07, 10:50 am
I do seated calf raises and calf raises on the leg press machine.

I keep my reps low and weight high, then do a high rep set at the end, or do cardio.

On the leg press, i will put 4 plates on each side, do 15-20 and add a plate each side each set till i cant get 6.

Slow up, hold, slow down , hold.

I do that at least twice a week.

Though i would like to hit the lateral head more...

G Diesel
06-22-07, 11:30 am
I've made the best gains from a calf persepective hitting them 2-3 times per week with 5-10 sets per session and utilizing dropsets and other intensity techiniques, like going left, right and then doing both feet simultaneously on raises without rest in between. Blast your calves with both high reps and heavy weights and do so frequently and they'll definitely grow. Peace, G

krazyassmexican
06-22-07, 11:33 am
Brand Those Calves
by The House

I'm the new kid on the block here at Animalpak.com. People call me "The House". As this is my first article, I decided to write about something that I know a little bit about... Calves. Let's face it, we all want to be a freak, an Animal. Everyone has a different picture in their mind of what this means, but it all starts from the ground up in my mind. So when I picture a freak, I see a bodybuilder with some big as bull calves--and that's no bullshit. All great bodybuilders have awesome calves. Big calves are rare and hard to find and unless you know the right calf workout, you may never find them. So I am going to show you how to jump start your calves “The House” way.

Sculpting
When you want to increase the size or shape of a body part, you must prioritize that body part. This is called “sculpting”. The first thing you need to do is evaluate your calves... Yeah, so take a good hard look in the mirror and find those sticks you call calves. There are many different types of calves. Different types of calves need different forms of sculpting. If the calf fairy gave you real high skinny calves, you need to do different exercises than those with the long, no shape calves.

You can sculpt your calves by doing different exercises, and different training routines. There are three main muscles of the calf that we can work on to make your calves take shape and take off. So the next time you hit the stage or the local gym you will break some necks with a double take at those freaky basketballs you are packing in your pants.

Soleus & Gastrocmenius
The base part of your calf is your soleus. The soleus muscle is the big muscle right behind the ball part of your calf muscle. This muscle is engaged when the knees are bent around ninety degrees. If you have the high calf syndrome you want to blast the soleus muscle. Doing this will build up the lower portion of the calf--making those calves not as high looking and appearing bigger. The best exercise for the soleus is the seated calf raise.

The next focus of the calf is the gastrocmenius which has two heads the medial and lateral heads. This part of the calf is known as the ball of the calf. This is the area we all hit the most when doing calves. This muscle works the most when the knee is straight or at a slight bend. If your calf is long with no shape you need to work this area the most. This will give your calf some shape at the top giving you a tapered look in the calf.

To hit the different heads of the gastroc, all you have to do is change feet position. To focus on the medial head, put your heels together and feet pointing out. The lateral point feet in and heals out. The best exercise for the gastroc is the standing calf raise. Now the most neglected part of the calf is the anterior tibia--the front or shin. Training this part of the calf will give thickness. This is achieved when doing a reverse calf raise. Hitting these different parts of the calves will give you a well balanced calf.

Offseason
When I do my calf training I hit it with different types of intensities and routines. All this just depends on what I want to do with them. If I am in the offseason, my calf training will differ from precontest calf training. Let's talk about offseason calf routines, since this is how we get those calves to be mass monsters. In the bulk portion of my off season I train my calves twice a week. I believe you can train your calves more often because it is a dense muscle group.

The calf is usually a stubborn muscle group that needs extra work to grow. In the off season I train my gastrocs with quads and hamstrings usually after my upper leg workout. I usually try and get six sets on this day, mainly focusing on mass by using heavy weight, full range of motion, and a slow pace. My pace in the offseason is a two count on the positive and a four count on the negative. I do two different exercises at three sets each keeping my reps at the twelve to fifteen range. From expereince, I've found that my calves respond best to higher reps.

When I do a set it is to failure--there should be no other way if you want them to grow. My choice of exercises on this day would be calf raises on a leg press or standing in a squat rack with a block under my feet. My second calf workout in this off season routine would be with arms. Again I do my calves at the end of this workout. This day I will focus on the soleus and the anterior part of the calf. I keep the reps, sets, and intensity the same just choosing different exercises and using a faster pace.

The exercises I prefer would be the seated calf raise and the reverse calf raise. When I do my reverse calf raise I do them on the leg press. One thing to watch for when doing this exercise is make sure your heels don't slip off the sled. When you try this exercise make sure you go lighter than the regular calf raise. I have to do about one fourth the weight I would use for the regular calf raise. On the regular calf raise I can do around 2000 pounds for three sets of fifteen reps.

Precontest
Now for the precontest period, my calf training is totally different. When I am getting ready for a show, I hit my calves every other day, alternating days with my abs. So I do all parts of the calves every other day. I choose one exercise per part and hit it hard with only two sets each. I do each set to failure trying to set the weight so I can get around 100 to 150 reps per set.

When you do this right you should not be able to walk out of the gym without a limp. Precontest you are also doing cardio work which hits your calves. Doing this should rip your calves up and show the hard work you put in the off season pushing all that heavy weight. Calf training works differently for everyone, so you have to experiment to see what works for you. But this is what I do for my 24” cows.

Riesjs
06-22-07, 1:05 pm
We are on our feet for the most part of the day. You need to shock them.....I train them 2-3x a week (tot. +100 reps). Full ROM, dont bounce, and change up the exercises, standing smith, leg press, seated, bent......

Shadow
06-22-07, 1:22 pm
Variety bro!! Hit them with different exercises and multiple angles...feet straight, feet out, feet in. Get a killer squeeze on each rep and go as heavy as you can while keeping that form strict with plenty of sets!

ace
06-27-07, 6:29 am
hey ya'll .. well i've got a major problem.. which is my calves, they're not big.. infact they're not even shaped.. soo what's the point in going to the beach if you're not gonna be topless in your shorts? how can i make them bigger... ?
thanks

hjayss
06-27-07, 7:02 am
Please use the search option there is a ton of stuff on calves and we dont wanna start a whole new thread on this ...

feelthepain12
06-27-07, 11:32 am
You could also try searching the site itself. Here's an article I found by the House, someone who definitely knows a thing or 2 about big calves.

http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=311&section=training

Big-K
02-07-08, 11:19 am
yo bros!!

for calves do you recomend, high reps or lower?
which on is for size?

what do you think about workout calves 3 day straigth and 4 rest?

krazyassmexican
02-07-08, 11:21 am
calves are a bad ass muscle to train man

you can train them everyday if you want
low reps heavy weight
high reps light weight
super sets
drop sets
giant sets

you name it
your calves love it all

live2lift
02-07-08, 11:24 am
yo bros!!

for calves do you recomend, high reps or lower?
which on is for size?

what do you think about workout calves 3 day straigth and 4 rest?

I have actually tried both reps schemes for calves and gotten pretty good results. It is going to depend on what works well for you. Give both a try for one month each and then evaluate which one worked better...or just use both and periodically switch the reps you use.

I don't think calves can be worked as much as you are asking and fully recover. If you did something like what you are asking you almost surely wouldn't get the full developement you desire. I don't see a problem with working calves 3 times a week but do it on non consecutive days so that they can recover. Remember you do not grow in the gym. Peace

Polish Prince
02-07-08, 11:49 am
i know house likes to do a thing where he does 30 regular and then turns them out for 30 and turns them in for 30. quite a burn.

most people know there are 2 calf muscles and u need to do both stand up and sit down to hit both of them. try hittin 4 sets of 25 on each. i like to do my stand ups on the leg press though to take any pressure off ur back.

start out training once a week untill u dont feel the burn. then can try twice a week. if u dont see improvement i talked to machine last year at the arnolds and he trains them everytime he's in the gym.

if you stop growing then take a week or 2 off from working them then go back to once a week.


basically different things work for different people. just experiment!

Mr.Hardcore98
02-07-08, 9:57 pm
make sure you are getting the strech and teh bottom and the top

RoboRob
02-25-08, 10:22 pm
I have heard that getting large calves is a simple matter of genetics and I have also heard that small calves are just a product of little stimulation or too much connective tissue. I think it is not enough training. So I am wondering what would be the best protocol to turn the "calves into cows."

Riesjs
02-25-08, 10:24 pm
as much friggen weight as you can handle with complete full range of motion, pause at the bottom, and pause at the top. dont lift like you are the pistons in a car

Elite
02-25-08, 10:26 pm
House also swears by hittin his cows with high reps, from various angles (toes pointing in/out/straight). And when i say reps, im talkin up to 100.

Riesjs
02-25-08, 10:27 pm
i call 'em Century Sets
you will do 100 reps no matter how many sets it takes you

pmug0000
02-26-08, 2:24 am
Switching up foot position helps too. Try doing 35 with toes pointed in, 35 toes out, and 35 toes straight. That is one set.
Do a few of those standing, then a few seated, and those cows will be mooing like a motherfucker.

krazyassmexican
02-26-08, 8:48 am
the house once told me, rep the weights until you start crying.........

ttp://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/data/500/medium/calves55.jpg

Cstlfx
02-26-08, 8:52 am
as much friggen weight as you can handle with complete full range of motion, pause at the bottom, and pause at the top. dont lift like you are the pistons in a car

This is a great technique. Arnold said he used to stretch all the way down until he though he was going to cramp, then push all the way up until he thought he would cramp. Just remember its how much weight you can handle with great form. Without the form, it wont work properly.

jer
02-26-08, 8:57 am
I feel your pain bro. My calves are real high and look damn small for my frame.

I'm going with a heavy day once a week and a super high rep day a few days later. I figure what I've been doing hasn't cut it, so what not try both said approaches to see what happens. They can't get much worse.

calcaneous
02-26-08, 10:13 am
i have 19 inch solid calves and im 5,7 My friends call me "Animal Calves" because of my love of animal products and the fact that my calves are my best feature. I love calves, idk, everyone wants a big chest and big arms, etc. but when you walk into the gym and it looks like you cant wear tight jeans, thats when you know you are dealing with an animal.

i hit them three times a week.
after these:
chest/legs/arms

i do seated calves on chest and arms, because after legs, my quads hurt way too much to have a bar on top of them.

i go heavy between 12-15 reps, full range of motion, after the last rep i hold the top contraction for 20 seconds, and then a full stretch at the bottom for another 20 seconds.

on leg day, i mainly do leg press calves, because im already doing leg press, and its easier. The most i did with a full strech was around 6 plates on each side. i couldnt walk right the next day.

if you treat your calves like any other muslce, they will grow, you just need to hit them hard, VERY hard, they are used to getting hit all day when you walk and go upstairs, remember, each time you walk, your entire bodyweight is supported by one leg, so the calves are used to getting hit with "high reps", you just need to make sure that you hit them very hard in the gym, to the point of crying. Yes, half way through a drop set, i started to cry. Im not ashamed of that, becausei i know the people that looked at me with weird looks have nothing on me.

MassMan
02-26-08, 6:46 pm
i have 19 inch solid calves and im 5,7 My friends call me "Animal Calves" because of my love of animal products and the fact that my calves are my best feature. I love calves, idk, everyone wants a big chest and big arms, etc. but when you walk into the gym and it looks like you cant wear tight jeans, thats when you know you are dealing with an animal.

i hit them three times a week.
after these:
chest/legs/arms

i do seated calves on chest and arms, because after legs, my quads hurt way too much to have a bar on top of them.

i go heavy between 12-15 reps, full range of motion, after the last rep i hold the top contraction for 20 seconds, and then a full stretch at the bottom for another 20 seconds.

on leg day, i mainly do leg press calves, because im already doing leg press, and its easier. The most i did with a full strech was around 6 plates on each side. i couldnt walk right the next day.

if you treat your calves like any other muslce, they will grow, you just need to hit them hard, VERY hard, they are used to getting hit all day when you walk and go upstairs, remember, each time you walk, your entire bodyweight is supported by one leg, so the calves are used to getting hit with "high reps", you just need to make sure that you hit them very hard in the gym, to the point of crying. Yes, half way through a drop set, i started to cry. Im not ashamed of that, becausei i know the people that looked at me with weird looks have nothing on me.

LIke Cal, I also have bery big calves. I was blessed with great calves because they measured 15" when I began hardcore trainin', bout 2 yrs ago. Anyways, hit them heavy and hard. I train calves twice a week and I use heavy weight and high reps. Try experimenting with rep ranges. Sometimes, I will do as much as 30 sets for calves, other times, 3 of the most intense leg press calves I can do without crushing my shins. It all works, but not all the time. Experiment and the gains will come given your diet is good and you are not overtraining them. Hope this helps. Good luck with your calf training.

Oatmeal Killa
04-02-08, 10:09 pm
Yo man, i need some help with the calve work, any suggestions, tips or workouts would be great! I'm really just trying to get them bigger so should i do high reps or low reps im still questioning that as well, so any comments would be great! thanks man

krazyassmexican
04-02-08, 10:09 pm
did anybody say calves?

heavy weights bro and rep till you cry!

Torque757
04-02-08, 10:48 pm
Yo man, i need some help with the calve work, any suggestions, tips or workouts would be great! I'm really just trying to get them bigger so should i do high reps or low reps im still questioning that as well, so any comments would be great! thanks man

low reps(8-12) then finish up with a couple of high rep sets, 20-30. And a tip I just picked up from prowrestler, balls of the feet on the platform and keep toes pointed up for a better contraction. Paus at bottom and top, and slow negative.

wsuiron
04-02-08, 10:59 pm
it all depends on the person but i had a lot of trouble putting on mass with my calves. Only after i started using a very slow negative portion of the rep did i see good results. Go with a 3 or 4 second negative portion of the rep and be sure to squeeze at the top. Mix up your training with heavy and light days, on light days going as high as 50 reps with perfect form.

krazyassmexican
04-02-08, 11:01 pm
it all depends on the person but i had a lot of trouble putting on mass with my calves. Only after i started using a very slow negative portion of the rep did i see good results. Go with a 3 or 4 second negative portion of the rep and be sure to squeeze at the top. Mix up your training with heavy and light days, on light days going as high as 50 reps with perfect form.

agreed the negative is very important
sometimes i like to punish my calves this way
i take like 5 seconds to raise them, pause and like another 5seconds on the negative 15reps of those and i am crampin

NickSP
04-02-08, 11:06 pm
should i do high reps or low reps

Both, I firmly believe in hitting the body in all different ways. Though I will say I sort of believe in high weight for calves....someone once pointed out that with all the walking we do (well, some of us...) our calves are incredibly well-adapted to "high reps" with bodyweight, so yeah even though probably 90% of guys on here love high reps, I'm gonna say try hittin em heavy and hard, with pretty low volume. Calves are something I also like to focus on getting a good stretch at the bottom and holding a full contraction at the top, this does of course get harder to do with the heavy weight, but try and mix the two as much as possible. Try hitting em once a week...try hitting em twice.

sanga
04-03-08, 3:58 am
Twice a week, once heavy with low reps and then again later in the week heavy still but with higher reps.

XTRM
04-03-08, 5:07 am
I would hit them once a week, go heavy and with only 5 second rests in between each set. Reduce the weight as you go with only 5 second rest, kills your calves.

simpleguy
04-03-08, 5:35 am
I never concern about my calves yet they are probably my best body part

I think some people overtrain their calves... considering on how much you walk, the type of cardio you do they already get some stimulation (in some cases too much)

me - I could have pretty big calves even if I don't train them

but I do hit'em once a week... sometimes I do high reps, other times low reps and heavy weights, other times I focus on negatives or do some rest-paused sets and so on

ionacht
04-03-08, 8:49 am
I never concern about my calves yet they are probably my best body part

I think some people overtrain their calves... considering on how much you walk, the type of cardio you do they already get some stimulation (in some cases too much)

me - I could have pretty big calves even if I don't train them

but I do hit'em once a week... sometimes I do high reps, other times low reps and heavy weights, other times I focus on negatives or do some rest-paused sets and so on

Same for me. My calves have been my least trained part but still look pretty good IMHO:) For me I have been adding in BB calf raises between drop sets of squats for 5-8 heavy reps. I don't have really evidence to back this up but it seems to me like it helps hit any supporting muscles as well since it's much easier to take the weight side-to-side as you are going up compared to the calf raise machine.

sanga
04-03-08, 9:16 am
Interesting reading above about doing calf raises after each set of squats, this is something I may incorprate into my leg routine as I have added shrugs at the end of each deadlift set as per advice from Tiny and it works, maybe the same will work with calfs if I do as many as possible at the end of each squat and hack squat.

I`ll let you know.

Gazzara
04-04-08, 6:26 pm
Walk. Walk everywhere and push off with your calves. I've do this and my calves look massive.

My calves have always looked better than my arms, and have grown bigger over the last 10 years. Part of it is genetic. When my father was in his eighties and weighed only about 130, his calves still looked good. The potential for calf improvement probably depends a lot on the genetically dictated length of your calf muscle, just like your biceps. You can develop each muscle wider, but not really longer.

And as the Northern Barbarian pointed out, walking helps. I used to walk for several miles at a time with 15 pounds on each ankle and 90 on my back. Not the same power as calf raises with 500 pounds, but much more volume. Maybe the calves need a lot more volume to grow since they are conditioned by carrying your body weight every day. It's probobly easier to stimulate muscles that are not worked hard in every day use.

MassMan
04-04-08, 7:54 pm
On the negative portion of each rep, get a deeeeeep stretch and press with as much force you can without cheating and stretch them after every set..... I've been doing this wor a while and my calves both measure 20.3' as of today....

BrotherInArms
04-04-08, 8:30 pm
House's attached article reads like sweet poetry to me. My calves are shit and I've been trying to get them as big as my neck and bis.

mde42k
04-06-08, 9:49 pm
I've been trying for a while to find a way to get my calves to respond and finally heavy weight 10-12 rep range does it. My soleus also responds alot better to heavy weight low reps. What works for you, I'm just curious.

krazyassmexican
04-06-08, 9:52 pm
I've been trying for a while to find a way to get my calves to respond and finally heavy weight 10-12 rep range does it. My soleus also responds alot better to heavy weight low reps. What works for you, I'm just curious.

i dont really know what works for me cuz i never do the same thought i got some insane size and cuts that earned me to get the steroid finger pointed at me

prowrestler
04-06-08, 9:56 pm
i dont really know what works for me cuz i never do the same thought i got some insane size and cuts that earned me to get the steroid finger pointed at me

me too( minus the size and cuts)

fuck my calves are shit.

what works is time and detication and food. i think if you keep at it for along time, your calves will grow. i use to treat calves with no respect. now they have their own day.

matter of years before they are big.

mchik
04-06-08, 9:59 pm
Mine seem to be doing good. I hit them twice a week, 4 sets each day with moderate reps.

BryanSmash!
04-06-08, 10:29 pm
I hit mine once a week with higher reps and drop sets. There is no magic number of reps that works for everyone however. But I have found that bad form is the root cause of most peoples poor calf development. A good rule of thumb is to take every rep to the bottom and pause before you contract, squeezing at the top. No bouncing.
Also, Ive found that higher reps (15-30 range) work best for most people because of the muscle fiber make-up of calves.
I like to use the 45 degree leg press machine for my calf raises. This simulates the donkey raise and works well in place of having a couple of guys sit on you back.

Vaze_06
04-16-08, 10:55 pm
i was wondering... it,s really interesting all the difference techniques to use to get your calves bigger.... but what can we call big or small calves??! is there an average or something like that?

i measured mine today and they were 16'1/2 inch getting close to 17' inch... is that big calves for a women??!

Survivor831
04-16-08, 11:24 pm
On the standing Calf Raise (or smith machine), do 5 strict reps followed by a 5 sec. hold in the contracted position. Repeat this four more times until you do a total of 25 reps. That is one set. Do this a total of four times, resting for about 45 sec. in between sets. Next, do three sets of heavy seated calf Raises for no more than 8 reps.

MassMan
04-17-08, 6:43 pm
i was wondering... it,s really interesting all the difference techniques to use to get your calves bigger.... but what can we call big or small calves??! is there an average or something like that?

i measured mine today and they were 16'1/2 inch getting close to 17' inch... is that big calves for a women??!

16 1/2 inch calves for a woman is very respectable. Looks like you're doing good work.

Vaze_06
04-17-08, 7:26 pm
16 1/2 inch calves for a woman is very respectable. Looks like you're doing good work.

hmm thanks bro =)
but respectable?! i don'T want respectable... i want freaky, shape, big calves!...
so i'll keep on hitting them hard;p

MassMan
04-17-08, 8:51 pm
hmm thanks bro =)
but respectable?! i don'T want respectable... i want freaky, shape, big calves!...
so i'll keep on hitting them hard;p

In time, sis... you'll be like a female version of The House!!! Good Lord!!! Gotta step up my game!!

Nihility
04-19-08, 12:53 am
i havent quite "grown" into my calves yet, as im only 18, but they get bigger every week. my dad has FREAKISH calves and hes never lifted a day in his life.

like.. nearly as large as the ones in the "squat till you puke" poster. (when hes flexing them)


but for someone whos only done long-distance biking cause he lived in the city and had to bike 10 miles to work, and he was a pitcher in baseball.. thats all he did for activity. is very impressive.

ill have to ask him to let me take a picture sometime...


example: he has to get custom molded ski boots cause his calves are so large!
i hope i have his calve genes.. mine are pretty big for my size, but nothing like his :P


we measured them once, there were around 19", with pretty much no body fat (hes not ripped, hes just not fat :P)
he even said they used to be bigger (understandable since he hasnt used them in years) when he was in his 20's/30's

SickBeast
04-20-08, 1:43 am
i havent quite "grown" into my calves yet, as im only 18, but they get bigger every week. my dad has FREAKISH calves and hes never lifted a day in his life.

like.. nearly as large as the ones in the "squat till you puke" poster. (when hes flexing them)


but for someone whos only done long-distance biking cause he lived in the city and had to bike 10 miles to work, and he was a pitcher in baseball.. thats all he did for activity. is very impressive.

ill have to ask him to let me take a picture sometime...


example: he has to get custom molded ski boots cause his calves are so large!
i hope i have his calve genes.. mine are pretty big for my size, but nothing like his :P


we measured them once, there were around 19", with pretty much no body fat (hes not ripped, hes just not fat :P)
he even said they used to be bigger (understandable since he hasnt used them in years) when he was in his 20's/30's

thats crazy bro it's the same shit with me. my dad has INSANE calves, their fuckin cows. I have very low calves, almost to my ankles,and they're big, about 18'' but I never trained them, have started to do so this week...they're sore haha. but mine look small compared to my dads, it's disgusting

Lift4Life
04-21-08, 8:17 pm
I to have terrible genetics when it comes to my calves but the following two different routines have helped.

Standing calf raises, 10 sets, all sets performed as drop sets with 30 second rest in between each set. Start with a heavy weight that causes you to fail around 15 reps and with each successive set, drop the weight accordingly staying in the same rep range. That is from Charles Poliquin.

Another routine that I have done with success is tri sets, starting again with Standing Calf Raises for 15-20 reps following by free standing calf raises off a block and then followed right up with free standing calf raises flat footed. Both of those are done to failure. Thank Flex Lewis for that one.

airborneIRON
07-15-08, 11:01 pm
one thing that i've found really works is staggered sets. i'll do calf sets through out a workout. after a set of bench, shrugs, anything. by the end of the workout i've got 10 sets in (5 calf press leverage machine, 5 seated calf raise) and then i do 3 final sets super heavy. i've gotten some good growth out of em.

prowrestler
07-16-08, 2:18 am
up training frequency, 2-3 times a week one being all out hardcore and leaving the other 2 as pumping days.

up the weight weekly. make them have a purpose to grow.

gain overal weight. by becoming heavier, your calves will grow to cope with carrying your extra heavy body around all day long.

higher reps mainly but include heavier sets with looow reps.

every so often do a marathon set. (lasts the duration of the workout) i have completed a 45 minute set of calf raises. sucked but it sounds harder then what it is. just stay on that block and keep repping it out.

extreme stretching

CMChristich
07-16-08, 8:54 am
ever sense I was little I would walk more on my toes, my legs now are fuckin huge all together.

martylavender
07-27-08, 12:33 pm
I picked up the newest issue of MD the other day, and was looking at the article about Jeff Long. The pictures of his calves were unbeleivable.

I feel I was somewhat genetically gifted to have already pretty good sized calves (I need to get an exact measurement on this), but I want to know what I should be doing to get them as chissled as his are.

atrain11b
07-27-08, 12:41 pm
This article may not answer your question directly in relation to Jeff Long himself, but let me say, its a good read for the guy looking for bigger better calves. I have seen improvement by hanging onto House's words from this one:Brand Those Calves (http://www.animalpak.com/html/article_details.cfm?ID=311&section=training)

martylavender
07-27-08, 12:50 pm
Good read

When I do seated calf raises, should I be doing them fast? Should I slow with more control? if I do them fast of course I start to feel a burn. If I do them slow it takes forever to feel a burn.

Maybe I should be adding more weight to them. I only do them with around 90 lbs right now.

atrain11b
07-27-08, 12:56 pm
Funny you asked this, I am researching calves as we speak. Here is what I think *note this is a quote from someone else, but he sums this up very well, so I copy and pasted it here:


"A missed concept of growing the calves is the eccentric contraction.

Not the push up, but the lowering down phase in calf raises is crucial to growing calves.

Next time you are doing calf raises, slow down your lowering phase to about 4 seconds. Eccentric contractions (lowering, breaking, slowing) cause much more microtrauma in muscles than concentric contractions (pushing up). And as we all know, microtrauma is the basis of muscular hypertrophy (growth).

There are numerous studies that show that eccentric contractions cause more microtrauma (little tears in muscles) than concentric contractions. These tears heal up, bigger and stronger as an adaptation.

So next time you do calf raises, or whatever calf exercises, remember to really slow down the lowering phase (eccentric contraction), this will really get your calves growing."

I honestly agree with this concept, ever since I slowed my raise down, I have notice a greater burn with less weight.

Giant Killer
07-27-08, 2:30 pm
You know, I saw an interesting quote last night in MD that I think rings true for a lot of guys. Paraphrased- "Lot's of guys with huge calves hardly train them at all, and lot's of guys with weak calves train them intensely to bring them up." I think this is pretty true for calves as they seem to be a genetic blessing or curse. I have always had trouble catching my arms up to my calves (I want them to be similar in size for symmetry' sake) and haven't really trained them hard but they're genetic.

I think the best thing you can do is train completely, for both the soleus and gastrocenemius (sp) muscles, to do this you must train calves both with legs bent at a 45 degree angle, eg. Seated Calf Raise, and legs straight, eg. Leg Press Toe Raise/Donkey Calf Raise, or Standing Calf Raise. Keeping the bases covered is the best you can do.

DEADn
07-27-08, 2:46 pm
Interesting, this is what Dante Trudell advocates. Raise about 5 seconds and then lower and keep the stretch up to 15 seconds. Do about 12-15 reps of these and see how long you last. I have been doing these and I have notice a change in my calves.

Littlefry
07-27-08, 3:23 pm
check out "the houses" calves in the MD video interview of him they are disgusting to say the least. In a good way.

ralf_snake
07-27-08, 3:42 pm
Brand Those Calves
by The House

On the regular calf raise I can do around 2000 pounds for three sets of fifteen reps.


WUT?

martylavender
07-27-08, 3:58 pm
Today is not my leg day so I will let yall know how it goes for me come Friday. Today however is a nice heavy chest day.

stolzenator
07-27-08, 6:26 pm
i like really high reps for calves, upwards of 30.

Another workout I like consists of doing sets of 15, with 15 seconds rest between them. I do this for as many sets as I possibly can. It works pretty well for a wide range of calf exercises.

lespaul59
07-27-08, 10:57 pm
After seeing The House's calves I have to bring my calves up. What is his calf routine?

airborneIRON
07-29-08, 9:20 am
you don't have to do calves only on leg days. i do them 4 to 5 times a week and i've gotten results. i always had stringy wimpy skinny guy calves. i was hitting them only on leg days and with high reps (20-25) at the very end of my workout. over the past few months i've been hitting them throughout the week with heavy weight and lower reps (10-12). i do stagger sets during my workout (that's when you do a set of calves after a set of anything else or just after a particular exercise is complete) of both seated calf raises and calf presses on a hammer strenth leverage machine. then i get a few more sets in at the end of my workout. its been working well. as far as speed and stretch, i don't try to get my toes to touch my shins. i can feel the pressure release from my calves at that point and go straight to my achilles, and that's not what i'm trying to work. i lower my heel about two or three inches below the ball of my foot and then push it as high as i can and hold the contraction for a two count. when i don't do stagger sets (which is on legs day) i do calves in the middle of my workout and i superset seated raises and calf presses. make sure you're really stretching them out well after every set. keeps the blood flowing.

MrMonday
07-29-08, 11:03 pm
I think it is a mistake for people to think of their calves differently from other muscle groups.

You can do all of the specialized calf routines you want, and you can follow whoever's calf routine that has big calves, but none of this is going to replace what will actually put mass on your lower leg...

Gain 50lbs of bodyweight and triple the amount of weight you can use on a standing calf raise (smith machine, shoulder pad machine, leg press calf press, doesn't matter..), and then tell us your calves are still small.

Whatever routine/method is going to get you from point A (where you are now) to that point B described above the fastest, is going to be the quickest way to add mass to your calves.

cools
01-25-09, 11:11 am
my calves wont get bigger

futurefreak101
01-25-09, 11:27 am
my calves wont get bigger

come on bro what kinda post is this........

Giant Killer
01-25-09, 11:53 am
Good to know?

If you do want them to get bigger, I'm assuming, I'm sure there's plenty of info you could find on this forum to get them going.

futurefreak101
01-25-09, 11:59 am
judging by your thread and your post count im gonna assume your trolling.
but what is your calf routine?

prowrestler
01-25-09, 1:01 pm
my calves wont get bigger

then wear pants

Giant Killer
01-25-09, 1:26 pm
judging by your thread and your post count im gonna assume your trolling.
but what is your calf routine?

I don't think he's trolling, just maybe hasn't mastered the subtelties of explanation.

prowrestler
01-25-09, 1:31 pm
k this thread is a joke, i vote on moveing it to our old, big ass calve thread...OR simply deleting it.

and i reccomend useing the search button.

Lawnmower Man
01-25-09, 1:33 pm
there is a great calf workout someone posted on here. search for it for all the details but it is something to the effect of do 1 set of 75, take as many breaks as you need to get 75, but your breaks can't be any longer than 10 secs. great workout, my calves have grown and so have my workout partners since doing this.

MojoMike36
01-25-09, 8:38 pm
Calves are calves, grow them in any way shape or form. Some of this is just getting far to scientific for me. I just blast mine with heavy weights and high reps. It never fails.

Changing frequency is also something that really works.

pmug0000
01-25-09, 10:22 pm
I've been setting aside a day where I just blast the shit out of my calves for about the past 5-6 weeks, and I'm already noticing a difference. The workouts usually include incline plate-loaded calf press, seated plate-loaded calf raise, standing calf raises and reverse calf raises. I mix in some lighter, high rep sets along with some heavy low rep sets and it is definitely paying off.

Dingo
01-26-09, 4:35 pm
you can also walk/run uphill/on an inclined treadmill for a good pump. i normally have to get the incline to a 4.0 on the treadmill to start to feel it.

music_man185
05-22-10, 1:01 pm
my calves are seriously lacking, but mostly due to my neglecting them. i would really like to build them up. my calf routine used to just be a couple sets of smith machine standing calf raises with my feet pointed straight.

the other day i decided to mix it up a little bit.
Standing Calf Raises Feet Straight: 3x10
Standing Calf Raises Feet Pointed Out: 3x10
Seated Calf Raises: 3x10
Leg Press Calf Raises Feet Straight: 3x20 (fast burnout)
Leg Press Calf Raises Feet Pointed Out: 3x20 (fast burnout)

i tried to do raises with my feet pointing inward, but for some reason, i felt a lot of strain on my knee. so i didn't do them. with the exception of the leg press calf raises (which were fast burnouts), all movements were slow and squeezed at the top before going back down. however after all these sets, my calves hardly felt pumped and the day after, i felt nothing. not sore at all. anyone see something i'm doing wrong? or is it usual for your calves to not be sore or pumped?

ontheEDGE
05-22-10, 2:24 pm
Check out this article. I've started using it and seen some results. I don't do the 4 sets of 100 though, I do 1 set then cardio, and on the other day use 30 sec between sets of 8.
http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/weighttrainingprinciples/a/calftraining.htm

Legacy
05-22-10, 3:22 pm
I keep my feet straight during all calf movements. If I changed direction, I always change where the stress is on my toes (outside or inside of toes, i never point my feet out or in). I have very high inserted calfs therefore, the only thing I really do for them is seated calf raises and it worked really good. I usually do about 10 sets reps varying. I superset these with reverse raises to hit the front part of my calf.

Cellardweller
05-22-10, 3:26 pm
I have a problem of walking on my toes. Been doing that all my life and everyone says I have Popeye calves. I never train them. The downside is now I have flat feet.

When you do leg presses you can point your toes at the end of the movement to incorporate your calves.

FewL4no1
05-22-10, 5:52 pm
Music_man-

I have done this for my calves for years and it has always worked for me:

Standing calf raises:
1x20, (decrease weight) 1x30, (decrease weight) 1x40

Standing toe raises:
3x15-10

Seated calf raises:
3x15-10

The standing calf raises absolutely fry you calves, making the next two exercises lotsa fun ;) If you try this, lemme know how you like it.

Hard Cell
05-22-10, 7:34 pm
my calves are seriously lacking, but mostly due to my neglecting them. i would really like to build them up. my calf routine used to just be a couple sets of smith machine standing calf raises with my feet pointed straight.

the other day i decided to mix it up a little bit.
Standing Calf Raises Feet Straight: 3x10
Standing Calf Raises Feet Pointed Out: 3x10
Seated Calf Raises: 3x10
Leg Press Calf Raises Feet Straight: 3x20 (fast burnout)
Leg Press Calf Raises Feet Pointed Out: 3x20 (fast burnout)

i tried to do raises with my feet pointing inward, but for some reason, i felt a lot of strain on my knee. so i didn't do them. with the exception of the leg press calf raises (which were fast burnouts), all movements were slow and squeezed at the top before going back down. however after all these sets, my calves hardly felt pumped and the day after, i felt nothing. not sore at all. anyone see something i'm doing wrong? or is it usual for your calves to not be sore or pumped?

Brother, you see, calves is a stubborn muscle.
Do high reps with heavy weights, 40-100 reps.
for me, i usually supersets or dropsets all my calves exercise til failure.
i wont be able to work properly after doing calves.


Btw did you lock your knees? dont lock it, bend it a little.
i do that.
so far it works.

music_man185
05-22-10, 7:42 pm
thanks guys. lots of good advice. i found a pretty good article on bodybuilding.com. it explains the difference in the fast and slow twitch fiber muscles in the calf. similar to the article ontheEDGE posted.

the article says that the Gastrocnemius should be trained with high weight, low reps. the Soleus should be trained with lower weight, high reps.

an example of a workout it gives is something like this
Monday:
Standing Raises - heavy poundage - 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises - light poundage - 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises - light poundage - 4 sets of 10 repetitions

Wednesday:
Donkey Raise - heavy poundage - 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises - light poundage - 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises - moderate poundage - 3 sets of 8 repetitions
Rebound Training - 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Friday:
Leg Press Calf Raises - heavy poundage - 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises - light poundage - 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises - light poundage - 4 sets of 10 repetitions

any of you guys do anything similar to this with any success?

music_man185
05-22-10, 7:47 pm
I have done this for my calves for years and it has always worked for me:

Standing calf raises:
1x20, (decrease weight) 1x30, (decrease weight) 1x40

i used to do something like that. it definitely burns! i may incorporate it back into my calf training.


Btw did you lock your knees? dont lock it, bend it a little.
i do that.
so far it works.

i do lock my knees on standing raises. not leg press calf raises. the article i read said that when you keep a bend in your knees on standing raises, it works the soleus, not the Gastrocnemius. i dont know if it makes a difference though.

Hard Cell
05-22-10, 7:55 pm
i used to do something like that. it definitely burns! i may incorporate it back into my calf training.



i do lock my knees on standing raises. not leg press calf raises. the article i read said that when you keep a bend in your knees on standing raises, it works the soleus, not the Gastrocnemius. i dont know if it makes a difference though.

Not everyone's physiques can be written in theory or books.
Everyone is different, i suggest you try, and figure which work the best for you :)
Might work for me doesnt mean it'll work for you :)
Try and feel it for yourself bro.
Feel which part of your calves worked with every exercise.
Fix a routine based on what you want to achieve :)

music_man185
05-22-10, 8:10 pm
your totally right bro.

found another article on animalpak.com that suggests two different superset exercises.
5 sets of Seated Calf Raises for 40 reps, supersetted with Leg Press Calf Raises for 25 reps. increasing weight each set.
after that, 3 sets of Weighted Standing Raises for 25 reps, supersetted with alternating Bodyweight Calf Raises until failure.

this one definitely sounds like its more intense. guess if just depends on how your calves respond.

Hard Cell
05-22-10, 10:28 pm
your totally right bro.

found another article on animalpak.com that suggests two different superset exercises.
5 sets of Seated Calf Raises for 40 reps, supersetted with Leg Press Calf Raises for 25 reps. increasing weight each set.
after that, 3 sets of Weighted Standing Raises for 25 reps, supersetted with alternating Bodyweight Calf Raises until failure.

this one definitely sounds like its more intense. guess if just depends on how your calves respond.

yes, try it, try squeezing more reps n make sure its heavy enough, feel it. Then create ur own routine, mix n match

Mauricio
05-23-10, 1:02 am
my calves are stubborn as hell bro, that's why i never go for set numbers. go for muscle failure on each set and use full range of motion see if that helps em grow.

Hard Cell
05-23-10, 2:23 am
my calves are stubborn as hell bro, that's why i never go for set numbers. go for muscle failure on each set and use full range of motion see if that helps em grow.

most calves are stubborn lol

music_man185
05-23-10, 9:21 am
my calves are stubborn as hell bro, that's why i never go for set numbers. go for muscle failure on each set and use full range of motion see if that helps em grow.

thats a good point. thats what i had to do for abs. i used to go try to reach a certain rep, but never to failure. and my abs always looked the same. once i started going until i couldn't go anymore, they started to pop! lol

Legacy
05-25-10, 9:23 pm
Check out this article. I've started using it and seen some results. I don't do the 4 sets of 100 though, I do 1 set then cardio, and on the other day use 30 sec between sets of 8.
http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/weighttrainingprinciples/a/calftraining.htm

Holy fuck bro. I tried that new routine today doing 4 sets of 100 reps. I usually only go to 25 reps on calves, needless to say doing 100 rep sets was brutal, but overall great. Dont be expectin to walk tomorrow, but thats a good sign