Calf size, strength, etc...

[b fold the truth]

Just curious...but my calves aren't greatly large or strong...but they look decently shaped. I don't train them all that often outside of event training though either.

At 285 and not doing a lot of jumping...I can still grab a basketball goal rim fairly easily and can still do some pretty wild flips and kicks for Martial Arts...so...my jumping ability as well as my sprinting ability is very high yet my strength is very low in my calves. Is there really that much of a correlation here?

You can see my calves on the last tire flip pic on this link They are not flexed...but working to help me flip the tire.

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=127916


Thoughts?

B True

 

[ZZuluZ]

You're jumping ability and sprinting may be in spite of relatively weak calves.

Interesting question

-Zulu

 

[booger]

Split the sheaths. See below. It'll give them room to grow.





A sudden growth spurt of 6 inches and 25 pounds caused the most serious problem, compartment syndrome, in which the calf muscles grow too large for the sheath that contains them. Decker had an operation to cure that in 1977 and early the following year she broke her own 1,000-yard record with a 2:23.8 clocking.

 

[CytoMel]

b fold, do you do glute ham raises (ghr) machine? I think that a good amount of powerlifters got thir calves stronger doing a lot of GHR, also thats what I did. Also if you dont have a glute ham raise than you can go backwards in a decline st-up board.

Also pull throughs with bands always hit my calves hard. GM's etc..

 

[b fold the truth]

I was doing glute/ham/calf raises till the seat portion of my bench broke. Since then I have added stiff legs into my leg routine again. I don't have a place where I can effectively do ghr's...so I try to hit my hams another way.

As far as calves...I just need to train them in the gym on a more regular basis.

Still wondering the correlation between people with lean calves and jumping/speed vs larger calves and strength....

any ideas?

B True

 

[Deciever]

calve shape has to do with genetics.. you could have the strongest calves in the worlds, but they could still be small because of your genetics.. I would think your calves get a good amount of work, in most of your event specific training. Yoke Walks probably really hit them hard (i would think so).

As for the coralation between calve size and running and jumping, i think it all depends on the person. I have a friend who have huge calves, but cant jump high at all just have gentically large calves. I have a friend whose calves are 14 inches, but he can touch rim, he can just jump high.
Then again, i have people with small calves(like myself) who can just touch net) and know people with gigantic calves who can slam.

as for speed, i think that usually people with larger calves are faster. Dont have any reasoning behind that, thats just what i think.

 

[Night Fly]

I don't know, really....my calves aren't that big but I can do a lot of weight with them in the gym....and lots of reps. They are strong....but dont' grow very easily.

I generally work calves twice a week at the most.

 

[ZZuluZ]

"
Still wondering the correlation between people with lean calves and jumping/speed vs larger calves and strength...."

None, like Deciever said these things are genetic.

In any case, a lot of what people define as 'strength' in a particular area is really sport specific. If you jump a lot, you'll be good at jumping. If you run a lot you'll be good at running, etc

-Zulu

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

i think if you look at some of the best jumpers and sprinters out there, they almost always have very little calf muscle development or a little knot of a calf up behind their knee. My guess would be jump ability has little to do with your calf size, more with explosive power. Oh and, nice tee shirt on the farmers walk pic Bfold...

 

[CytoMel]

When I watch basketball I notice similar observations that Heavywear mentioned. A lot of the players have long skinny high apple calves but they can jump really high.

I remember doing Charles Poliquin's instant calf routine in the summer a few years ago and it worked very well. My calves grew an inch in about 5 weeks while I was dieting. It was a two workout per week program and it was very greuling but very rewarding. it's on www.testosterone.net wy back in issue 1

 

[b fold the truth]

I just need to start training them both in the gym AND on events. If nothing else...for injury prevention.

heavywear: I love those two shirts. Probably the 2 best quality shirts I have ever owned!!! If you have any more....

B True

 

[thriller]

well, maybe geneticly you just can jump high its about fast twitching muscle fibre,(power)

 

[thriller]

cavle work outs

im a basketball player for one of the top teams or the top team in canada for my age. to strength whjat i do is:
1. stand on the edge of the stair one foot on the balls of your feet.
2. go down till you feel a bit of a stretch in your cavle and explode up with out bending your leg at all.
ps im 5'9" and i can dunk like 2 -10
white man can jump

 

[thriller]

training and genetics

jumping is about all round body power. you need to be lean and powerful to jump.(fast twichting muscle fibre). its about how good you train and genetics thats all.
ps im a elite basketball player and im 5 9 and i can dunk

 

[Bobarell]

Also, if you look at the B-ball players!! Most of them are extrememly lean all around, not just their calves. Their quads are also pretty thin. It is just genetics and training. I have some huge calves and I can't jump for shit. I do have quick jumping though. Say you have a b-ball player at around 6-6!! Most of them don't go over 250lbs and if they do they are not the jumpers/dunkers. I am not sure but I think Mike in his prime was right around 200-225 correct??? Vince Carter doesn't look like he is much more than 225 either and they both have mad hops.

 

[The Dude]

What the hell is up with some people using the old genetics line to justify their lagging calves? Yes, some people have got huge calves and don't do diddly. That does not mean that one cannot drive his or her own calf development to very impressive levels regardless of one's genetics.

The problem people have with calves is that they are a very strong endurance muscle. To work them properly is brutal. I'm still far from happy with mine, but I get more and more compliments on them. For me, it's going heavy and then exhausting them with drop sets. It must be brutal or you must go home and keep complaining about your genetic predisposition to a poor work ethic!

 

[thriller]

being thin doesnt aply to all jumpers

im not to thin and i know i can jump (5 9 and weighs 174) my team mate is 5 10 and he weighs almost 200 lbs and he can 36, windmill, catch lobs. its disgusting. but he is built unbelievable huge. in his legs and upper body