Calves!!!

[LaDyBuG]

Hey, guys! I'm a a 5'7'', 124 lb female and i'm fairly new to this board...i need major help with my calves...i've always hated them...they aren't bad, i just want them to be more muscular....it seems like i can never gain any size there...i don't know if it's because i don't train them enough or not properaly or what...i just feel out of porportion with my bubble butt and "chicken legs" i'm currently lifting legs once a week...and i do calves twice a week....once on leg day and once on shoulder day...please give me some ideas/suggestions on what helped you guys get awesome calves...thanks in advance....ladybug

 

[Phemomena]

its going to sound stupid, but jump... that's the ONLY thing that works for my calves.... (it looks stupid too, so do it at home )...

just put on your shoes, a sports bra (i grab 'em too, no need for them to bounce around ) and jump about 100 times, rest for about a min and repeat, until your calves burn... (it sounds easy, but its not... you get a decent cardio workout at the same time)... try jumping on the balls of your feet and going as high as you can...
jump in one spot, jump around, jump on one leg then the other etc...

if that doesn't kick your calves in the ass, i don't know what will... try it for a few weeks and let me know...

 

[MaGilicuti]

i can help you girls out with your calf work outs if you like. the best exercise for mass is the calf raises with toes straight out. i like to jump straight to donkey calf raises then seated calf raises. basically just murder the calves. i do the heaviest weight possible and in between sets i try to stretch them for as long as possible and do calf raises with no weight just to burn them.

arnold's calves were horrible at first too he said and he used to do alot of work on them. he did calf raises in between sets of any body part such as arms. he'd be curling and just go do a set of calf raises just to get a head start on it.

welcome to the board ladybug, where you from?

 

[LaDyBuG]

thanks a lot you guys!! i think i will try the "murder" thing this week...lol...also the jumping thing might be a good thing to do every other night before i go to bed or something...does sound like a pretty decent cardio workout...i'll take your advice on the "holding your boobs" thing...even though i doubt it will be a problem anymore suggestions guys???? i'm desperate!! ladybug

 

[LaDyBuG]

oh yeah magilicuti...i'm from the great state of texas...actually i'm an aggie if that tells you anything!!

 

[Phemomena]

thanks a lot you guys!! i think i will try the "murder" thing this week...lol...also the jumping thing might be a good thing to do every other night before i go to bed or something...does sound like a pretty decent cardio workout...i'll take your advice on the "holding your boobs" thing...even though i doubt it will be a problem anymore suggestions guys???? i'm desperate!! ladybug

not much of a problem for me either, but hey... gotta protect whatcha got

i do it in the morning... but whenever you can fit it in should be fine... i only do it once, maybe twice a week... as i said, if you do it properly you probably shouldn't be able to do it more than that... at least at first...

btw this was taught to me by a sprinter/long jumper who has the most amazing calves i've ever seen... never did weights on them in his life... but, unfortunately, as with any other muscle (and maybe even more so), genetics always has a big part in it... but this did help me get a little size and a lot of shape... nothing else worked for me (i did calf raises with twice my body weight and nada)...

good luck with it...

 

[MrMuscle]

im 6'2, and all legs. so for me to get big calves is hard, but i will do it. i do the standar, standing leg raises, and seated leg raises. i train with my brother, he is shorter than me, and i little chubby. but he has MAD calves. im not kidding, we used to do athletics, and he did triple jump, and his calves are BIG. he also plays basketball alot. so the jumping thing seem like a good idea. another thing he does is to walk around with weights around his ankles. i dunno if that works, but his calves aint getting smaller. he maxes out every piece of calftraining eq in our gym to....pisses me off

 

[goahead]

Ever noticed these really fat people often have huge calves?

It is because these poor calves have to support this heavy weight all day when they walk around.

Which has led me to believe that calves respond well to a combination of:

- heavy weight
- low reps
- high reps
- lots of sets

Here is a nice program with both Low and High reps and sets.....

standing calve raises 9#- 7#- 7 - 5 reps
seated calve raises 11# - 9#- 9 - 7 reps
standing calve raises 20#-15#-15-13 reps
seated calve raises 25#- 20#- 20- 15 reps

Wherever you see a # sign (ie 9# reps) means that you have to hold the peak contraction for a full 2-3 second count and squeeze like your life depends on it.

The other sets (without the # sign) are usually lower reps sets where you applie significantly heavier weight and use a continous more sloppy motion.

Don't forget to stretch the calves between exercises and next day. Good luck.

 

[LaDyBuG]

those are really great suggestions guys...i totally appreciate your help...anybody else??

 

[theoak01]

maybe your overtraining them,your calves may only be able to grow on once a week training,calves havent been a prob for me so im just offering some opinion

 

[natasan]

Don't forget to stretch the calves between exercises and next day. Good luck.

What are some of the stretches people do for calves. I work mine out pretty hard - plus I run every day.

I do what I know to stretch them out - but they can knot up pretty easily.

ideas?

 

[MonStar1023]

calves...

I am all about fucking calves... most people have told me that my calves are my best bodypart. Not by genetics though by DEDICATION and fucking HARDWORK. I hammer the fuck outta my calves anywhere from 2-3x a week. I really nail the fuck outta them with a LOT of weight. I usually vary my rep-range anywhere from as low as 6-8 all the way up to 13-15. I use as much as 400 lbs. on seated calf raises and as much as 800-900 lbs. on leg press calf raises. I am not saying these numbers to brag by any means, rather to back up my opinion that heavy weights, and perfect form is basis for growth in your calves. Tons of weight piling on your calves forcing them to go and go and go until they cant even budge the weight another inch is the way to spur growth in your calves. Even after you cant complete a full rep, then do partials, then do quarter reps, then keep going until your calves are so exausted and so burned out you have trouble walking away from the calf machine.

 

[Phemomena]

What are some of the stretches people do for calves. I work mine out pretty hard - plus I run every day.

I do what I know to stretch them out - but they can knot up pretty easily.

ideas?

basically calves are the only muscle that i can think of that can be stretched in the same motion that is used to work them... basically use the calf raise machine and, one leg at a time, hold the down motion without any weight... you'll feel the stretch... (heel to the ground, toe on the platform)... you can do this on any elevated platform, or just put your toe up on a wall)...

 

[LaDyBuG]

so the consensus is pretty much....calves two days a week....one day high reps/low weight and the other low reps/high weight....am i correct?? and phenomena, i'm not gonna forget about your cardio/calf jumping thing...sounds pretty good...

 

[HeavyDutyGuy]

Forget about consensus we all train differently.I would NEVER train by what "evyone else does"........Take what you can learn by studying about the body and what others have, but be guided by physiology, anatomy and physics, not by "what the crowd does".
If you want size, you need progressive resistance, and at some point intensity vairiables. If you just want "tone" (winces) train more often and lose fat through caloric restriction and increased activity.

 

[JuiceMOnkey069]

Every one else seems to have the right idea. But for maxium growth be sure to completely contract on the calf on every motion, making every single muscle fiber in your calf hurt. you also want to be sure that when you do the raise come up on your big toe and not off the side of your foot, this helps to target the solieus and make any calf exercise hurt about 10 times more. Lastly just try to kill your calfs. They have been getting use since you were 1 and you use them everyday all day to walk. So in order to stimulate growth you have to go above and beyond what you ever thought possible. best of luck to yea

 

[Ironfoce]

Do this workout:

http://t-mag.com/html/1cp.html

Many gain 5/8" to 1" in 30 days using this routine.

 

[LaDyBuG]

hey ironfoce...thanks for the work out...sounds pretty good...also, what do you guys think about jumping rope...does this do anything at all for calf development??

 

[goahead]

Don't you love that testosterone induced talk in T-mag???

I just makes you want to run to the Gym and SHRED them MOFOS to pieces... eh.. higly motivates you to train calves next time....

 

[RealDeal]

Yeah Ladybug, take all the suggestions here and create your own routine. Monitor your progress (even take measurements) along the way and tweak it as you see fit. I'm sure you're not trying to build MASSIVE calves like a lot of us guys are, but you still have to hit 'em hard.

Think about how much you weigh, and the fact that your calves are providing that motion every step you take. Each leg virtually lifting your bodyweight with each step. You've gotta really up that in the gym and give 'em hell! Combine heavy lifting with plyometric exercises (like the jumping) to provide a nice all-round building routine. Once you stop noticing results, alter your exercises to shock 'em.

If you ever need a training partner, I'm available as a fellow Texan. 'Course, I'm a L'Horn, but the rivalry was always for fun & sport. Good luck!

 

[LaDyBuG]

real deal...hey, i may take you up on that training partner thing so are you a current student at UT or should i say t.u.?? lol...anyways, back to calves...do i have to lift a lot more than my body weight to get results?? i don't know if i could do more than that....

 

[Ironfoce]

Your Welcome, LadyBug.

IMHO anything by Poliquin, with possibly a few exceptions, works.
At least everything I have ever tried that he has said workout wise has worked well. The man knows his shiznit.

 

[RealDeal]

LBug,

Naw, you don't HAVE to lift more than your bodyweight, I just meant take into consideration the work your calves do day in & out while walking, running, etc. If you want them to grow, then you need to progressively work them harder.

Don't do more than you can handle else you risk injury and then what'll have been the point. Start out at a weight where you can do anywhere from 10-15 reps/set, but make sure you're getting a full ROM on each exercise and really having to work on the last rep or two. Just like on any other lift. Progressively increase the weight and eventually you should be able to lift more than your bodyweight. Hit 'em hard and heavy and you WILL see results.

No longer at The University, unfortunately I think at some times. Graduated a couple of years ago...in Big-D now. If you're still in Aggieland, then you have the luxury of working out in that kickass gym.

 

[The mann]

 

[MonStar1023]

Ever noticed these really fat people often have huge calves?

Yeah definitely dude! Haha thats funny as hell fat people ALWAYS have big ass calves Im lack damn that guys 350 lbs. of blub but hes got some thick ass calves!