Design me a calf routine....

[needsize]

I have tried just about everything I can think of training wise and my calves just arent responding, which is compounded by the fact that everything else is growing....What are some of the approaches that have worked for you guys, and I would especially like to hear from guys that have had to work for their calves and it didnt come easy

 

[coolcolj]

Here are my most result producing calf exercises
Worth a try

I really like Romanian deadlifts onto toes, kills my calves. Hold the top position on your calves for a 1-2 count.
reps - around 6-8

Single leg calf raises holding a single dumbell, other hand for balance. slow down and then explode up, fling yourself up as fast and hard as you can. Hold the top for a sec or two. Poundage doesn't matter as much 6-10 reps. And yes its hard to balance, but that's why it works.

High pulls onto toes - either lighter weights pulled to sternum or heavier weights pulled to belly button. Get up high on your toes. Use sets of 6 and feel the calves scream! You'll get growth in your posterior chain, forearms, upper back and shoulders as well.

Anytime you deadlift and shrug get on on your toes, squats too (lighter ones). Never waste a moment to overload them

Calf machines never did much for me. You need that freeweights balancing and free motion.
I started with my calves at 14 inches with a 9 inch ankle 8 months ago, now they are just under 17inches just from the above.

 

[Haz]

But CoolColJ, don't your calves grow by just looking at the weights? I think it was you that posted pics of your legs, and if I remember right, your calves ballooned up like crazy. I'll try the exercises you mentioned though.

I feel for ya Needsize, cause my calves don't respond to shit either. I've tried high reps, low reps, , heavy weights, light, supersets, high volume, low volume blah blah blah. Nothing really seems to work. My calves have been the same size ever since I was a teenager. Luckily they were a decent size to begin with, but I probalby haven't put more then 1 inch on them over the years.

 

[gymtime]

I have naturally big upper legs, and pretty average calves. I have to work for what little results I get. But the best thing I've done for them is to concentrate on not loading up on the weight, but using a long, slow motion and squeezing hard at the top of the movement.

Calves are also the only thing I superset, and I do them on leg day. I do one with legs bent, one with legs straight, and again, really concentrate on form more than weight.

 

[louden_swain]

Needsize,

I feel your pain!! The calves are probably the most difficult muscle to develop in the body. The muscle tissue is very dense, therefore the calves require serious pounding to get them to grow. I suggest using both high and low reps and training to failure. This may sound crazy, but I recommend that you train them every 72 hours. Here might be some possibilities:

Workout 1 -

Seated Toe Raises - 3 x 30 or failure
Leg Press Toe Extensions - 3 x 30 or failure

Workout 2 -

Standing Toe Raises - 8 x 6-8

Workout 3 -

Donkey Toe Raises - 3 x 50
Dumbbell Toe Raises - 3 x 20

The key is to constantly fool the calves.

 

[rjl296]

my calves respond slowly, but I also wold trin them every 72 hours or 2x / week. I would cut L. Swains high reps in hald personally.

 

[coolcolj]

But CoolColJ, don't your calves grow by just looking at the weights? I think it was you that posted pics of your legs, and if I remember right, your calves ballooned up like crazy. I'll try the exercises you mentioned though.

Yes perhaps initially they did, but that was then and this is now

But while I don't train them directly now as such with calf raises, they sure get their share of overload! Every Oly lift I do hits the calves quite hard. As well as all the above.
I'm a big believer in using explosive and fast movements to make the calves grow. Most of the time people put weight on the calves in a slow long TUT while walking, standing etc.

You need to do the opposite of what they are used to, plus calves tend to have at least 50% white fiber in most people. The gastrocs are a muscle you use when jumping and sprinting, its also a very strong eccentric shock absorber so it is mainly fast twitch.
The soleus is the one you use while walking and standing, and is mainly slow twitch, it won't grow that much and squats will build them up anyway.

And don't forget the calves work on both the ankle joint and KNEE joint. They assist the hamstrings in flexing the knee joint That's why RDLS onto toes, glute ham raises, Leg curls etc work well on the calves. You need to pull you toes towards your knee to maximise it though
So you may wanna try "blitzing" the calves by some standing single leg curls (pull toes up), then straight after do some single leg dumbell calf raises, then single leg squat with heels raised.

Also anytime you bend over you increase the ROM and stretch on the calves, ala Donkey calf raise. Another reason why RDLs onto toes work well, but add some plates under your toes to improve ROM.

 

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[vinylgroover]

My calves have started responding since using controlled form and getting a peak contraction at the top of the movement.

I train them twice a week, no more than 10 sets total for the week and always use a different exercise each workout alternatinf between standing calf raises on the Smith Machine, single standing calf raises as CoolColJ described holding a weight in one hand and seated calf raises.

Unlike many people, i don't go blow parallel on the descent......i used to but that didn't do shit for my calves, i work in a rep range of 8-10 and really emphasise and hold the contraction at the top.

If you're lucky enough to live near a beach, do some beach sprints on soft sand......your calves will blow up like balloons.

 

[needsize]

Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll give them a try. My biggest question is around number of sets, I've done anywhere between 3-10 working sets and cant really seem to find a number that works for me

 

[coolcolj]

NeedSize I don't think there is an optimal number, I've done as little as 2 sets and have gotten results. I find that there is usually an accumlation of work done by the calves as is when you consider the whole leg workout.
Then you just need to polish them off .

It would be wise the vary the set and rep count, intensities, and exercises every 3 workouts anyway in your case.

 

[RusPA81]

Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll give them a try. My biggest question is around number of sets, I've done anywhere between 3-10 working sets and cant really seem to find a number that works for me

From what I understand its pretty hard to overtrain to your calves, so to many sets shouldnt be a problem. I personally need 8-12 heavy sets atleast twice a week to get any results. I may be wrong on this approach though as my calves are my week link too. I have found that 8-12 rep range works the best though.

 

[WarriorPL]

When doing heavy shrugs, go up on your toes. Mine blow up like that, but regular machines work as well. I naturally have huge legs... 17.5 inch calves ATM

 

[b fold the truth]

There is something about explosive training that will make them grow.

Needsize...I am serious when I suggest this. Find a way to hook yourself to your car/truck and pull it via harness. Your calves WILL grow and so will you quads.

I train mine 2x per week...both standing. One day is heavy and with weights. I do Standing calf raises and each week I do either 5's, 8's, or 10's. I rotate the three in that order and set a PR each week I come back to that rep scheme.

On Wednesday's I do some standing calf raises without weight. I stand on a door step in my garage and do 5 both, 5 left, 5 right, 5 both, 5 left, 5 right, 5 both. I rest a couple minutes then repeat that.

I also like the jumping calf raises. I will put 135 on the bar, stand up with it and very very slightly bend my knes and jump as high as I can with the bar on my back. I'll do sets of 5-10 reps...

B True

 

[Lord_Suston]

hey needsize,
try for 6-7 sets

3 of your sets should be done high volume around 18-24 reps and the other 3 sets should be done nice and slow with a pause at the top and bottom for 2 sec for 8-12 reps with the same weiight. alternated back and forth between fast sets and slow sets and the last set should be a strip set... always worked for me

 

[the People's Champ]

Single leg calf raises holding a single dumbell, other hand for balance. slow down and then explode up, fling yourself up as fast and hard as you can. Hold the top for a sec or two. Poundage doesn't matter as much 6-10 reps. And yes its hard to balance, but that's why it works.

sweet jeesus. I did these today after my leg workout, and dayamn. these toe up my calves. I did like 6-7 sets of five because the hardest thing to do was trying to balance. I had like a #35 plate on one hand and tried doing raises with the same side leg. not as easy as you think. I stuck my opposite arm and leg out just to counter balance. I was getting all kinds of looks from other in the gym, but I totally feel this exercise blasting my calves.

Props CCJ

 

[needsize]

B, if I can find a way to do that I'll give it a go. I tried your farmers walk deal for traps after my deadlift workout today. I grabbed the 105lb'ers and did a few laps around the gym, people were looking at me like I was lost but man did I feel that!!

 

[coolcolj]

sweet jeesus. I did these today after my leg workout, and dayamn. these toe up my calves. I did like 6-7 sets of five because the hardest thing to do was trying to balance. I had like a #35 plate on one hand and tried doing raises with the same side leg. not as easy as you think. I stuck my opposite arm and leg out just to counter balance. I was getting all kinds of looks from other in the gym, but I totally feel this exercise blasting my calves.

Props CCJ

You probbaly didn't need to use any weight to start off with, and then just adding progressively heavier weights each workout that aren't that heavy will cause growth. You probbaly wasted a chance to milk extra growth before reahcing the the heavier stuff

 

[b fold the truth]

CCJ has me convinced that plyos and other more 'athletic' ways of training the calves are VERY good for strength and growth.

B True

 

[the People's Champ]

You probbaly didn't need to use any weight to start off with, and then just adding progressively heavier weights each workout that aren't that heavy will cause growth. You probbaly wasted a chance to milk extra growth before reahcing the the heavier stuff

so you are saying start off with none to little weight? and then progressively adding weight for this exercise? no prob, doing them was fun enough for me. next time I will do that. thanks for the tip CCJ.