How often do you work calves?

[Winstrol the Pooh]

I try to hit them twice in a 10 day period. I will alternate between two different calf routines. The first one I do consist of just single leg standing calf raises. I put a lot of intensity into my calves cause they need it.

I use a standing calf machine and I use one leg at a time. I start out with the left leg and pick a weight I can rep out 10 to 12 strict reps to failure, then after hitting failure I do cheat reps by using my quads and calves to move the weight for anoth 5 to 6 reps (a tip I picked up from a Tom Platz book), then I cheat myself all the way up into the contracted position and hold that contraction on my tip toes for 30 seconds...lastly I do quarter reps...then I rest pause for 10 seconds and start the whole process over again, then another 10 second rest pause and start again...then once I fail on that set I drop about 50 pounds off of each side of the machine(plate loaded) and rep it all out again with strict reps, cheats, and contracted pauses. And that finishes up my left leg (one set) and it is toast. Now time to rinse lather and repeat, but this time with the right leg.

The next time I hit calves I use all the same shock principles but with both legs at the same time then I move on to seated calf raises for my soleus for a couple of sets that are just as intense. Ever since training my calves this way I have a hell of a time walking two days after the routine. They are starting to improve a lot, but still want more size

For me I have found if I dump that much intensity into one set then I only need two to three sets to completely wipe out my calves. I have been training long enough to know when my body tells me a muscle group has been tortured and calves send me that message every time I hit 'em like this. They wobble so bad I can't keep them still after this routine.

 

[diamonddiceclay]

once a week

 

[rookiegearhead]

3 times per week.....1 hardcore with legs, the other two a little lighter. I will vary my reps from one day staying in the 12-20 range, and other days go as high as 50-100.

 

[foreverblast2]

heh... arnold was not human... so it wouldn't really surprise me if he did some crazy shit like that... one time I read an article and this dude drove to some forest with his buddy and squated for a whole day with beers in between... But he's GOD... he's capable of shit like that..

john

 

[Enzo250]

I'll been playing soccer for 20 years now and have never trained calves at the gym... But my calves are huge and ripped so it has lead me to this conclusion... Either you have to play a very intense sport, one that involves continous running, since a young age OR your just born with good Genetics

 

[Winstrol the Pooh]

I'll been playing soccer for 20 years now and have never trained calves at the gym... But my calves are huge and ripped so it has lead me to this conclusion... Either you have to play a very intense sport, one that involves continous running, since a young age OR your just born with good Genetics

I believe it's more the latter, Enzo. I have a friend who has hardly ever picked up a weight in his life and that SOB has (in my estimation) about 20 inch calves. They are full and thick from every friggin angle. HIs mom and sister also both have decent sized calves for women. Now genetically he isn't that big of a guy anywhere else, except maybe his forearms, but he definitely has great genes for calves. My calves are starting to improve as I said, but i know they will never be anything fantastic (but I keep striving for at least -great anyway). I was an ectomorph from the get go with a gangly basketball player body all through high school. I have made awesome progress in all areas...even calves, but in my opinion they are still farther behind the rest of my body due to shitty genetics. My, mom, uncle and grandfather all have semi crappy calves. My dad lifts and his aren't too bad...so with more time I think I can at least fight my gentetics to a point. By the way I love tearing up and punishing my calves for being naturally small They deserve the torture!!!