Nelson's Calf Routine

[GUARDIAN]

Gotta give up some props it was a great workout.

My calves were not brutally fried like alot of others described but sore like they usually are. I bet this mostly has to do with that I toture my calves normally. I found the actual training painful near the end on the last couple of sets trying to get to 75 reps. Since I hit calves twice a week the true test will be today when I do my other workout using Nelson's method. The main difference between what I did and what he wrote is as follows:

Nelson - Choose a weight that you normally fail at around 20 reps. Rest for 10-20 seconds (just long enuf for the lactic acid to go away) and go again. Repeat until 75 reps are done.

Mine - I usually do something similar except I would not rest and I would drop weight off and repeat 2-3 times for donkey calf raises and then the same for calf sled raises (imagine a hack squat type machine designed for calves). I would also hit calves again 2 days later except this time I would do my routine with seated calf raises only. This last month or so just for kicks I had been doing my first set to failure with a weight I would fail at 50 reps drop the weight in half and rep out again then go to the next exercise. The 50 rep part is killer and feels an awful lot like how Nelson's routine made me feel near the last 2 sets.

 

[digitizedsoul]

Just picked it up and started it last week myself 8. I've been walking crooked for 3 days!

It is definitely something I plan to stick with, as my calves are lagging significantly behind the rest of my development.

Good stuff man! If you make any critiques that make it any better let me know!

 

[GUARDIAN]

Just picked it up and started it last week myself 8. I've been walking crooked for 3 days!

It is definitely something I plan to stick with, as my calves are lagging significantly behind the rest of my development.

Good stuff man! If you make any critiques that make it any better let me know!

i dont think i would "critique" it per se. my calves have always responded well. so much so there was a time i didnt train them for a year but i soon realized how much bigger my quads were and had to catch them up quick. in the body building world it is whatever works for ya. so almost every routine/exercise you encounter you want to adjust it to make it your own. tailor it to how your body responds.

i personally grow well off of high intensity, low volume, increased frequency. while others blow up on doing 30 sets for every body part.

 

[Ross]

This is indeed a GREAT calf routine, in conjunction with your regular heavy calf training.

To put an interesting TWIST on things, try this exact routine for BICEPS!!

 

[gunnz]

It works well for TRIs also!!!!!

 

[GUARDIAN]

It works well for TRIs also!!!!!

today is back & tri's for me. maybe i will give it a whirl in addition to the calves.

 

[gunnz]

Let me know what u think. I tried it last week mine were sore as hell for 2 days.

 

[access]

Gotta
Mine - I usually do something similar except I would not rest and I would drop weight off and repeat 2-3 times for donkey calf raises and then the same for calf sled raises (imagine a hack squat type machine designed for calves). I would also hit calves again 2 days later except this time I would do my routine with seated calf raises only. This last month or so just for kicks I had been doing my first set to failure with a weight I would fail at 50 reps drop the weight in half and rep out again then go to the next exercise. The 50 rep part is killer and feels an awful lot like how Nelson's routine made me feel near the last 2 sets.

Always enjoy training this way with legs in particular. Really hits 'em but can't do it all the time. Might also have to try Nelson's way as good to change things up.

 

[Nelson Montana]

You can train any body part in this concentrated manner but it is most effective with muscle groups that contain mostly slow twitch fibers. They can not be affected by heavy training. If you have naturally thin calves and train them heavy, the ligaments will simply take on the extra stress so it sort of defeats the purpose.

The fact that the routine only takes a few minutes a week has obvious advantages.

 

[79steeler]

I also hit that calf routine, and I was stoked when I was doing it, great pump. I was hoping I would be sore today as I did this yesterday, so far don't feel any more sore than usual, I think I'll do one week like this and one the old fashion way to mix it up a bit, or I might start hitting the calves twice a week, while I'm ON.