Train them...and they will grow...

[b fold the truth]

I guess a lot of the regulars know that I have tiny calves Been working them now for about 3 weeks pretty regularly and with some good intensity. They always get hit indirectly with events...but since I have found a way to hit them with direct calf raises...they are growing, looing better, and getting stronger...

I can't go too heavy on standing calf raises (225-315 probably) and I might can go as heavy as 135-180 on seated. Any thoughts on training them? Frequency? Creativity?

B True

 

[the People's Champ]

I have been training mine at least twice a week for about a month or so, and I am starting to see results. I pick two exercises and and bust out 3 sets to failure per set. someone said to do the motion of a ballet dancer when performing any calf exercise, and since then, my calves have been progressing from doing just that.

 

[Bigsatan13]

I just changed exercises and order for calves and those babies are killing me!

 

[SAGAT]

I train them 2 times a week, each time on leg day, i just do three sets of standing calf raises, my calves aren't very big but i can bust out 440 for reps easily so this must be working

 

[Doktor Bollix]

Calves on a tall guy have to be huge. My calves are mostly slow twitch fibers I reckon because they don't respond to low reps. They're pretty strong but they were still like toothpicks even when I was using the whole stack for standing raises. They respond to higher reps like 30-50. I mostly do standing dumbell calf raises. Twice a week is good.

 

[Deciever]

b fold- how the hell can 18 inch calves be considered small??? I usually just do some seated calf raises.... that will widen the gastrocs, making them look bigger.

 

[thriller]

im doing cavles more for athletics (well in the on season for basketball) what i do is use stairs and i dont hold on to anythnig and i do one leg calve raises. with weight its really hard to balance but i just keep practising.

 

[b fold the truth]

I don't think that my calves are 18" quite yet...but probably close. They were about 17 3/4" cold the other day...

I have been doing standing calf raises on Sunday and seated calf raises on Wednesday. Doing sets of 10 on standing and sets of 25 on Wednesday.

B True

 

[louden_swain]

I am certainly a hard gainer on calves!!! I train them hard, and will be lucky if they grow 1/2 a year. Low sets and high intensity seem to work for me, as high sets will cause me to lose my pump. I stick with the basics:

Seated Toe Raises
Standing Toe Raises
Donkey Toe Raises

and sometimes Leg Press Toe Extensions

As far as reps are concerned 12-15

 

[nikkita]

frequency? twice per week

creativity? I alternate exercises such as standing calve raises, donkey calve raises, seated calve raises and leg press toe extensions.... 2 from these per week and always try at least three positions toes and feet together, toes apart feet together, feet apart toes together.... and be sure to finish by stretching with reverse calve raises

 

[Longhorn85]

Calves on a tall guy have to be huge. My calves are mostly slow twitch fibers I reckon because they don't respond to low reps. They're pretty strong but they were still like toothpicks even when I was using the whole stack for standing raises. They respond to higher reps like 30-50. I mostly do standing dumbell calf raises. Twice a week is good.

I have a similar experience. At 6' I have had skinny calves up until I started serious leg work about 10 yrs ago. They are now a pretty good size and proportion, but not as big as most guys who use the whole stack on standing like I do.

I also get better results with higher reps, and I need to stretch a lot!

 

[jerkbox]

plyos will defintely make 'em stronger.....I don't know about bigger. but then again, maybe they would help add some size, being that I've noticed the calves on my jumping leg are noticably larger than my other.

 

[Jason B]

The Poliquin routine is working great for me. I used to think my calves would never grow and I've already added 1/4" in a little over 2 weeks on the routine.

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

Day 1: High-Volume

Exercise A: Calf Superset*

A1) Seated Calf Raises
3 x 10-5-5 (one set of 10 reps, followed by two of 5 reps) at a 101 tempo (1 second to lower the weight, no pause, and 1 second to raise the weight)

A2) Donkey Calf Raises
3 x 30-50 at a 101 tempo

*After finishing a set of the A1 exercise, proceed immediately to exercise A2. Then rest two minutes before repeating the super set.

Exercise B: Standing Calf Raises

B1) Standing Calf Raises
10 x 10-30 at a 111 tempo, ten seconds**

**In other words, you'll be doing one, long, extended set, resting ten seconds between each mini-set and lowering the weight in between.

After day one, you'll probably have to call the fire department to extinguish the fire in your calves. You may also find that you have the same walk as Homer Simpson's 80-year-old father.


Day 2: Low-Volume (to be done 48 hours after Day 1)

Exercise A: Triple Drop Standing Calf Raises

A1) Triple Drop Standing Calf Raises
3 x 10-10-10 (in other words, three drop sets) at a 121 tempo,*** resting 90 seconds between sets.

***The pause is taken in the bottom stretch position, and be sure to take the full two seconds.

 

[dick tater]

I have also overhauled my calf-workout.

My calves WILL grow.

My calves WILL grow.

My calves WILL grow.

I shall now click my heels together and go to sleep.

Later,
Tater

 

[bignate73]

b fold- how the hell can 18 inch calves be considered small??? I usually just do some seated calf raises.... that will widen the gastrocs, making them look bigger.

you mean the soleus?

 

[Spectre]

Someone posted a picture of a PL standing on his toes at the lockout of a dead. I have done this twice now and my calves hurt for 2 days after, they rarely hurt even the next day after a killer 'normal' type exercise. I don't know if they are growing never bothered to measure the little guys.