Training those calves

[BodyByFinaplix]

gretek has a point. People point out that calves are used to high volumes of work, with lighter weight, so that is how you should train them. Great, so you are subjecting them to the same type of stress they already receive on a daily basis. That isn't going to trigger new adaption. Then again, we all know that long distance runners have 22"+ calves. Those guys are freaks.

 

[Lee]

if i were you i would try 2 times a week. calves are forearms are weird muscles, you have to train them differently then biceps and hamstrings. they are more compact and shaped differently then most muscles.

 

[IronandGravity]

I used to do standing raises then seated raises on the same day, one day a week, and I noticed a lot of size gain. Now I just do standing and they haven't grown since.

 

[Dave949]

calves are used to high volumes of work, with lighter weight, so that is how you should train them. Great, so you are subjecting them to the same type of stress they already receive on a daily basis.

I agree 100% which is why I train my calfs the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what they have been conditioned to do since I first started to walk 46 years ago.

Opposite would be..... Heavy ass load, low to moderate reps
(8-12) and throw in some rest/pause and torch the absolute living shit out of them.........

 

[JOKER47]

I'm going to advise the total opposite of what most of the guys here are. Go with extremely heavy donkey calf raises and toes presses on the leg press machine. Stripping sets and short rest times between sets are ideal, but with the heaviest weights you can handle for full range of motion. Make sure to stretch deep at the bottom, and contract hard at the top of the movement. There is little need for more than 2 or 3 sets per workout, but train them very frequintly. 3 or 4 times a week is not unreasonable.

I think we all really know why you like donkey calf raises...

 

[JOKER47]

Then again, we all know that long distance runners have 22"+ calves. Those guys are freaks.

This is a ridiculous argument.

2 totally different sports with 2 totally different expected results from training.

 

[lavi]

Then again, we all know that long distance runners have 22"+ calves. Those guys are freaks.

You sure? The only long distance runners I know are skinny (light) with tiny calves...

 

[JOKER47]

You sure? The only long distance runners I know are skinny (light) with tiny calves...

I think what he was getting at was that training calves as they are used in everyday life, (High volume, high reps) will not give you the results that a bodybuilder is looking for.

It's the "shock the muscle into growth" theory that I believe he is referring to.

 

[lavi]

lol oh he's being sarcastic and I'm too dense to realize it?

 

[Largepaws]

I guess if worse comes to worse you can just pay for calf implants