Thread: Defined Calves

Calves seem to respond well to volume. Two or three sets in about the 6-8 rep range of both seated and standing calf raises to hit both the soleus and gastrocnemius three times a week would be sufficient. Any variations would be acceptable as well.

This is, of course, is coupled with a low body fat percentage if you would like them to be particularly defined. A caloric surplus would be needed if you are looking for growth.

I just saw a movie with jenna elfman..I think it was called "obsessed"..I'm SURE they had a body double but they showed her legs and I don't think I've ever seen a pair of legs that looked better. I'd sweat through any workout to have that.. thanks, I'll try your suggestion..Are those two the only two exercises you typically do?

Yea, basically.

There's a big genetic component of calves (and forearms) that seems to be pretty influential, though. The most you can do is get your volume in and hope that everything works out. Those muscle groups don't seem to be as responsive to work as the rest of the body (the mechanism behind this is unknown to me).

"Definition" comes with lower BF.

"Development" comes from training.

You'll hear a lot of people say the calves respond to heavy weights. The rationale is that your calves are designed to support your bodyweight all day, so you need to lift more than your bodyweight in order to grow.

Good point, but very flawed argument.

(1.) Our calves aren't actually supporting our bodyweight ALL DAY. What about when we're sitting or lying down? Even standing -- it's not as though they're the only muscle holding us up. Besides, that's isometric tension, not contraction. It's a hell of a lot easier to hold a 200lb BB on your shoulders for 30 seconds than it is to squat it for that time.

(2.) Even when we're walking, are we fully extending the calves? While they may support our bodyweight they're going through a very narrow range of motion, it's not a whole lot of stress being placed on them. Otherwise, everyone would be walking around with 18 inch calves.

(3.) Moreover, this narrow range of motion that is the extension of our calves is so brief. Your calves' concentric on each walking step is something like, what, 0.3-0.5 seconds?

(4.) I feel my calves working when I've been walking for several kilometers (for you Americans..1km = 1.6 miles), but let's get real: the average person does not walk several kilometers on end. Cars, busses, subways, planes, escalators, elevators, etc.

My point is, the whole calves supporting bodyweight all day argument isn't the best (in my opinion), as the nature of that work is COMPLETELY different than short, intense, purposeful bouts of direct resistance training with FULL, controlled (i.e. SLOW!!!) extension/contraction. The calves AREN'T used to this. They're not designed to slowly extend 500 lbs 100 times in 5 minutes. That's a hell of a lot of shock to an otherwise downplayed muscle.

However, what we know is that the calves respond to stimuli very quickly and heal like a MF. And so, don't get stuck in a rut. The trick to calf development isn't the countless programs on bodybuilding.com with this and that fancy shit and toes in, toes out (I never bother with that..yet..don't know if it's worth it)....the trick is to just keep them second guessing.

I improvise my calf training every session now. No rhyme or reason, just shock the hell out of them.

Come up with creative ways to beat the holy hell out of them. They can take it!

thanks for the long reply. I'm a slow ready..& I've read your ideas very carefully. Its the first time I've heard an opinion like yours because it typically is the two exercises and the toes in, toes out deal. The ONLY time I'm happy with my lower body is unfortunately when I'm not eating right (limiting food almost to the point of starvation) and it appears my calves finally get the look I want. I do exercise while I'm not eating so although I know I'm doing the food part wrong, I'm still doing the exercise part...I've got "thick" calves but a bubble booty to match so I guess you can't have it all.
So when you say "come up with new ideas to shock the hell out of them" are you referring more to outside of the gym activities...movements you can do while running and sports? If you have 2-3 favorites, please post them..I'm sure others would love to read too..

Originally Posted by Phineas

"Definition" comes with lower BF.

"Development" comes from training.

You'll hear a lot of people say the calves respond to heavy weights. The rationale is that your calves are designed to support your bodyweight all day, so you need to lift more than your bodyweight in order to grow.

Good point, but very flawed argument.

(1.) Our calves aren't actually supporting our bodyweight ALL DAY. What about when we're sitting or lying down? Even standing -- it's not as though they're the only muscle holding us up. Besides, that's isometric tension, not contraction. It's a hell of a lot easier to hold a 200lb BB on your shoulders for 30 seconds than it is to squat it for that time.

(2.) Even when we're walking, are we fully extending the calves? While they may support our bodyweight they're going through a very narrow range of motion, it's not a whole lot of stress being placed on them. Otherwise, everyone would be walking around with 18 inch calves.

(3.) Moreover, this narrow range of motion that is the extension of our calves is so brief. Your calves' concentric on each walking step is something like, what, 0.3-0.5 seconds?

(4.) I feel my calves working when I've been walking for several kilometers (for you Americans..1km = 1.6 miles), but let's get real: the average person does not walk several kilometers on end. Cars, busses, subways, planes, escalators, elevators, etc.

My point is, the whole calves supporting bodyweight all day argument isn't the best (in my opinion), as the nature of that work is COMPLETELY different than short, intense, purposeful bouts of direct resistance training with FULL, controlled (i.e. SLOW!!!) extension/contraction. The calves AREN'T used to this. They're not designed to slowly extend 500 lbs 100 times in 5 minutes. That's a hell of a lot of shock to an otherwise downplayed muscle.

However, what we know is that the calves respond to stimuli very quickly and heal like a MF. And so, don't get stuck in a rut. The trick to calf development isn't the countless programs on bodybuilding.com with this and that fancy shit and toes in, toes out (I never bother with that..yet..don't know if it's worth it)....the trick is to just keep them second guessing.

I improvise my calf training every session now. No rhyme or reason, just shock the hell out of them.

Come up with creative ways to beat the holy hell out of them. They can take it!

Phineas, good ideas but..... 1.6km = 1 mile not the other way round

Secondly, if you're taking such a practical stance on the calves, then keeping them "second guessing" does not make sense. Muscles do not think. They adapt to specific loads or movements, and so with progressive overload you can keep doing the same movements and see improvements.

I train my calves like all other muscles, including abs. I do the 8-12 range for primarily hypertrophy and go as heavy as I can with really good slow contraction. I rarely feel the burn unless I'm doing a drop set. However, my calves seem to respond really well to this and I'm sticking to it.

The idea of doing standing and sitting is the emphasis on different portions of the muscle. The standing ones will add more 'definition' after a cut imo, because they work the gastrocnemius which is the visible bulge. However, under it is the soleus which makes up upto 60% of the calf muscle and this is emphasised more when the knee is bent at close to 90 degrees. Doing the seated ones will add mass to your entire lower leg but the standing ones will add mass just to the upper portion.

Feel free to correct me though as I'm not an expert.

Mine are soft in some places. Not rock hard or defined and I run everyday.

Originally Posted by ceazur

Mine are soft in some places. Not rock hard or defined and I run everyday.

Once they have adapted to the force creating by running, they have no need to change.

By applying a load to them, greater than what can be provided from running, they have the stimulus that requires them to adapt (like any other muscle).

Originally Posted by m11

Once they have adapted to the force creating by running, they have no need to change.

By applying a load to them, greater than what can be provided from running, they have the stimulus that requires them to adapt (like any other muscle).

I see... My calves are ELITE!

Originally Posted by T_man

Phineas, good ideas but..... 1.6km = 1 mile not the other way round

Haha, derp! Brain fart. Meant to say 1km = 0.6 miles. Thanks for the correction T_man!

Originally Posted by T_man

Phineas, good ideas but..... 1.6km = 1 mile not the other way round

Secondly, if you're taking such a practical stance on the calves, then keeping them "second guessing" does not make sense. Muscles do not think. They adapt to specific loads or movements, and so with progressive overload you can keep doing the same movements and see improvements.

I train my calves like all other muscles, including abs. I do the 8-12 range for primarily hypertrophy and go as heavy as I can with really good slow contraction. I rarely feel the burn unless I'm doing a drop set. However, my calves seem to respond really well to this and I'm sticking to it.

The idea of doing standing and sitting is the emphasis on different portions of the muscle. The standing ones will add more 'definition' after a cut imo, because they work the gastrocnemius which is the visible bulge. However, under it is the soleus which makes up upto 60% of the calf muscle and this is emphasised more when the knee is bent at close to 90 degrees. Doing the seated ones will add mass to your entire lower leg but the standing ones will add mass just to the upper portion.

Feel free to correct me though as I'm not an expert.

Good points.

First of all, the soleus works in straight-leg extensions, as well. I didn't say to not train with bent-legs. I did seated calf raises for the longest time; still want to, but my damn gym has the shittiest machine that I just can't put up with. When I said come up with creative ideas I didn't mean obscure movements out of the gym...I just meant in terms of rep ranges, intensities, res intervals, types of resistance, etc.

For instance, I've been trying to come up with a way to do an upside down calf extension. One where I would lie on the ground with my legs up 90 degrees and extend. Or, for something really different reverse cable extensions (or pulls, I suppose) to hit the tibialis and make the calves more impressive from a front view.

Re: progressive overload - I also trained like this and saw good results, but the calves are different than the other muscles in that you can push them past conventional training methods and they'll take it.

Seconding guessing isn't a literal phrase. Changing exercises for your chest every 3-5 weeks is keeping them guessing. Calves need it more, because they adapt faster. Let's not forget -- even once a muscle DOES adapt because you've been doing the same lifts for so long, you can still have progress..it will just come much slower. So, while your calves are improving who's to say that's the best they can do?

People will say don't change it up TOO frequently, or else how will you gauge progress? Well, for other muscles that's certainly true. However, if you're directly training your calves (and, obviously if you're mentioning tone or hypertrophy) you're concerned with the look of the muscle. In this case, who cares how much you can calf raise? In my earlier days (i.e. a year ago, lol) when I was OBSESSED with calf training I once actually went for a one-rep max, lol. But, really, what's the value in this? Calf training isn't about numbers as much as it is about the development of the muscle(s).

I've had much better results since switching to random calf training, but again, everyone is different.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Good points.

First of all, the soleus works in straight-leg extensions, as well. I didn't say to not train with bent-legs. I did seated calf raises for the longest time; still want to, but my damn gym has the shittiest machine that I just can't put up with. When I said come up with creative ideas I didn't mean obscure movements out of the gym...I just meant in terms of rep ranges, intensities, res intervals, types of resistance, etc.

For instance, I've been trying to come up with a way to do an upside down calf extension. One where I would lie on the ground with my legs up 90 degrees and extend. Or, for something really different reverse cable extensions (or pulls, I suppose) to hit the tibialis and make the calves more impressive from a front view.

Re: progressive overload - I also trained like this and saw good results, but the calves are different than the other muscles in that you can push them past conventional training methods and they'll take it.

Seconding guessing isn't a literal phrase. Changing exercises for your chest every 3-5 weeks is keeping them guessing. Calves need it more, because they adapt faster. Let's not forget -- even once a muscle DOES adapt because you've been doing the same lifts for so long, you can still have progress..it will just come much slower. So, while your calves are improving who's to say that's the best they can do?

People will say don't change it up TOO frequently, or else how will you gauge progress? Well, for other muscles that's certainly true. However, if you're directly training your calves (and, obviously if you're mentioning tone or hypertrophy) you're concerned with the look of the muscle. In this case, who cares how much you can calf raise? In my earlier days (i.e. a year ago, lol) when I was OBSESSED with calf training I once actually went for a one-rep max, lol. But, really, what's the value in this? Calf training isn't about numbers as much as it is about the development of the muscle(s).

I've had much better results since switching to random calf training, but again, everyone is different.

Well yes. In theory if you have exercises that hit the calves in the two places they're most used (or any other muscle for that matter) you could see results as long as you keep progressively overloading. Muscles only contract

lol 1RM of calves thats hilarious. Calves are the only muscle I don't really track weights of, I just work up to a weight I can do around 10 reps for, and not one more even if i tried, and then do that 3 times. Seems to work.

Only movement my calves seam to respond well to are bi lateral (one leg at a time) standing calf raises with a pause at the top and bottom. 3 sets with the last set to failure.

Also consider the muscle fiber types you're dealing with - calves tend to be different from most of the other muscles in our bodies. I haven' tbeen able to locate it, but I had read a study that looked at why some people are better sprinters than others, for example - and then they looked at the ratio of slow to fast twitch muscle fibers within those people who are better sprinters.

Here's something that looks like its supposed to give you an idea of what your muscle fiber makeup is: Bodybuilding.com - Training To Maximize Your Muscle Fiber Types! - Nick Nilsson

As a note to self, I need to give this program a shot (below) - I finally have access to a Donkey Calf machine (haven't seen one in years) - my issue is I have genetically large calves but also have a hard time cutting them up.

Otherwise here's a good discussion of training the different parts of the calf:

Ultimate Calf Training
For Maximum Results
by Karen Sessions

You have been pounding away at the iron game for years, set after
set and repetition after repetition. You have literally put blood,
sweat, and tears into your calf training routine. You step back
to look at the view in the mirror only to notice that you are
still lacking lower leg development. How can that be? You have
trained calves a million and one ways, you have eaten properly,
received adequate rest and still fail to see any distinct results.
Do you suffer from small calf syndrome? Does any of this sound
familiar? Are you tired of putting in 100% effort and receiving
only 10% results?

Have you ever seen someone who doesn’t workout at all or
exercises very little, yet they possess beautiful and balanced
calves? Just as with any other muscle, calves are genetic. The
length of a muscle and the tendon’s insertion point will
determine how great your calves will be. Those with short calf
muscles and a long tendon insertion will have a much more
difficult time building them to greatness, as this makes them
smaller and higher.

Building calves can be frustrating and it has to be the most
difficult muscle in the body to get to respond to training.
Even if you are not genetically gifted in the calf department,
there are some tactics that you can employ to maximize your
lower leg development.

Calf Structure
Before you can maximize muscle gains in the calves, it is
important to understand how they work and what is involved.
Calf training requires a different type of intensity, not just
more sets, more repetitions, more rest, etc. You have to
understand what is involved to capitalize on the gains. Train
hard, yet smart. Use your calf muscles as well as your mind.
You must focus and visualize.

The calves are composed of two major muscles, the gastrocnemius
and the soleus. These two muscles add size, width, and
symmetry to the lower portion of the leg. In addition, there
is a smaller muscle that comes into play, the tibialis anterior.
Even though it is small and may seem insignificant, it is an
important muscle to develop for strength, size, power,
endurance, and shape.

The Gastrocnemius
The gastrocnemius is the larger of the two major calf muscles
and it gives shape to the rear lower leg. It is located at
the top back of the lower leg and it extends from the knee
joint to the ankle joint and it is composed of two heads
(medial and lateral) that lie next to each other. It can be
easily seen when it is well developed and accompanied with
low body fat. The gastrocnemius portrays that well-known
diamond shape or an upside down heart.

Best Targeted
This muscle is best targeted with straight legged-heel raises,
such as donkey calf raises and standing calf raises. Some
put a slight bend in their legs to relive some pressure, but
this will only target the soleus more, putting less emphasis
on the gastrocnemius. If you are going to train the
gastrocnemius, then train it and don’t bring other muscles
into play.

Donkey raises are superior to standing calf raises due to the
position it puts you in. The gastrocnemius ties in with the
hamstrings at the back of the leg. When you are in the bent
over position, the hamstrings and gastrocnemius are stretched
out, giving the donkey calf raise an advantage over standing
calf raises due to the intensity and localization.

The gastrocnemius muscle responds well to heavy weight, using
more sets and fewer repetitions due to the great number of
fast-twitch (white) muscle fibers.

The Soleus
The soleus is the smaller, yet slightly wider, of the two
major calf muscles. It is not visible because it lies under
the gastrocnemius. The soleus muscle gives width to the back
of the lower leg.

The soleus comes into play in many endurance activities. The
gastrocnemius is usually has a lot of fast-twitch muscle
fibers or an equal number of fast and slow-twitch fibers.
This allows the soleus to take over in many cases when the
gastrocnemius becomes fatigued.

How many times have you done endless sets and repetitions of
straight-legged calf raises with nothing to show for it?
Straight-legged calf exercises build power and strength.
If you want to build larger calves you must put effort and
focus into training the soleus as well.

Best Targeted
The soleus can be best trained with any bent-knee exercises,
such as seated calf raises. The gastrocnemius is not
strongly involved in this movement.

The soleus responds well to light weight, fewer sets and
more repetitions since it is composed mainly of slow-twitch
muscle fibers (red).

Tibialis
The anterior tibialis is located at the front portion of the
lower leg. A developed anterior tibialis adds more depth
and symmetry. It will make your calves appear larger from
the front and side.

Best Targeted
This overlooked muscle can be best trained with toe raises.
Simply place the heel of your foot on a platform, such as a
weight plate placed on the floor. Place a dumbbell across
your foot and raise your toes as high as you can in a
controlled fashion. Lower and repeat.

Finisher
Rebound training is a great finisher for a calf routine. It
is simply jumping rope or jumping onto and off a box landing
on the balls of your feet. This will give them a good burn
and a good pump. Finish off with one set of as many as
possible.

Maximizing Gains
· Grab on to something supportive and do a calf raise. Use
your own body’s resistance and push down, adding pressure to
the calves. Hold the contraction for as long as possible.
Repeat three to four more times.

· How many times have you seen lifters using the popular
“toes-in” and “toes-out” approach to calf training? Were
you intrigued? Did you know that it is a complete waste of
time and energy since all the muscle fibers run in the same
direction? It is also dangerous to internally and externally
rotate your ankle or knee. The ball-and-socket joint in the
hip allows for the foot rotation, and it produces zero
emphasis on the calves since there is no calf muscle that
crosses the hip joint. Those who claim they feel the
difference have nothing to do with the external or internal
rotation of the hip, but rather bad form. The secret to
targeting the different areas of the calf muscle is to angle
the pressure by rolling over on your big toe (inversion)
or rolling over on your little toes (eversion). You should be
angling the soles of your feet. Targeting has everything to
do with form and technique, not rotating the knees. At least
with angling you can actually take advantage of a movement
that occurs in the ankle. Rolling over on the big toe will
stress the lateral head more, while rolling over on the
smaller toes will direct more of the resistance to the
medial head. Roll and angle the pressure. Don’t turn and
twist.

· You can increases the intensity of calf training by holding
the contraction at the top position for a count of two, lower
to the intermediate position for a count of two and lower.

· The soleus is largely composed of red (slow-twitch or
endurance) fibers, but you can develop some of the white
fibers by training the soleus in a very fast, yet controlled
manner.

· Train flat footed. Forget the stylish athletic shoes that
give you an artificial arch. Train calves in your bare feet
or wear combat boots or some other shoe that is flat in
structure. If you want to build bigger calves, you are going
to have to get to the bottom of things.

· Lock the knees with standing and donkey raises and keep
the tension on the gastrocnemius. Don’t allow the tension
to shift to other areas.

· Since the calves are a very different type of muscle, they
can be trained more than other muscle groups. You can train
the calves every other day, unless you are sore from the
previous calf training. You can also split up your
gastrocnemius and soleus training so you are training them
separately.

Best Exercise For Building Calf Muscles

Calf Workout #1
Monday
Standing Raises – heavy poundage – 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises – light poundage – 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises – light poundage – 4 sets of 10 repetitions

Wednesday
Donkey Raises – heavy poundage – 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises - light poundage – 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises – moderate poundage – 3 sets of 8 repetitions
Rebound Training – 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Friday
Leg Press Calf Raises – heavy poundage – 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Seated Raises – light poundage – 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises – light poundage – 4 sets of 10 repetitions

Calf Training Program #2
Monday
Standing Raises – heavy poundage – 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Rebound Training – 3 sets of 10 repetitions

Wednesday
Seated Raises – light poundage – 6 sets of 20 repetitions
Toe Raises – moderate poundage – 3 sets of 8 repetitions

Friday
Donkey Raises – heavy poundage – 3 sets of 4 repetitions
Rebound Training – 3 sets of 10 repetitions

The following Monday begin with soleus training.

Now that you have more facts on the structure of the calf
muscle, you have the power to train them to their full
potential. Use this information and take your lower leg
development to the next level and blow away the
competition.

Awesome post sasst69!

Interesting to read that the fibers all run in the same direction, rendering toes in/toes out useless. This just opened a major door for me, because I've refrained from using the seated calf machine at my gym because the foot rests are angled, and I never liked that. However, according to this that will just stress the medial head of the soleus. I've been wanting a bent-leg calf lift again so this will be nice.

Awesome!!

thanks guys. I appreciate it. Some great ideas. I can tell you know what you are talking about

its been said that a cyclist has the most defined body from the waist on down.
but, its hours in the saddle to get this look. hours.
and, if you do start riding, buy the shoes with the cleats, and peddals, so you get power in the full 360 degree peddal stroke.

Originally Posted by stepaukas

its been said that a cyclist has the most defined body from the waist on down.
but, its hours in the saddle to get this look. hours.
and, if you do start riding, buy the shoes with the cleats, and peddals, so you get power in the full 360 degree peddal stroke.

I was a cyclist in late HS early college... I've always had good calves. OK, a little bigger with weight gain but still good. To build them up (wasn't worried about looks of them at the time) I'd do some of my free weight workouts totally on my toes. Lunges, plies, do stuff that throws your balance off and you have to balance by using your calves... still on your toes.

Originally Posted by Phineas

Awesome post sasst69!

Interesting to read that the fibers all run in the same direction, rendering toes in/toes out useless. This just opened a major door for me, because I've refrained from using the seated calf machine at my gym because the foot rests are angled, and I never liked that. However, according to this that will just stress the medial head of the soleus. I've been wanting a bent-leg calf lift again so this will be nice.

Awesome!!

I have sort of trained calves over the years -- the growth part is not a biggy for me - my calves are decently big genetically - its sort of like you're either born w/ the or you aren't. They are hard to build because it seems like you have to find the right type of training that works for you.

My challenge has always been getting the water out - e.g. for competition. I tend to hold lots of water in my calves & triceps. Annoying as hell. I'd love to see my calves nice & blocky just to see what I've got under there.