Building the Calf Muscle

[jhawkin1]

I am currently 24 years old and weight approximately 155 pounds. For working out my calves: I use an olympic bar w/ 45 on each side and do 3x10 calf raises. Is this a good technique to building that calf muscle up? With the increased weight on my back, will this exercise lead to back problems down the road?

 

[PushAndPull]

I think that weight is probably to light for you. In my experience, my calves responded better to heavy weight. Personally, I like using the smith machine and standing on a box with an additional amount of weight on the other end of the box to offset my weight. I put the front part of my feet on the edge of the box, make sure you don't just have your toes on the edge. The height of the box allows for a better range of motion, the smith machine basically takes care of the balance for you, which allows you to really stack on the weight.

 

[danzik17]

I'd use a calf machine in this case. I don't like doing calf exercises with a barbell because of the super heavy weights you should be using.

As for how much weight, think of it this way. In order for you to walk up stairs, each calf has to at least be able to lift your body weight. You can be lifting so much more with your calves.

 

[T_man]

In my experience I find calf machines or one legged dumbell calf raises better than a barbell calf raise because I find the weights I have to use put a great strain on my lower back. Especially if I'm using the smith machine (which I always do because it's hard to balance on your toes with weights greater than your own body weight resting on your traps).

What I find also good, is going really heavy, about 8-10 reps and then after I do body weight calf raises for as many as I can. Really burns. Squat, this, then SLDL = raped calves

 

[Built]

My calves are huge. I was a fat jogger. I can't help but think that weighted plyometric work while bulking would be spectacular for calf development.

To the OP - try leg press for calves. You can also try 'em that way done one leg at a time. And perhaps try pausing at the bottom of each rep for three seconds, to dissipate the elastic return and force your calf to do the work instead of your Achilles' tendon.

Work the fuck out of calves. They seem to respond to overtraining and overeating. Tuck 'em between sets of upper body work; alternate them with ab work. Toss a weighted backpack on and walk on a treadmill at the maximum incline for five minutes at the end of your workout.

EAT.

 

[njc]

Be sure to include some seated calf movements to stress your soleous. That's the thicker muscle underneath your gastroc. This will give your calves a wider appearance...good for somebody looking at your calves from the back. The gastrocs are better stressed from straight leg movements. Be sure to work both.

 

[gtbmed]

Cleans - not kidding

 

[Phineas]

I've had much success since starting my new calf training program.

I had already been training calves twice a week, but now I tweaked things:

-I do them on my lower push and lower pull days
-2 straight leg exercises (one program I use DB extensions and 2 leg smith machine extensions and other program i use 1 leg smith and 2 leg leg press machine extensions and in both programs one bent (seated calf raise) (and in that order)
-for the straight leg lifts i always perform 5 x 5 (straight leg hits the gastrocnemius (muscle on outside) harder, which is composed primarily of fast twitch fibres)...so i do these ones with very heavy weight and more explosiveness in my lift..yet still making sure to get peak contraction at the top...no partial extensions
-on the bent leg (which works primarily the soleus..muscle underneath which is 60% of the calf and supports the gastrocnemius..and is primarily slow twitch) i always do 4 x 12 on a lighter weight with slower tempo, and as built said a 2-3 second pause at the bottom of each eccentric...this part is surprisingly killer

my calves have grown and hardened up a great deal since starting this

 

[firemaf96]

cleans.....and i run & they're growing like crazy

 

[Merkaba]

Yea I'm getting ready to turn up the heat on my calves. I do raised-raises in the smith with 540, then put about 8 or 900 on the leg press, then do some seated with like 180. I need a new strategy cause my calves are a little too small.