scrawny chicken legs-need help

[andyh182]

I have super skinny chicken legs and would like to add size to my calves. I am currently doing calf raises twice a week(seated and standing).

What is the proper way to do them? i.e do them slowly, go heavy, # of sets and reps? thanks

I do calf raises on leg day and squeeze them in with another body part 3 or 4 days later.

 

[Seanp156]

If your entire leg is skinny, I'd say forget calf raises and focus on squats, leg press, and some type of deadlift. Calfs generally grow in proportion to the rest of the leg/body. Of course, you could still do 2-3 sets of different types of calf raises in your routine as well.

 

[CowPimp]

If your entire leg is skinny, I'd say forget calf raises and focus on squats, leg press, and some type of deadlift. Calfs generally grow in proportion to the rest of the leg/body. Of course, you could still do 2-3 sets of different types of calf raises in your routine as well.

I agree. Squat and deadlift. Throw in a little extra calf work at the end of your workout if you must. Oh yeah, and eat, eat, eat, eat, eat, rest, repeat...

 

[benverner]

Squat, Squat, Squat

I had them too, now I can't wear jeans...only took 6 months. Your calves will pretty much grow in relation to the rest of your legs and body. Powerlifters rarely do calves and have some of the biggest I've seen. You can hit them 3-4 times a week for one exercise and not really screw yourself up unless you are doing cardio on top of that.

 

[GFR]

Squat, Squat, Squat

I had them too, now I can't wear jeans...only took 6 months. Your calves will pretty much grow in relation to the rest of your legs and body. Powerlifters rarely do calves and have some of the biggest I've seen. You can hit them 3-4 times a week for one exercise and not really screw yourself up unless you are doing cardio on top of that.

3-4 times a week is excessive and counter productive.
2x a week is pleanty for calves and quads.

squat 5x6-8
dead lift 4x8
hamstring curl 3x10
standing calves 4x12

 

[KelJu]

I naturally have shit genetics as far as my legs go, but I have seen very nice improvements by following advice from people on these boards, and I guess the most useful tips were:

Do squats. When you do squats, don't stack on tons of weight and go 4 inches down. Start with small weight and go as low as you can before coming up. My quads started growing like mad when I started reducing weight in order to go ass to the grass.

You calve workout isn't right unless you want to cry after each set. Calves and forearms are stubborn, and will not grow for some people unless you work them out hard. I started seeing great calve improvement when I worked through the pain until actual muscle failure instead of pussing out when my legs started burning.

Good luck with putting some size on your legs. If you can do it, you will be very glad you did it.

 

[andyh182]

ok cool thanks guys. I think I might have to take some weight off and go ass to the grass. However whenever I do deadlifts,
my lower back ends up feeling the most burn. Maybe I should lessen the weight on that too.

 

[benverner]

3-4 times a week is excessive and counter productive.
2x a week is pleanty for calves and quads.

squat 5x6-8
dead lift 4x8
hamstring curl 3x10
standing calves 4x12

Sorry I meant calves 3-4 times not squats...that will kill you. One calf exercise at the end of your workouts has shown to be very effective for both myself and plenty of people I know. I'm not a scientist, just saying what has worked for bringing them up.

Arnold trained them every day to bring them up...don't do it perpetually.

 

[dontsurfonmytur]

seanp, thats not true about calves. I see guys at my gym with humungous upperbodys and calves r skinny. Lightbulb style~

 

[CowPimp]

I was doing a squat or deadlift variation 3 times each week for a while. I had good results, and my genetics are crap in just about every department.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

I was also doing some type of similar movement several times a week for a while. My workouts now are spaced further apart, but with each and every one I do at least one movement similar to the squat or deadlift. Even though I've never had mass goals, my legs have grown dramatically since the beginning of my training.

 

[rustydewd]

seanp, thats not true about calves. I see guys at my gym with humungous upperbodys and calves r skinny. Lightbulb style~

im pretty sure he meant calves are in direct proportion with your legs.. your not gonna see a chicken with some huge calves.. they grow hand in hand

 

[CowPimp]

im pretty sure he meant calves are in direct proportion with your legs.. your not gonna see a chicken with some huge calves.. they grow hand in hand

Actually, I have seen it. I worked with this guy who had monstrous calves the he said he developed when he played rugby. His legs aren't really chicken legs, but they aren't in proportion with his calves at all.

 

[devildog88]

I have been doing one legged squats/lunges on a hammer machine and it seemed to have jump started my legs again. This is in addition to the squats twice a week and my regular leg routine (below)

Extentions 3X 10
Curls 3 X 10
SLDL 3X 10
Squats 1X12, 1X10, 1X8, 1X6, 1X20
One legged Squat/Lunges 3 X 10

 

[phreak]

ass-to-calf squats in good form always seem to get the job done. weight is a factor, but not the only one.

2 seconds on the descent, 1 second on the ascent.

don't think of standing up; think of pushing your feet through the floor.

this has worked extremely well for me:

2 sets of 15 warmup

2 sets of 10

1 set of 5

1 set of 15

that's it. i hit this twice every eight days. no leg extensions, no leg press. my legs grow nicely from this.

 

[Seanp156]

seanp, thats not true about calves. I see guys at my gym with humungous upperbodys and calves r skinny. Lightbulb style~

That could come from a number of different things, such as hardly training the lower body at all, or genetics. I'm just saying, if you have bird legs, calfs shouldn't be your primary focus.