Stubborn calves!!!

[thebutcher]

My training is consistent, I train calves at least twice a week. Usually once w/ 2 days in between for rest. .. I'll hit up to 9 sets with up to 15 to 20 reps with moderate weight.. ( 200 to 350 on leg press machine, 155 to 200 barbell press) With heavy ill hit super heavy(400 + on leg press 225 + on barbell press) with only about 8 reps. .. I use both seated and standing but they just won't grow! HELP!! I just don't feel like I'm overtraing!! .. Can genetics really be this shitty?!

 

[OTG85]

Yea I have same problem.Quads,hams huge calves small and don't grow.I'm considering implants in the future.

 

[ThreeGigs]

Um, dude. How much do you weigh? I mean.... you *can* stand on one foot and raise yourself on your toes, right? So... that 350 or 400 number is for just *one leg*, right?

Screw 9 sets, do 3 sets heavy.
On your non-leg days, jump rope for 10 minutes straight to warm up. Jumping rope is probably the best calf exercise there is.

 

[celticthug]

donkey calf.if u have access to one.seems to help alot of guys.jus walking makes mine big.seriously.

 

[TJTJ]

sorry pal. its genetics.

not much you can do about'em. But dont give up.

 

[Calves of Steel]

Um, dude. How much do you weigh? I mean.... you *can* stand on one foot and raise yourself on your toes, right? So... that 350 or 400 number is for just *one leg*, right?

Screw 9 sets, do 3 sets heavy.
On your non-leg days, jump rope for 10 minutes straight to warm up. Jumping rope is probably the best calf exercise there is.

this!

 

[jimm]

I'm beggining to think synthol (and other alike) is the only option for calves

 

[dirtwarrior]

I used to work construction. Up and down ladders all day. Calves of steel baby... Might need more reps dude

 

[OTG85]

Either you have them or ya don't ..I know a lot ppl with no calve syndrome my self included.

 

[dgp]

Train them everyday at the end of every workout.

 

[Cork]

I have doubled my calf size in the last 2 years. I've gone from just the bone to some actual muscle hanging off, haha. It took persistence and many many reps. Do a lot of toe presses and learn how to fully flex your calf. That was one main problem I had.

 

[thebutcher]

Well I won't give up! I guess I just keep hoping there's an "easy button" or some magical exercise that I haven't done. .. Just gets frustrating after the time put in and no positive results. .. @threeGigs.. Yeah that's one leg at a time until failure, switch, repeat, then both together until failure. Also, I just recently read an article on jump roping. I'll do it. Thanks fellas. .. Good lookin' out on the responses.

 

[Ezskanken]

Like Cork mentioned, hold your calf in the fully contracted position for a bit, then repeat...

 

[dirtwarrior]

or do construction work

 

[Ezskanken]

I roofed for many years packing bundles up and down, and other materials. Never really felt a burn in my calves. Even while climbing 40' ladders...

 

[bjg]

my dad is 82 with no training and incredible calves , i have inherited them from him, my two sons one is 18 works out like hell, judo player + varsity soccer player (striker) so imagine his legs and he has no visible calf shape they are just smooth.
my other son 16 no sports had calves bulging and defined since he was 3 years old.
So genetics will give you the shape.
now exercise can improve that shape make it bigger .
vary your exercises.

 

[thebutcher]

Train them everyday at the end of every workout.

I know calves are very resilient due to fast twitch fibers but wont training them everyday cause a counter productive effect? overtraining?

 

[thebutcher]

Um, dude. How much do you weigh? I mean.... you *can* stand on one foot and raise yourself on your toes, right? So... that 350 or 400 number is for just *one leg*, right?

Screw 9 sets, do 3 sets heavy.
On your non-leg days, jump rope for 10 minutes straight to warm up. Jumping rope is probably the best calf exercise there is.

I recently read an article suggesting the same... Jump roping that is. .. well i did so in todays workout.. 10 min or close to minus the time spent re starting due to whipping the back of my skull and tripping up on the damn thing. haha :/ Anyways. thanks for the tip man. The pump was insane! just wish it wouldnt go away and my calves would stay swoll.. but im sure thats everybodys wish. None the less, thanks again, guess it just took hearing it from someone else to get motivated enough to do it.

 

[ThreeGigs]

I recently read an article suggesting the same... Jump roping that is. .. well i did so in todays workout.. 10 min or close to minus the time spent re starting due to whipping the back of my skull and tripping up on the damn thing. haha :/ Anyways. thanks for the tip man. The pump was insane! just wish it wouldnt go away and my calves would stay swoll.. but im sure thats everybodys wish. None the less, thanks again, guess it just took hearing it from someone else to get motivated enough to do it.

Any time, man. I always used to think of jumping rope as a girly thing, or crossfit / functional / etc. Then I tried it myself and like you found out... holy s**t. 80 reps/min, alternate between left and right legs, and in 10 minutes you wind up with 400 *explosive* reps per calf at whatever your bodyweight is.

But don't neglect the heavy sets. On squat days, after your heaviest set is over, before putting the weights away, do some calf raises with the bar on your back. Saves time, and if your quads can handle the weight, your calves should too.

 

[CanadianStrength]

A great exercise is the seated calf raise. The trick is a drop set. Load the bar all the way with 10's and 25's and rep out, drop a plate, rep out drop a plate. So on and so on. If yo u don't get an I intense burn from this your not pushing your self. You should barely be able to walk after this.

 

[dgp]

I know calves are very resilient due to fast twitch fibers but wont training them everyday cause a counter productive effect? overtraining?

Very unlikely

 

[stfuandliftbtch]

My training is consistent, I train calves at least twice a week. Usually once w/ 2 days in between for rest. .. I'll hit up to 9 sets with up to 15 to 20 reps with moderate weight.. ( 200 to 350 on leg press machine, 155 to 200 barbell press) With heavy ill hit super heavy(400 + on leg press 225 + on barbell press) with only about 8 reps. .. I use both seated and standing but they just won't grow! HELP!! I just don't feel like I'm overtraing!! .. Can genetics really be this shitty?!

You walk on your calves ALL day. They can take a way better beating than 9 wimpy sets.

*Give em' at 5 sets per exercise w/ proper form
*Spend twice as long on the negative and a squeeze at top
-when failure to perform that happens, bang out some quick reps until they burn to much to continue.
*Go ALL the way down and get a good stretch
*30-45sec rest between sets

*Calf Shocker* 10 sets of 10 for last exercise. each set should be near if not to failure. 30 second rest between sets!

Why 15-20? why not 30, 40 even 100billion?

 

[ThreeGigs]

You walk on your calves ALL day. They can take a way better beating than 9 wimpy sets.

See, that's the problem. With calves, you CANNOT truly rest them. It's easy to not lift heavy things for a couple of days to give your shoulders or back a chance to rest and recover. But if you walk, you'll be re-working your already hard-worked calves thus limiting recovery. Too much heavy work on calves can absolutely be counter-productive, just like bench pressing every day would be counter-productive.

 

[thebutcher]

Well thanks again for all input! Some noteworthy .. Others debate able. I'll take good with bad and follow my better instinct and knowledge.. SHOCk the bitches with heavy muthafuckin weight on training days and incorporate droplets with high reps.. "rest" em one day and incorporate jumprope timed sets on non training days. I feel as if the jump roping will also add a nice warm up before workouts. Given I do proper warm ups thanks to the sticky on a "guide to a proper warm up" thumbs up!

 

[SloppyJ]

I think it's PARTLY genetics but I will say this. My dad has HUGE calves that are vascular and giant. I'd be happy with half of the calves he has.

Now I thought I was training my calves before. The other day I loaded up 405 on the squat rack and did three sets of standing calf raises off of one of those step box things. I couldn't walk the next day. Go heavier than you ever have.

Also when you do cardio, walk on your calves for 10 minutes or so.

 

[ExLe]

My training is consistent, I train calves at least twice a week. Usually once w/ 2 days in between for rest. .. I'll hit up to 9 sets with up to 15 to 20 reps with moderate weight.. ( 200 to 350 on leg press machine, 155 to 200 barbell press) With heavy ill hit super heavy(400 + on leg press 225 + on barbell press) with only about 8 reps. .. I use both seated and standing but they just won't grow! HELP!! I just don't feel like I'm overtraing!! .. Can genetics really be this shitty?!

Try hitting different parts of your calves...

When doing calves mix in sets where your toes are pointed inwards and outwards...

My calves have come along nice after doing this...


Just reach down and feel your calve muscle while doing seated calve raises toes pointing straight...

Now feel them pointing your toes inwards then feel them pointing your toes outwards...

You can feel the different head it is working... One works inner calve other works outer calve...

Mix in all 3 for a solid calve workout...

Genetics plays a huge roll, but you can maximize your potential by hitting them hard from all angles...

Good luck

 

[Powermaster]

Only thing that seamed to work for me was heavy, low rep sets. Last set I'd do a static contraction and held it for as long as I could.

Heavy squatting as well as cleans seam to work well on calves also.