BIG Calves

[jbig]

I want tree trunks. Whats the best way to go about getting them?

What works/what doesn't? Cheers.

[beckie]

you need to do both seated and standing calf raises as they both hit different muscles in the calf. Some people say go hard and heavy whilst others go for sheer volume.

if you think about it your calves take your entire bodyweight multiple times every day so you need to do something they aren't used to-personally I would go heavy, with lower reps and more sets! And remember to stretch them else your Achilles will get tight

[RUBICON19]

DC calfs

[Mystic79]

Genetics plays a huge roll.

[youngblood]

For standing movements, go heavy. They're composed of fast-twitch muscle fibers, and need heavy weight to stimulate them.
For seated, it's just the opposite-lighter weight, and more reps to get the type I fibers.

Learn to love the burning, searing sensation that comes with calf training. If you do, and you learn to bust through it, calves will not only be more fun to work, but also; they'll grow more than anyone else because they do not like that pain.
The pain is different from a chest burn or back. But I feel the two most important things to calf training are:

1) Full range of motion. All the way up. All the way down. Period.

2) No Bouncing at any point. Constant tension on the muscle. To help achieve this, pause at the top for 2 seconds, and pause at the bottom for two seconds.

[Maximum6]

I have good calves. Even before i started training.

Right now I only do Seated, Standing, and sometimes on a Smith machine.

I don't go heavy on calves.

go heavy on Seated calf raise you end up swinging the whole body while only getting the first few reps in with not so great peak contraction, however great stretch overload.

go heavy on Standing calf raise you end up sliding off the pad you're standing on.

Smith machine however..I can put a few 25lb plate under the balls of the feet..and go as heavy as I want to without worring about slipping off.

I usually focus on time under tension, and FULLY contract the calves more than anything else.
Seated Calf raise is the exercise I focus on overload stretching as well as contraction and time under tension.

[gti steve]

Calves are an interesting muscle. they can move some serious heavy weight, and they also respond to high reps as well.

i would do a mixture. i go real heavy on standing calf raises. i do like a ballerina-type of move on my tippy-toes to get the full contraction.

and then on the seated and donkey calf raises ill go moderate to higher reps. i get lots of comments about my calves. they have a nice cut to them and they have the "upside down heart" look to it. lots of separation. could very well be genetics

[Intensity]

Same variables than for other muscles groups

A) Variety (Exercices, reps range and tempo)

B) Volume (Give them enough work load… not only a couple of sets at the end of a workout. )

C) Priority (in your training schedule)

D) Intensity (Failure and intensification technics)

E) Frequency (as other muscles, incorporate calves in your routine / not only once in a while)

[RUBICON19]

My calfs respong to almost anything. 1 set a week. Everyother week.. Whatever, but I must say that when I was using DC training I noticed a quick burst of growth in them

[sinnerica]

Randy, why did you stop DC training ?

[RUBICON19]

Just seeing if conventional training will bring more conditioning

[Intensity]

sinnerica said:

Randy, why did you stop DC training ?

Anyway, I believe Variety is a must for hypertrophy… As Youngblood often said here, even if you made gains with a specific program, you absolutely need not to keep this program forever if you want to keep progressing!

[RUBICON19]

intensity said:

sinnerica said:

Randy, why did you stop DC training ?

Anyway, I believe Variety is a must for hypertrophy… As Youngblood often said here, even if you made gains with a specific program, you absolutely need not to keep this program forever if you want to keep progressing!

Not sure if I fully agree with that just yet, but we'll see..

[Tim Wescott]

My calves are one of my best bodyparts by far......not always the case, so I say no to the genetic respose.......... for the most part anyway.

You can build good calves no matter what, as long as you are persistant and consistant.

Results will vary of course,but they can and will grow if you train them first of all,like any other bodypart,not just as an afterthought.

You can`t do 12 sets for quads, and then tack on a measly 4 sets of quick half-hearted calf work and expect the development to be proportionate.

Here`s some things that I did that made my calves as good or better than most guys I`ve competed with......... regardless of bodyweight:

1.-Full range of motion........all the way up,hold for a 2 count,all the way down,hold for a 2 count...repeat for the targeted rep range.

2.-Vary rep ranges in the same workout-do a few sets of 6-10 reps heavy,followed by a few sets of 12-30 or more reps,remembering to go all the way up and all the way down as explained above.

3.-Variety-use as many different exercises as possible and switch them up a lot, or change the order and rep range often......calves adapt quickly to any given workload.

4.-Half reps.......do as many full reps as possible,then do half reps from the top,or bottom or alternate both top + bottom until you cannot stand the pain any longer.

5.-Stetch-at the end of each set,stay on the machine and stretch in the bottom position after all positive reps and all half reps are completed.......get ready for pain!!

Also stretching between sets is good.

6.-Intensity techniques-Drop Sets,Super-Sets,Tri-Sets,Giant-Sets,Rest Pause,etc.,if you haven`t tried these techniques you don`t know calf pain.

Gotta` really kill them.

7.-Do as many sets as you do for other bodyparts,and have a high volume day,say 10-12 sets depending on your current development,and a lighter day a few days later doing 4-5 sets.

I do my main calf training on quad day, and a lighter version on hamstring day, but it doesn`t matter much,just space them a few days apart.

Go crazy on them, as they are a tough stubborn area that adapts to any given workload quickly, that`s why you must switch things up to keep adaptation from occuring.

[youngblood]

rubicon19 said:

Anyway, I believe Variety is a must for hypertrophy… As Youngblood often said here, even if you made gains with a specific program, you absolutely need not to keep this program forever if you want to keep progressing!

Not sure if I fully agree with that just yet, but we'll see..[/quote]


Growth=Adaptation. In order to adapt, we need to give the body something to adapt to- change of program.

So; change+adaptation=growth

[RUBICON19]

But what about change of weight with minor changes in routine? Like when you top out on one exercise move to another until you run the gains dry with that one. I would not call that variety

[TNA]

My calves are probably the best body part I have. Sure genetics play a large role but so does a lot of heavy lifting. I'm with Randy on this one. DC has done wonders for me. I already had large calves but now, they appear to be getting bigger. I stick with the basic DC method but I do change it up a bit once in a while.

[youngblood]

rubicon19 said:

But what about change of weight with minor changes in routine? Like when you top out on one exercise move to another until you run the gains dry with that one. I would not call that variety

Why is it not variety? Something has changed, correct? That something is something you now have to get adapt to.

[RUBICON19]

youngblood said:

rubicon19 said:

But what about change of weight with minor changes in routine? Like when you top out on one exercise move to another until you run the gains dry with that one. I would not call that variety

Why is it not variety? Something has changed, correct? That something is something you now have to get adapt to.

Dont get me wrong YB. I agree. What I am saying is that overload can get the job done. I just dont believe there is a need for super sets, drop sets, etc... , This exercise, that one....

[youngblood]

I'm just simplifying it and saying that overload equals change. And that change produces the adaptation that equals growth.