Training Calf Muscles

[LoBlow]

Calf Development: before I get into the particulars you must understand that the advices given on these types forums are more opinion based and or just here say or what one person read on another forum

what you will read below is neither but is proven from experience and many years in the gym

with that said what will determine your results are based more upon genetics, and the right exercise set rep schemes

If you are Caucasian or Asian you stand a better chance of already having good developed calves or the ability to develop them


The best exercise for developing the calves muscles is the Donkey calf raise with a 2X4 placed under the ball of your toes this will allow for a better stretch at the bottom, the beauty of this exercise is that it hits all the muscle of the calves, and also if you do not have weight or a machine you can do it with some one sitting on your lower back

http://usera.imagecave.com/Lesponera..._Calf_Down.jpg

as far as the Sets reps scheme this will vary by individual so one has to experiment

but the calves abs and forearm muscles are more dense and can be hit more often depending on the level of fitness of the individual, so normally there is no great issues of over training these areas


another great exercise to condition the calves is to practice walking/functioning with the heels not touching the ground, do not raise the heels to high but just enough to keep them off the ground, and through out your day try functioning without your heels ever touching the ground

this is also very beneficial to boxers "keep on your toes"

[younghypnotiq]

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[average_joe]

Originally Posted by aramini

If it is the inside and the top of the muscle you want to improve, you really don't need to go down much below the ground. There are machines that allow you to lower your heels below the level of the ball of your foot, and they are worth doing every once in a while but all I did for years was the jump rope and heavy weight/ high rep standing calf raises.

I really can't let a post like this pass without a picture of my calves, you know.

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Holy shit! That's frikin beastly! Calf implants?

[average_joe]

Originally Posted by LoBlow

The best exercise for developing the calves muscles is the Donkey calf raise with a 2X4 placed under the ball of your toes this will allow for a better stretch at the bottom, the beauty of this exercise is that it hits all the muscle of the calves, and also if you do not have weight or a machine you can do it with some one sitting on your lower back

http://usera.imagecave.com/Lesponera..._Calf_Down.jpg

another great exercise to condition the calves is to practice walking/functioning with the heels not touching the ground, do not raise the heels to high but just enough to keep them off the ground, and through out your day try functioning without your heels ever touching the ground

this is also very beneficial to boxers "keep on your toes"

Thanks for the advice. So basically have someone hump me into submission in the weightroom, and then walk around all day like I have high heels on. It can't get any better than that!

[Marvelous Marcum]

Two to three times a week do 10 - 15 weighted calf raises between every set you're doing, regardless of which body part you're working that day. I began doing these a month ago and have added 1/2 an inch so far.

[aramini]

Originally Posted by average_joe

Holy shit! That's frikin beastly! Calf implants?

No. always had large calves but I've jumped rope on my tip toes since I was a little kid. There are pics of me at 16 that show the huge calves when I was like 110 lbs.

Let me find one from like 13 years ago or so.

This is a comparison one from when I was 112 lbs on the left at 16 years old to the right side at 128 lbs.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/photo/...ntitled132.jpg

when i was fighting at 116 lbs in 1999:

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Always had them and worked them even when I was ridiculously skinny but I don't think a 16 year old could get implants.

I'm trying to get bigger calves. Any tips?

Take roids.

[aramini]

Originally Posted by KTFO

Take roids.

I don't think this is necessarily going to promote much calf development without the proper exercises. It is pretty common to see huge hulking, probably steroid induced upper bodies perched upon the thinnest chicken legs at gyms.

[average_joe]

"Always had them and worked them even when I was ridiculously skinny"

You've got some good calf genes then. Caucasians and asians supposedly are more likely to have bigger calves.

[LoBlow]

Originally Posted by average_joe

So basically have someone hump me into submission in the weightroom,

If you are into that sort of thing then go for it, but the purpose of the person on your lower back is to add weight, they sit still while you do the exercise, preferably with a female on your lower back

Originally Posted by average_joe

and then walk around all day like I have high heels on. It can't get any be

Please re read my post, heels slightly off the ground there is no need to "walk around all day like you have high heels on" unless you are into that type of activity

[cardstars]

I get really good calf workouts from the regular running and jogging I do. Sometimes I will just push-off the tips of my toes (almost like a bounding effect) and I can always feel the burn in my calves afterwards. I guess if you are trying to get them "bigger" you can load on the weight training but I got pretty light on my feet from the above.

[CMBoxer]

Jogging, jump ropes, and sparring.