Post: #1

Anyone ever found a solution for calves?

The consensus on the fitness community these days seems to be fuck it is entirely genetic and there is no point in training them.

Some powerlifters say that calves will grow on their own once you gain bodyweight (one claimed that his only started to grow at 250+ pounds).

Its specially bad if you have high insertions.

Also some people say that its very easy to injury the ankle when doing very high volume. So whats the solution?

Post: #2

Do calf raises with ~100lbs more than your final set of squat.

Run in Five Fingers.

Post: #3

jump rope

Post: #4

(08-09-2015 02:22 PM)the chef Wrote:  jump rope

I 2nd the jump roping and would add longer sprints where you stay on your toes the entire time. So at the bare minimum 100 metere sprints but shoot for 200-400 meters.

Post: #5

My calves have always been huge, and they got even bigger once I started doing stiff legged deadlifts for not much weight (like 135) and higher rep back squats for not much weight - like 145# for a set of 5,4,3,2,1, then a balls out set of 20, then a set of 10.

You can always integrate a calf raise between reps of dumbbell work. Javorek complexes demand it. Here's a video - most of you guys would definitely benefit from doing a lot of shoulder volume with 20# dumbbells at home.

Check it out, he does a calf raise every rep.

Post: #6

Calves have always been a nightmare for me too; being tall makes it even worse.

The only real solution is heavy and high volume. Most people just do not realise how strong the calf muscles are and train with pitiful weight.

My dad was a bodybuilder and suffered with the calf problem...I still do his routine of tri-sets with the feet pointed straight, then inwards then outwards.

Post: #7

Never had a problem with my calves - they have been quite massive ever since.

With that being said, you can always improve. Just keep training hard and your calve muscles will grow. Go high intensity, but keep an eye on your form.

Post: #8

I was born with a medical condition that reduces flexibility in the hamstrings and as a result I walk with more weight on my toes (I.e. there is not so much roll in my walk and very little dorsiflexion in my feet).

My calves are gigantic. Like YAO MING big.

Try, in your day to day life to walk with your weight on your toes and shuffle your walk a little bit, your carves will grow.

Post: #9

Jump rope, toe jumping. I never worked out my calves and they are quite big.

Post: #10

Your individual muscle insertions are going to be the most important factor here. Your best bet is to start boxing. You'll gain a valuable skill and spend a lot of time on your toes. If your calves look better, great, but they probably won't. Examples of getting big calves from training are few and far between.

Post: #11

I did muay thai for many months and we used to do 10 minutes of jump rope each session as warm up. Never saw any improvement.

Back when i did Strong Lifts i used to go to the gym tuesdays and thursdays just to do calves they were the only thing that didnt grow.

CodyB can you squat properly with a limited dorsiflexion?

Crash i remember lots of trainers made their girls do that exercise, not that its a girly exercise its just that they mostly had female trainees, how much weight are you talking about... Like for seated calf raises close to bodyweight? What about injuries?

Post: #12

Yeah it's largely genetic and depends on whether you have low or high calves (look at Shawn Crawford for example). I used to jump rope for 30-40 minutes straight 6 days a week and my calves were still like sticks as I have high calves. On the plus side most fast runners have high calves.

Post: #13

This might sound really stupid, but now that I don't have access to a leg press machine:
what do you guys stand on when you do dumbbell calf raises? My deadlift platform is a bit short, and my plates are rubber-coated so I tend to slip off.

Post: #14

(08-12-2015 04:19 AM)Rutting Elephant Wrote:  This might sound really stupid, but now that I don't have access to a leg press machine:
what do you guys stand on when you do dumbbell calf raises? My deadlift platform is a bit short, and my plates are rubber-coated so I tend to slip off.

Try a smith machine or barbell and a step box.

If you don't have one of those step things, pile up a couple of plates for each foot and stand on them. If you wear trainers you shouldn't really slip off them.

I wouldn't use dumbbells as your grip is likely to give out way before your calves...plus you'll need some bloody big dumbbells!

Post: #15

This could be useful too

Post: #16

(08-11-2015 10:07 PM)dog24 Wrote:  Crash i remember lots of trainers made their girls do that exercise, not that its a girly exercise its just that they mostly had female trainees, how much weight are you talking about... Like for seated calf raises close to bodyweight? What about injuries?

Are you referring to the ti-set?

If so, whatever you can handle, like anything else.

Calves are complicated muscles with mixes of different types of fibres and multiple heads. Just like the shoulders, you have to hit them from different angles and with different magnitudes of weight.

This is a sample calf workout that I use:

4 x 5-6 straight foot with a super heavy weight...much more than bodyweight....what good is bodyweight or less when each calf individually moves our entire body every time we take a step!

3x10 for each of the three foot positions. 100%+ BW.

4 x 15-20 tri set (yup, that's 45-60 reps without stopping) with 75-100% BW.

If you aren't crying and screaming at the end of this and feel the need to dance around the gym after each set you aren't working the calves enough.

They're bastards.

Post: #17

(08-12-2015 12:36 AM)Kieran Wrote:  On the plus side most fast runners have high calves.

I'm pretty sure that calf genetics are the reason that Sprinting is dominated by those of West African descent.

Post: #18

Yeah I think so - some say high calves means more tendon and the tendon acts like a rubber band able to generate more force on rebound. That along with narrow hips, long legs relative to torso, and long glutes tend to come together in a lot of people, especially as you said those of West African descent. I have most of those traits and was decently fast, but unfortunately I don't grow muscle anything like as easily as my black friends do.

Post: #19

Do your calf raises on one leg.

Post: #20

(08-12-2015 05:04 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 12:36 AM)Kieran Wrote:  On the plus side most fast runners have high calves.

I'm pretty sure that calf genetics are the reason that Sprinting is dominated by those of West African descent.

Basically this.

For me having bad calves genetics the only time I had real mass and size on then was from football. Running around on grass every day out a lot of tourque and tension that isolation movements like calf raises just can't mimic.

Post: #21

The best advice came via PM, i couldnt even get to 50 by the way.
Ill see if i can put before and after pics in 2/3 months.

Post: #22

(08-12-2015 05:04 AM)CrashBangWallop Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 12:36 AM)Kieran Wrote:  On the plus side most fast runners have high calves.

I'm pretty sure that calf genetics are the reason that Sprinting is dominated by those of West African descent.

Calf aesthetics all have to do with the insertion of the muscle. You can work them all day but in the end if they are inserted to high on your leg its still going to look like shit. This is not an excuse to not include them in a workout.

Post: #23

Dog24, share the knowledge please. What exercises and routines are you doing?

Post: #24

This friend of mine got massive calves by doing toe walks backwards on a treadmill. Mine have always looked good and only got bigger when I started working out.

Post: #25

@Hades
Can you explain your routine? Do you mean 5 sets of decreasing reps, from 5 to 1, as a warm-up, and then the same weight 10-20 reps?