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Big Calves

grandmaster

grandmaster

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Sup People

I was wondering what methods do you use to get those calves to be big?

Also i'm trying to get the to lookwider when look at my calves from the front..my quads are proportionate to my body but my calves arent..

it looks funny when i were shorts cause the top of my leg make my pants tight then you see the calves are so fucking thin and look shit!

Regards,
DHiven
 
PrinceVegeta

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Hit them hard with standing calf raises with toes pointed in... i fell it hits the diamond part of the calf very good!
 
Ironslave

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I think the thing with calves is that you need to really use movements to isolate them, as opposed to other parts. With calves, it's very easy to end up doing mini squats on standing leg presses, for example. I think overall a mix of a few sets with low reps and heavy weight to start, followed by sets of high reps using slow/controlled form would be ideal.

I'd also concentrate more on using the leg press for calf raises, and seated calf raises, as opposed to standing. I just always found that 1) the spine loading is unconfortable... and 2) you are more likely to cheat with standing.
 
grandmaster

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I think the thing with calves is that you need to really use movements to isolate them, as opposed to other parts. With calves, it's very easy to end up doing mini squats on standing leg presses, for example. I think overall a mix of a few sets with low reps and heavy weight to start, followed by sets of high reps using slow/controlled form would be ideal.

I'd also concentrate more on using the leg press for calf raises, and seated calf raises, as opposed to standing. I just always found that 1) the spine loading is unconfortable... and 2) you are more likely to cheat with standing.

what about doing the standing calf raises on the hack squat machine?
 
PrinceVegeta

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^never did them on a hack squat machine...but seeing the angle it would ake for good contractions, ill try those out!
 
Bhana

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You need a calf excercise with your knees straight, to target your gastrocnemius, and knees bent e.g seated calf raise, for your soleus. Experiment with the angles. I like to hold a pause at the bottom and top of the movement and really make the most of the contraction. Genetics play a huge role in calves too, u either have them or u dont
 
tim290280

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I have lagging calves as well.

IS makes some good points. This is one of the reasons I train as much single leg calf stuff as possible. If you do do standing calves you really do have to concentrate on actual contraction without thrusting the weight up.

Another thing is that calves are very efficient at storing elastic energy (especially if you have "high calves"). This means to actually contract and lift the weight, preferrably after disippating the elastic energy. To do this is as simple as pausing at the bottom of each rep (something I find hard to do effectively).
 
tim290280

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You need a calf excercise with your knees straight, to target your gastrocnemius, and knees bent e.g seated calf raise, for your soleus. Experiment with the angles. I like to hold a pause at the bottom and top of the movement and really make the most of the contraction. Genetics play a huge role in calves too, u either have them or u dont
Seated calf raises are good for the underlying muscles (not just soleus) of the calf as the gastroc (etc) are not in a stretched position able to contract effectively. But different foot positions for this position is pointless.

Standing or knee straight exercises (Donkey calves, etc) do benefit from medial or lateral foot rotation to emphasise the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocs. But IMO this is only of use if there is massive differences in the two heads, as you tend to use heavy loads to train the calves and you are effectively (over)loading one side of the knee joint (especially if you do this single legged).

Don't forget the muscles on the front of the shin either. Toe raises (something I keep forgetting to do) will add to the calf significantly.
 
grandmaster

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Toe Raises? Never heard of those before... please explain more on them.
 
tim290280

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^^ Well there are a couple of ways to do them. All involve placing weight on your feet so that you then "curl" your feet back towards your shins.

The method I have found best was to sit on a bench so that your feet are off the ground, place a dumbbell between your feet so that one end is resting on your toes and then raise and lower your toes.
 

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Nothing's better than running period. I as soon as I started running and doing sprints they exploded.
 
skindnef

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^^Running uphill. Works great.
 
Napol3onator

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yea these folks are right..stretching really helps too..coming from a dude who can't grow calves at all..they do get slightly bigger, with time..and yea turning around on a hack squat is one of the best calve movements you can endure, as long as your back is protected.
 
curtisymoo

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running sand dunes....

im not talking about beach roll shit. near my cousins place in cali they have a small park which is just one huge steep ass sand dune. if you know what im talking about the lakers conditioned there before as well
 
nigster

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Someone once writed about doing calves in treadmill, I think it was Dante. Use high angle and really squeeze on every step you take. Of course you should do your "normal" calf workout too. This is just something to add.

I have weak calves but I have managed to gain some muscle to my calves within last year. Here's something I have done and what I would suggest to do:

- Supersets (standing and seated).
- Don't cheat. It's pointless and will lead to nothing.
- First do standing calf raises, then seated and last shit is that treadmill thing.
- Hit them more than once/week.
- Try also something new (e.g. legpress and single leg movements).

Now the rest is up to you...go hit those bastards!
 
grandmaster

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will definitely try them and get back to you guys about there development in 1 year.
 
Bhana

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Seated calf raises are good for the underlying muscles (not just soleus) of the calf as the gastroc (etc) are not in a stretched position able to contract effectively. But different foot positions for this position is pointless.

Standing or knee straight exercises (Donkey calves, etc) do benefit from medial or lateral foot rotation to emphasise the medial and lateral heads of the gastrocs. But IMO this is only of use if there is massive differences in the two heads, as you tend to use heavy loads to train the calves and you are effectively (over)loading one side of the knee joint (especially if you do this single legged).

Don't forget the muscles on the front of the shin either. Toe raises (something I keep forgetting to do) will add to the calf significantly.

Yeah the experimenting with the angles bit was directed at straight legged calf excercises. Thnx for the info anyway
 
The Creator

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mostly genetic, but the others make some great suggestions. You can produce a lot more force with any standing or straight leg calf raises because the gastoc is pre-stretched more. Not that I am against seated calf raises completely but use them sparingly. Also, I would not recommend that you do any less than 15 controlled reps per set and a minimum of 5 sets. Calves are very hard to stimulate towards hypertrophy because they are so active.
 
jnutz19

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i like to use standing, seated, and donkey calve raises. occasionally i will do some calf exercises on the hack squat machine. just do about 15 to 20 reps with about 5 or 6 sets maybe even more. calves are hard to get big so just work them alot and they will come evetually.
 
grandmaster

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so must i do 5-6 sets per exercise? or is that in total?
 

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