Calves won't grow, or i can't see the progress

[simplecanibus]

ok, i've been doing this routine called "cooked calves in under 4 minutes", some of you may have heard of it. you basically just do about 75 - 100 reps of calf raises or whatever calf excersize you're doing with 10 seconds rest in between sets. i've been doing this for about 2.5 months solid and don't see the results i want. i have no problems with the rest of my body, but ****, i would pay money to get my calves to grow. if you can help me please do. thanks.

[Quake]

Try going heavier maxing out at about 8-10 reps, 30 seconds rest, 8 sets. Then do it seated/standing. Same again. Then combine the two as a superset for 3 sets. That's a total of 19 sets! That'll "cook" your calves!

[simplecanibus]

thanks man. i'm totally gonna try that in my next workout.

[DNoMac]

I've got the same problem. I swear you can't beat genetics. I'm gonna inject them with synthol....

[LM1332]

try to do em atleast 3 times a week before an actual workout. Give em a day of rest before legs though

[simplecanibus]

i'm not sure if i can do them 3 days a week really hard, keep in mind i'm not juicin. but, i try to do them at least once a week right after heavy squats, as i hear your body releases a lot of gh during those heavy squat days.

[Hypertrophy]

My calves aren't too great either. I would recommend working them more than once per week. They are a highly aerobic muscle, therefore, some believe recovery is better and they need to be trained at a higher frequency. I have a book that references calves being 80% slow twitch and 20% fast twitch. However, like dNoMac said, "genetics." These percentages would be the opposite if we were to analyze a world class sprinter. Also, fast twitch hypertrophy more so than slow twitch.

[Warrior]

Does you calve belly have a high insert on the bone (common in African-American men)? Some people are misfortunate that there calves are incapable of becoming huge... I think there is an operation to cut something or another to allow the muscle belly to go farther down the bone (I think Charles Poliquin wrote about the in his book, Poliquin Principles - great chapter on calve training) but that's probably not ideal for the average bodybuilder. It seems calves have a lot of genetic barriers to them - I have seen people work their ass off for some serious diamond cuts and then others who do nothing and got awesome shape and deffinition (seen this a lot in Phillipina men).

Good luck - calves do need a lot of time under tension. Do high reps and don't ever lockout so the load moves off the muscle, just keep pumping them up. Using standing movements and those where you are bent at the waist...

[jbigdog69]

Ok guys please send or pm me for my paypal account info. My calves did not start growing again until I started doing high reps with heavy weight. But the secret is stretching. Yep- stretching. After each 40 to 100 rep session X 6 or 8 sets. You must stretch and hold until it burns deep in your calves. The more sets you get into and then stretch you will know what I'm talking about. Now when stretching...stretch all the way until you feel like your calve is gonna break. If you feel like it is gonna rip then back off. I challenge you to hold it for 30 seconds after the burn starts. Peace

[simplecanibus]

crazy mofo. i saw this guy at the gym with huge calves and he told me donkey raises were the best, but since that gym didn't have them to just do calves 5 minutes every day. now, when i do high reps until they burn they usually don't get sore the next day, but heavy reps they get sore. 2 things:

1) should i work them out a couple days later even if they're sore?

and 2) i think everyday is a little much, don't you?

[Warrior]

1) should i work them out a couple days later even if they're sore?

and 2) i think everyday is a little much, don't you?

I don't care if it's the abdominals, calves, legs or lats - every muscle must recover before it can grow. Working it before it has recovered won't benefit you any. With that said they are a highly oxidative muscle group (more slow-twitch) and need more time under tension to pulverize them into submision - or they will just blow you off. You are working your calves everytime you stand up. jbigdog69 just posted some good advice on stretching and working them heavy with high reps...

[general31]

Play hockey for 20 years, your calves will be 16" like mine in no time

[simplecanibus]

lol, it's funny because i've skated for about 13 years, my whole life until a few years ago, and my left calf is so much bigger than my right due to positioning. if both were equal i'd be happy.

[jbigdog69]

Work your calves the day after they are not sore. Pretty soon you will be working them every other day like me. Peace

[ripped525]

I have the same prob.Work mine out hardcore and only seen lil growth Genetics are a b^tch

[FLEX~Ottawa]

ok, i've been doing this routine called "cooked calves in under 4 minutes", some of you may have heard of it. you basically just do about 75 - 100 reps of calf raises or whatever calf excersize you're doing with 10 seconds rest in between sets. i've been doing this for about 2.5 months solid and don't see the results i want. i have no problems with the rest of my body, but ****, i would pay money to get my calves to grow. if you can help me please do. thanks.

they Key is less reps heavy and slow, also try skipping row might help and depending on what u do all day walking around with ankle weight might also help.

[Anabolica]

they Key is less reps heavy and slow

Thats the smartest thing ivé read in this post.

Train your calves like any other muscle, give then adequate time to rest and let them grow. IMO

Heavy weight,low reps and concentrate on the stretch at both the top and bottom of the movement

[chicamahomico]

You skated for that long you probably have big calves and they just look small because of massive quads, hams and adductors. If you do a lot of high intensity cardio (skating, biking, etc) then I would stick to heavy calf raises as many times a week as you can, when fully recovered.

lol, it's funny because i've skated for about 13 years, my whole life until a few years ago, and my left calf is so much bigger than my right due to positioning. if both were equal i'd be happy.

[AandF6969]

Synthol or implants... totally joking

[simplecanibus]

thanks guys. i guess the consensus is as heavy as i can go at 8-10 reps with a good amount of sets. i have a feeling my calves will blow up in a couple of months (5 or 6, haha).

[Warrior]

thanks guys. i guess the consensus is as heavy as i can go at 8-10 reps with a good amount of sets. i have a feeling my calves will blow up in a couple of months (5 or 6, haha).

NO, I think the concensus up till a few recent posts were heavey weights with high reps. In the words of Charles Poliquin, a very well respected international strength coach who has helped athletes from the olympics to professional bodybuilders is this: calves must be trained with continous tension of no less than 40 seconds. The last few posts that mention low reps do not add up to the advice given by several world reknown strength coaches... and if low reps works, well you probably have good genetics for big calves.

[simplecanibus]

ok. but i have a question. it's almost impossible for me to do more than 20 reps if i'm going heavy......my calves just give out and can't do any more reps. is it better to go a little lighter with the weight to achieve the higher rep ratio? thanks.

[jbigdog69]

ok. but i have a question. it's almost impossible for me to do more than 20 reps if i'm going heavy......my calves just give out and can't do any more reps. is it better to go a little lighter with the weight to achieve the higher rep ratio? thanks.

First I start light and wor up to heavy. When you go heavy keep track of the amount of weight and the amount of reps you do. Try to increase the reps at the same weight each week until you are ready to go heavier. BUt, seriuosly, I met Shawn Ray years ago and he told me it was all in the stretch. Hold those suckers till they feel like they are on fire and then jump on the next set. Also, my last three sets are with my own body weight using the back of a sit down shoulder press or curl chair. Let the calves stretch all the way down and then squeeze when coming up. I do 100 reps per set for 3 sets. Bro...if your calves don't grow after this for a few months then you are screwed. Peace

[Prime]

i have just started using unilateral raises as well are both together as i can max out the stack in my gym. my calves are stubborn and dont grow.

[Warrior]

ok. but i have a question. it's almost impossible for me to do more than 20 reps if i'm going heavy......my calves just give out and can't do any more reps. is it better to go a little lighter with the weight to achieve the higher rep ratio? thanks.

Well... yeah... but many people will use pretty light loads and never really put a good weight on their calves - go heavy and intense with good form and stretch... basically, don't fuk around... and aim for at least a 40 second time under tension...

[onebadgixxer]

I got my calves to grow finally...I found the workout in old threads...it is intense, I think the stretching is more painful than the workout...already gained 3/4"" in three weeks