Are calves really THAT genetic?

[skaz915]

Im always getting compliments on my calves asking about my leg routine etc ...They really look out of place on my body, too big. But what I'm wondering is can you have good calf genes and just ok genes for everything else.

[kelkel]

Everything's genetic to a point. But with calves, if most people worked them as long and hard as they do their chest and arms then their calves would be on par with the rest of their physique. Most people do calves at the end of their workout's with the mind set to "get them over with." They sure would not treat chest or arms that way.....

You get what you work for.

[BG]

After talking i do mine first, still tiny

Everything's genetic to a point. But with calves, if most people worked them as long and hard as they do their chest and arms then their calves would be on par with the rest of their physique. Most people do calves at the end of their workout's with the mind set to "get them over with." They sure would not treat chest or arms that way.....

You get what you work for.

[kelkel]

After talking i do mine first, still tiny

Patience.

[BG]

Going back to just legs for a bit so I'm going to really turn it up. You were doing them heavy or already when you were getting them to grow?

[DontTaseMeBro]

dam, kell - is that your calf in the avitar? That thing looks like a fvcking ham!!! I think its bigger around than my thigh.

[austinite]

dam, kell - is that your calf in the avitar? That thing looks like a fvcking ham!!! I think its bigger around than my thigh.

Calf is like a ham? I'm confused. Beef or pork?! Make up your mind!

[DontTaseMeBro]

[Igifuno]

Calf is like a ham? I'm confused. Beef or pork?! Make up your mind!

Looks like a babies butt to me, or a tooth... I can't decide.

[DontTaseMeBro]

Looks like a babies butt to me, or a tooth... I can't decide.

The last time I had anything sticking that far out of my calf was when I broke my leg! I'm envious.

[Igifuno]

The last time I had anything sticking that far out of my calf was when I broke my leg! I'm envious.

Ouch..

[Bert]

Try doing calves for 45min everyday for 2 weeks. I'll bet they improve.

[austinite]

Try doing calves for 45min everyday for 2 weeks. I'll bet they improve.

True. Calves are like abs. Train daily, abuse them all you want. No problem.

[evander87]

IDK I have people commenting on my calves often. No they aren't as cut and Kels but they are of good size. I hardly ever train just calves. I do lift legs twice a week and after a good deadlift session I'll feel it in my calves, and hams, glutes, lower back, upper, back, traps, biceps, forearms, etc

I don't know if deadlifting is a "body building" lift but I personally notice the most dramatic recomp of my body when I started doing them.

[Hazard]

Try doing calves for 45min everyday for 2 weeks. I'll bet they improve.

Try walking after the 1st two days without crying lol

[DAAS]

Try walking after the 1st two days without crying lol

I recommend Arimidex for your crying issue.

[kelkel]

Looks like a babies butt to me, or a tooth... I can't decide.

You're on drugs. Molar's, maybe.

Try doing calves for 45min everyday for 2 weeks. I'll bet they improve.

Yep. Plenty of ways to shock them into growth.

I don't know if deadlifting is a "body building" lift but I personally notice the most dramatic recomp of my body when I started doing them.

Fantastic body building exercise!

[Black]

I got the best development out of my calves with hitting them consistently each workout. For awhile, I would hit them first thing every workout. Usually 3 exercise,3-4 sets each to failure. They were either growing or just continuously pumped.

Another routine I enjoyed was super-setting calves with each exercise for that workout. Kept my pace up and an added cardio benefit. I only did this 2x a week due to the volume.

[--->>405<<---]

My calves look very nice and i work them 2 or 3 sets per week.. sometimes less.. everyone in my family has nice calves and im the only one who trains..

[Bert]

Try walking after the 1st two days without crying lol

I didn't work calves for 3 months, and lost a decent amount of size. For the last 2 weeks, I've done calves 10 days out of 14 for close to and hour at a time, and I put most of the size back on that I lost. I haven't had any soreness the day after.

[Times Roman]

Everything's genetic to a point. But with calves, if most people worked them as long and hard as they do their chest and arms then their calves would be on par with the rest of their physique. Most people do calves at the end of their workout's with the mind set to "get them over with." They sure would not treat chest or arms that way.....

You get what you work for.

I'm not so sure. I think, to a certain extent, genetics plays a big role. When I was younger, I had an ideal distance runners body. Long and lean, with a preponderance of type 2 (slow twitch) muscle fiber in my legs. I literally could run for hours, no problem. Later in life, I've noticed my upper body has a preponderance of type 1 fiber, strength in bursts, but fatigues easily, opposite of my lower body.

type 2 fiber responds very slowly to a type 1 workout. nothing one can really do about it, but strive for continuous improvement.

I've known blokes that had very strong lower body, but could only run for a couple of minutes (typical type 1 fiber profile). and their calves respond well to the growth signal derived from a type 1 workout. gains came much easier for them than for me.

so I'd say you are stuck with the cards you are dealt. doesn't mean you can't try to make the most of it?

[skaz915]

Thanks everyone, it looks like a mix of answers. I do like what kel said about getting what you work for but I feel like I cheated the system here because I usually do 3 or sets of calves once maybe twice a week depending how leg day falls.

[GettingReal]

I spent a majority of my life focusing on calves, and they have always been much smaller proportionally. Even when I was hitting them religiously multiple times a week with multiple exercises and high volume etc. I eventually stopped doing calf raises altogether, I have found other activities work them much better and are more functional. I stopped thinking about them and I think they look decent, but they are still smaller in comparison than everything else. I think genetics plays an obvious role. But the difference between doing a crap ton of calf work and not doing it is non existent for me. Actually my feet are a lot healthier now since I eliminated calf raises of any sort, I can't blame them specifically just pointing out an observation.

[kelkel]

Thanks everyone, it looks like a mix of answers. I do like what kel said about getting what you work for but I feel like I cheated the system here because I usually do 3 or sets of calves once maybe twice a week depending how leg day falls.

As with any body part, if it's a weak point train it first. Prioritize it.

[BG]

Try doing calves for 45min everyday for 2 weeks. I'll bet they improve.

Challenge accepted !