balancing out calves

[xenithon]

hi all,

i would just like to know how to balace out calves. i have naturally well built calves, but my left one is fairly larger than right. i have tried all, trainin once a week, twice, three times, trying one workout heavy low reps, other workouts light high reps etc. and it just wont balance out! any ideas (besides winny shots in the calf ) thanks!

[ptbyjason]

Have you tried isolation using one legged calves yet? If you do each leg seperately you can eliminate the constant stronger calf hogging all the work. I'm not saying avoid doing the stronger calf by itself, just work each calf individually until they even up some.

[dane26]

always work the weaker side first. when do your calve raises or whatver, start with the right one.

[bigtraps]

I hear ya on this one. True about isolation, that is about all you can do. I myself have a uniek problem.. My left leg is 1.5" longer than the my right one. Now you try to balance that shit out. I broke my left femure twice. That is why the differance in length, not birth.

[xenithon]

hi all,

thanks for the replies! i actually have tried one-at-a-time calves. usually when I do isolation I do standing raises, feel it best when its eg. on the stairs at the gym, holding a 8/9kg weight in the hand for extra resistance. i also have tried isolation by doin one at a time calves on the leg press machine. neither have helped much. then again i usually do those after my main calves exercise like standing/seated calve raises, donkey raises etc. Should i try do isolation first? (i havent done that because i dont usually get a pump for isolation like those two at a time exercised)

[Pete235]

xenithon...you may already do this but make sure to thoroughly stretch your calves before training them. Also try varying your foot position (toes in, toes out). Use variation, keep them guessing.
Pete

[xenithon]

thanks! i will definitely try those ideas out. i have tried variation, but I think the problem (and the reason for no real pump) is cause i have been doing it at the end of calves workout when they're already messed and tired. i'm gonna try it out first thing for a change! will let u know

[Sicilian30]

I know this sounds crazy, but we used to jump rope. Man talk about a calf pump afterwards (not to mention good aerobics). If done right, you can isolate one calf from the other. Do you play sports? Basketball or something like that that require you to jump? Me being in the Martial Arts and Volleyball addict, my calves always get a workout runnin in sand and jumping all the time. I do calf raises on my days off, just to get my jump higher and build my calves. But nothing like jumping rope (the correct way).

[ptbyjason]

Personally I would only do isolation by itself for a while. No matter when you do both calves at once, it sounds like only one calf is going to do all the work. just my opinion

[Full Intensity]

U've gotta do one at a time. I stated my calves for the first time the other day since march (when i busted the foot up) Well I could barely lift my body weight up with my left and stacked the weight on when i did my right. Now if i was doing them both at once i would have underworked my left and over worked my right. In these situations it is best to do one at a time.

[Billy Boy]

I always isolate calves as I had the same problem but I have now brought the left up to the same size.It does work

Billy

[xenithon]

hi guys,

thanks for the info. i will definitely work on isolation now to try get them on par. I dont think there is a power difference really (from what i've felt), just size difference. I would just like to know: must I work same weight both legs or different weights? must I work same reps different legs or different reps? must I do a set amount per leg or do failure for both to balance out?

Thanks all!

[xenithon]

All I wanna say is Damn all you guys who told me to do isolated calves, one at a time. Before you wanna kick me off the board let me tell you the reason why I say damn you. I COULDN'T BLOODY DRIVE HOME!!!!!! I have a manual car, and after my calf workout today I was jumpin the car like a frikking learner driver My calves have not shaken like that on the clutch for a LOOOOONG time.

Thanks for the help ppls, really appreciate it, will let you know if my calves balance out. Ciao for now!

[Billy Boy]

I was given a tip by a mate to bring up lagging calves

Stand on a stair with the ball of your foot on there.Fold your other leg up so all the B,W is on one leg.

Play your fave song and from the moment it starts just keep raising up and down until the song finishes.Hell it HURTS but it does bring those calves up a treat.I used to finish and could,nt bear to put any weight on my calves!

Billy

[Sicilian30]

It'll get better if you are that sore after your calf work out. Remember Calves are probally one of the most neglected areas on the body.. well for most anyway. They are just like any other muscle have to build up that strength.

[xenithon]

I would just like to know: must I work same weight both legs or different weights? must I work same reps different legs or different reps? must I do a set amount per leg or do failure for both to balance out?
thanks

[Billy Boy]

I,d use the same weight on both legs as they are being isolated.

Billy

[Big Al]

I personnally love donkey, either with one or both legs!

BA

[Pete235]

Al...did you say donkey or doggy? Sorry, couldn't resist..shit I don't know why I'm bustin your balls today, if I keep it up you'll come over here with Billy and hand my ass to me on a spoon.(didn't Billy tell you he's coming to Nova Scotia to go surfing ) You know I'm just funnin wit'cha.
Another calf exercise I incorporate is standing face down on the hack squat machine and just repping out to failure with two or three plates per side x 3 sets...burn, burn, burn.

Pete

[xenithon]

2/3 plates per side on hack squat! pls tell me that's two at a time . I thought I had fairly strong calves haha.

Billy Boy: I did indeed use same weight on both legs when I worked calves few days ago. i also just wanted to know - if i am trying to build mass on calves, must I do both legs till failure, or both up to a certain limit, or different limits for each calf etc.?? thanks!

[Pete235]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by xenithon
[B]2/3 plates per side on hack squat! pls tell me that's two at a time . I thought I had fairly strong calves haha.

Yeah bro..sorry..that's both feet on the board. I usually use this as a finishing exercise (substitute for seated calf raises). It gives a great burn.

Pete

[dumbells101]

Calves are hard muscle to train since they support your bodyweight X. You have to experiment with reps, weights, sets etc. If you are working from an injury then the smaller calf will catch up. Otherwise isolation on the smaller is all you've got. Just don't overtrain them.