Calf thread to end all calf threads!!!!

[yeahbuddy289]

I am suffering from the common "My calfs wont grow no matter what I do" issue. I am 6'2", 207lbs and have 17" arms but my calfs only measure 14". My upper leg are huge and very strong but below the knee doesnt look impressive at all. So Im always getting the "do you skip leg day?" questions. My main focus lately has been calfs... I feel I need to bring them up before I build anywhere else or I will only look worse. I have tried training them once a week, twice a week, and am now doing them three times a week. I have gone super heavy, light, and have done drop sets, sometimes triple drop sets. I train them harder than any muscle- always focus on controlling the negative, powering up on the positive, and squeezing at the top, toes in, toes out, toes straight ahead. When I train my calfs I leave nothing on the table and have people beeping at me in traffic on the way home because I can barely push down on the gas pedal lol. But no matter what I do, I can no longer get them to be sore the day after and havent even managed to gain an 1/8 of an inch. I usually do 5 sets of calf raises on the leg press, which is basically like doing a donkey calf raise (torso is roughly at a 90 degree angle to legs) , 5 sets of standing calf raises on the smith machine ( I use a tall platform to make sure I get full range of motion), and I have just recently started doing seated calf raise which I believe works the soleus. I really dont buy that "you either have them or you dont" BS but im starting to lose hope. Perhaps my best bet would be to run a cycle while training them that hard? I would like to hear from anyone who had small calfs and actually got them to grow.... before and after pictures would be a plus just for the motivation it can be done.

[jimmyinkedup]

I am lucky when it comes to calves (legs in general). Mine are very strong and pretty big. I think it is from being so fat and carrying around all that excess weight up until I was in my 20's and started working out. I was fat but very active so my legs have always been very muscular & strong. I know that sounds crazy but it really is why I think that is the case. Even after I was laid up in a wheelchair for months without the use of my legs after a serious car accient when I came back they responded extremely well & very quickly.
Anyway size was never an issue with my calves, however they used to just look like one very large lump on the back of my legs. I studied my calves more and realized there are 2 distinctive heads to the calf muscle. Now I was never one that believed you cold target train areas of a specific muscle group. (ie make upper chest grow more than lower etc). That being said I started really paying attention to my toe position when doing my calf raises (every kind, seated, standing etc). I noticed by rotating my toes inward i could concentrate the effort to one part of my calf. By doing the opposite, rotating them outward, I could hit the other. I started basically double training my calves. Now like I said mine respond well so they grew very rapidly but what I got (and exactly what I wanted) was that distinct separation in my calves. The 2 heads became very distinct. .
My thought process is that by perhaps doing a double workout like I did, one on the inner and one on the outer head by changing the direction your toes are pointing, for every calf exercise, perhaps you can coax some growth and you could def cause some separation and definition which might even give the illusion of more growth than you are getting. Just a thought.

[yeahbuddy289]

I've seen many fat guys with awesome calfs... not just kankles but ripped huge calfs. A lot of Asians also have good calfs for some reason. Hell whats really depressing is my girlfriend has larger calfs than me lol. But I do alternate the position of my toes every set to try to hit every area. My only saving grace is I have small ankles so if I can ever manage to get them to grow a bit that will help create an illusion of size.

[krugerr]

Throw in some steep incline walking.

I haven't got the biggest calves in the world (18" including body fat!!) but they really grew when I threw this in twice a week along with heavy calf sessions.

[CharlesThe4th]

Can I flaunt my goods for a second? Don't ask me how I got them. I just thank my dad.

[yeahbuddy289]

Damn bro.... I think I have calf envy!! Im begging to think the only way I will get decent calfs is to get implants haha.

[yeahbuddy289]

Throw in some steep incline walking.

I haven't got the biggest calves in the world (18" including body fat!!) but they really grew when I threw this in twice a week along with heavy calf sessions.

I would kill for 18" calfs!! I have heard that steep incline walking works... Some people say jump roping will help too.

[krugerr]

I would kill for 18" calfs!! I have heard that steep incline walking works... Some people say jump roping will help too.

I am 300lbs and 6'4". So they're fairly proportionate. ??

[cgeorgemeow]

What rep range are you using? Some people respond to different rep ranges, I do sets of 25 3 sets seated and standing. So 6 sets total 2 times every 5 days. Also try cardio that involves calves, hills, stairs etc.

[yeahbuddy289]

I've tried every rep range with no luck.

[krugerr]

I've tried every rep range with no luck.

Then try the walking.

[yeahbuddy289]

alright I will throw in some incline walking on the treadmill.

[krugerr]

alright I will throw in some incline walking on the treadmill.

I did steep as the machine would go (15%) at a fast walk, but not a power walk. 30 minutes at the start of a workout twice a week.

A competitive friend of mine said this help his separation on calfs. Not sure how true that is. But it Devi Italy worked for me re: growth.

[Mr.BB]

Try streching the hell out of them.

Small calves ussually comes with poor ankle mobility due to strong, tight fascia.

2 minutes deep static streches from diff angles, straight and bent knee.

[yeahbuddy289]

Any links to some stretches I can do?

[kelkel]

whats really depressing is my girlfriend has larger calfs than me lol.

Start wearing her pumps around the house......

[yeahbuddy289]

Hahaha I'll do whatever it takes at this point

[CharlesThe4th]

Hahaha I'll do whatever it takes at this point

You could always say screw it and start synthol lol.

[yeahbuddy289]

Well... Honestly I've thought about it. But something like that can make you look terrible if you don't know what you are doing I've heard. I want to do a cycle and see if they respond to that.

[sd972]

I have the same issue and the best pump I get surprisingly is from lots of incline walking. Also throughout the day focus more on contractions rather than actually walking place to place and that can get you some good feels as well.

[yeahbuddy289]

Cool I'm excited to incorporate some incline walking... Hopefully they respond to it... I was also considering buying an actual seated calf raise machine because my gym doesn't have one

[sd972]

Another idea that seems to have helped (only put on 1/4" so far in the last 3 months) is to do 80-100 reps as part of a warm-up along with any other 'weak' areas. Drop sets/super sets for sure. Make them burn and focus more on the diff toe positions as ^^jimmy mentioned along with lower weight for that full squeeze. That was the biggest thing for me to get over was the actual weight.

[kelkel]

I was also considering buying an actual seated calf raise machine because my gym doesn't have one

I have one. Relatively inexpensive and very nice.

[yeahbuddy289]

Yeah I think it will be worth it.... its the only calf exercise i haven't beaten to death because no gym I've been to has one of these machines they are not too expensive online but I think I'll go to the local fitness store and see what they have. That way I can actually try it first... Plus I dont mind supporting the local fitness industry..

[yeahbuddy289]

Sooo I have been training them 3x a week lately. Is that too much? Should I drop down to 2x a week? I took last week off from lifting and trained calves yesterday and man, it feels like I trained them for the very first time... they are so sore!

[jolter604]

I just started a new recommendation and it has been working good, I only let my calf's rest around 8 seconds in between sets. I do four sets at a time and then I do a minute rest and then a sport of four sets with 8 seconds in between. I have noticed a difference and I do calf's two three times a week.

[Mp859]

Sooo I have been training them 3x a week lately. Is that too much? Should I drop down to 2x a week? I took last week off from lifting and trained calves yesterday and man, it feels like I trained them for the very first time... they are so sore!

I train them every other day the majority of the time. You really can't overtrain your calf. I just switch of the rep ranges and weights from each workout to keep them guessing. I also like to jump rope at the end of my workouts for my cardio and it really hits my calves.

[Meateater]

For most people with small calves it's genetic. However, prioritize them in your training to make them bigger....just attack them sumbitches and command them to grow!!

[yeahbuddy289]

Just an update... I bought a seated calf machine at the local fitness store. I'm excited to start using it. I have only done standing calf raises and I hear seated raises hit a different muscle in the calf. Hopefully this will cause them to grow because I am seeing zero results training them 3x a week.

[ProStatus]

Just an update... I bought a seated calf machine at the local fitness store. I'm excited to start using it. I have only done standing calf raises and I hear seated raises hit a different muscle in the calf. Hopefully this will cause them to grow because I am seeing zero results training them 3x a week.

As previously mentioned - point your toes outward, and inward to hit both heads of the calf.
You'll start seeing some gains. Bump up the volume and attack them with a heavy load for lots of reps.
Intensity, and Volume = Calf GAINS!

[yeahbuddy289]

Should this be done on seated calf raises too? Or just standing?

[GirlyGymRat]

I have calves and never worked then until a vet suggested I hit them on leg day. I do seated and standing now.

[Mr.BB]

I have calves and never worked then until a vet suggested I hit them on leg day. I do seated and standing now.

He was wrong... wearing those heels is enough for calves

[Rogue Comment]

You might look at getting minimal foot wear... I started wearing Lems ,and saw my calves increase in size. My ankles ,and feet where weak from using regular shoes that are too restrictive. I noticed that wearing minimalist type shoes changed the way I walk ,and my new shoes are wearing out right under the ball of my foot. My old conventional shoes always wore out near the heel.


I also like to do standing barbell calf raises barefoot. I also do a set of fifty calf raises in the shower a few times a week ( unsupported ).

[yeahbuddy289]

Are you talking about those shoes with the individual toes? lol

[Rogue Comment]

Lems . A little funny looking ,but they are comfortable ,and work well for doing squats. Where do your shoes wear out ? If it's the heel your missing out on a lot of free calf development every day. I won't ever go back to conventional shoes.

[AR's King Silabolin]

Have you tried Vince Girondas old tip? Always Train calves without shoes. Worked for me. Well, i do not have Matarazzo calves, but the mind-muscle-thing is much easier without the shoes.

[papathesmurf]

A piece of advice that seemed to have worked for me is to hit my calfs 4-5 days a week and start off with barefoot single leg calf raises without a machine or without weight. (I do 4 x 20) A huge issue people have with there calf training is the recruitment of other muscles in there legs while they are training calfs. Just remember go slow and they will grow.

[yeahbuddy289]

I have tried training them without shoes and it kills my feet... And yes my regular shoes always wear out on the outside of the heel so I'm definitely not working them throughout the day.