Calf muscles.

[mlaK]

They are a bitch to get big, im 6'8 ft and I have been trying to get some size on them bad boys for years, any suggestions how to get some calf gainz?

Edited January 3, 2014 by mlak_mlak5

[Tris]

Dafuq, a giant appears.

 

Calves are fairly hard to get big bro, heavily based on genetics for insertions and origins.   People will claim pummeling them with a variety of calf raises and presses will work but it varies from person to person.

[mlaK]

yup i have been doing dem calf raises for a long time now, and yeah they do help a little bit, but my quads have become way too big in comparison to my calfs and frankly i am beginning to look a little silly

Edited January 3, 2014 by mlak_mlak5

[Ikz]

Max calf presses and run a lot 

[Luke]

Dennis Reynolds does hummingbirds to tone them calfs

 

big ups to anyone who gets the reference 

[mlaK]

Yeah ive heard that running gives you big calfs, is that true? cardio burns them gains tho

[Andrew]

bro just do chest and triceps and biceps

you don't need to do legs

no cardio as well

[mlaK]

Haha fuck off Andrew you're full of malicious advice, legs are vital mate. Hle about lunges do they hit calf's?

[Tris]

Different people find different shit effective.  Some people squat for years upon years and their calves come on nicely, others find '"isolating" them more effective.

 

Few ideas:

 

Working them twice a week away from leg day.  For instance do them on two upper body days that have a few days in between them for recovery.

 

Some people find high lower weight reps for calves more effective while others prefer 8-12 moderately heavy reps. Don't forget about hitting your tibialis anterior (small muscle on anterior part of lower leg), reverse calf raises work quite well here.  You could have a moderately heavy day of 8-12 reps once a week followed by a lighter 20-25 rep range day.

 

 Change up the overload pattern and find out what works best for you.   

[Ikz]

 

here is a picture of a moose and its calf

[mlaK]

@Tris I think the isolation will help, and i am doing the double reps on calf raises atm, namely on back day

 

 

 

here is a picture of a moose and its calf

haha i was waiting for such a post

Edited January 3, 2014 by mlak_mlak5

[ORP]

6'8 nope u won't grow any impressive calves 

[Mucky]

Im pretty sure its genetically determined by the circumference of your ankles. If you have small ankles (like myself) you will have trouble gaining mass no matter what you do. An exercise I've noticed that has helped my calfs look shredded especially when flexed is single leg calf raises on a box while holding a dumbbell in one hand.

[mlaK]

Im pretty sure its genetically determined by the circumference of your ankles. If you have small ankles (like myself) you will have trouble gaining mass no matter what you do. An exercise I've noticed that has helped my calfs look shredded especially when flexed is single leg calf raises on a box while holding a dumbbell in one hand.

Yeah i was hoping it wouldnt be genetically determined though. As for the single leg raises ive been doing that at MMA practise, guess i gotta jam some more of those

[Rihana Pm Me]

tbh calves are pretty much you got em or you dont

 

just wear pants or long socks

 

we're all gonna make it brah

[mlaK]

tbh calves are pretty much you got em or you dont

 

just wear pants or long socks

 

we're all gonna make it brah

what about all this never skip leg day jazz then? Surely one can gain a bit of mass downstairs through ruthless and repetitive training

[Rihana Pm Me]

 

tbh calves are pretty much you got em or you dont

 

just wear pants or long socks

 

we're all gonna make it brah

what about all this never skip leg day jazz then? Surely one can gain a bit of mass downstairs through ruthless and repetitive training

 

 

yea no matter your genetics you can always make gains

 

keep trucking cowboy

[3at]

Do both seated calf raises and standing calf raises. these target all sections of the calf muscle in your lower legs.

 

If you do continuous calf raises and there is no productive outcome, your muscles obviously adapted to the amount of weight/resistance and the rep ranges. Change it up. Do 75 reps of moderate heavy weight in one set, shocking your calf muscles back into regrowth. If you can't do 75, work your way up ( use a 45 lb plate or so)

 

Standing Calf- First warm up with low weight, high reps. 10-20 reps. FULL STRETCH, all the way down, all the way back up to the peak. Stand on the back of your toes where your joints are. If there is a support bar to hold on to while doing these, don't use it. rely solely on calfs.

 

It is a bitch to see any sort of growth in calves, but that does not mean they are impossible to build on.

 

Jump-ups also help. Find a high bench and then place one leg on the top of the bench, with your toes on the edge. push up with your leg as you are trying to stand on the bench with both feet. come back down at lockout, and then repeat each leg for certain reps etc. squeeze calves at all times during workouts.

 

[Redeem]

I just do standing calf raises with a step up thing in the smith machine

[Dog]

Calves are the same as any other muscle, do exercises that TARGET them, with a progressive overload scheme.. fairly heavy, and you'll make gains