Doing calves on "day off"?

[LunaHotel]

Is this OK?

For my cutting plan, I'm switching to the following split

Day 1 : Shoulders & Triceps
Day 2 : Back & Calves
Day 3 : Chest & Biceps
Day 4 : Thighs & Calves
Day 5 : Off

Every morning, a swim of 40-60 minutes on an empty stomach is planned, as soon as the exterior swimming pool opens next weekend.

Now, I'm going to be going to the gym anyways for aerobics on my day off, swimming. I'm thinking of doing calves on that day, as they respond well to FREQUENT training... Is this going to affect my recovery?

I'm not taking AAS nor PH at the moment.

Thanks for your advice.

[Skunk]

Calves recover faster than most bodyparts, much like abs. There are people out there who train calves 3-4 times a week. I would personally say 2 times a week is enough to create growth. Hell, one time a week, assuming you are putting them under more stress than the last workout, would cause growth. So whatever works best for you.

[Alpha Dog]

Originally posted by Skunk
Calves recover faster than most bodyparts, much like abs. There are people out there who train calves 3-4 times a week. I would personally say 2 times a week is enough to create growth. Hell, one time a week, assuming you are putting them under more stress than the last workout, would cause growth. So whatever works best for you.

Not Necessarily. I could do calf lifts all week long with Rosie Odonels fat ass sitting on my shoulders and my claves still would not grow.

[Skunk]

Originally posted by bow



Not Necessarily. I could do calf lifts all week long with Rosie Odonels fat ass sitting on my shoulders and my claves still would not grow.

What do you define growth as? Not necessarily just size, but also the ability to withstand more force, or strength. If you did calve raises with Rosie on your shoulders, your calves might not "get larger" but it doesn't mean they won't grow to withstand more force.

[LunaHotel]

Well, you know, my calves can use getting STRONGER but heck, I really need them to be *BIGGER*... You know, to go with my sweeping Vastus Lateralis that just keeps growing thanks to those beautifully painful squats...

[SCORPIO]

I'm with you guys on this one. No matter what I try I can't get my calves to grow. I've gone heavy.....twice a week....high reps....low reps....lighter weight. They do look a little better, but never any bigger. I wish I would find some thing that would work.

[Flavor]

Originally posted by LunaHotel
Is this OK?

For my cutting plan, I'm switching to the following split

Day 1 : Shoulders & Triceps
Day 2 : Back & Calves
Day 3 : Chest & Biceps
Day 4 : Thighs & Calves
Day 5 : Off

Every morning, a swim of 40-60 minutes on an empty stomach is planned, as soon as the exterior swimming pool opens next weekend.

Now, I'm going to be going to the gym anyways for aerobics on my day off, swimming. I'm thinking of doing calves on that day, as they respond well to FREQUENT training... Is this going to affect my recovery?

I'm not taking AAS nor PH at the moment.

Thanks for your advice.

Don't swim on an empty stomach. You'll burn more muscle fiber than fat. I refer you to http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/satter2.htm for some good information on cardio, HIIT most importantly.

About calves... some respond well to frequent training, sure. Not everyone's. Asking such a question on a message board is pointless, nobody can tell you how you'll respond. Try it. If your strength is lessened, and/or you don't grow... then change it. Good luck with your cutting.

[wardog]

As a martial artist, I am quite well endowed in the calf department. My best growth suprisingly came from doing things like plyometric excersises as well as lots of standing calf raises.

It may sound silly, but I saw great calf growth from an excersize we do on occasion, which is to simply stand on one leg and hop....for up to 5 minutes, past the burn, and well into the pain zone. When you just cannot take anymore, do the other leg. I wouldnt recommend doing this at the gym cause it looks silly, but give it a shot at home. Worst case is you get more explosive calf muscles..lol..best case, you gain size.

[sage]

Originally posted by wardog
It may sound silly, but I saw great calf growth from an excersize we do on occasion, which is to simply stand on one leg and hop....for up to 5 minutes, past the burn, and well into the pain zone. When you just cannot take anymore, do the other leg. I wouldnt recommend doing this at the gym cause it looks silly, but give it a shot at home. Worst case is you get more explosive calf muscles..lol..best case, you gain size.

sounds like a plyometric exericse then anything else. ill contribute my above average size/toned calves to basketball plyometrics back in HS as well. a method which i think is overlooked in bodybuilding (plyometric training that is....)
Sage

[ProBuck]

Originally posted by wardog
As a martial artist, I am quite well endowed in the calf department. My best growth suprisingly came from doing things like plyometric excersises as well as lots of standing calf raises.

It may sound silly, but I saw great calf growth from an excersize we do on occasion, which is to simply stand on one leg and hop....for up to 5 minutes, past the burn, and well into the pain zone. When you just cannot take anymore, do the other leg. I wouldnt recommend doing this at the gym cause it looks silly, but give it a shot at home. Worst case is you get more explosive calf muscles..lol..best case, you gain size.

At this point I'll try anything.

[RaulJimenez]

calves are pretty much genetic, but you can still add some size to them.

[ProBuck]

Spoken like someone born with anaconda calves. lol. dude it's rough. the rest of my body is great, everything where I want it. Calves non existent. I've tried and will continue to try everything. I'm the only person who watched that kid on MTV get calf implants and didn't call him a friggin' chump. lol. I was like, I feel you man. But I couldn't ever go that far. Not yet. LMAO.

[LunaHotel]

Well, with my currently near-overtrained state, I changed my routine.

It's the same, except having 4-on, 1-off, I'm doing the split on a 1-on, 1-off cycle. I'm going to do the Biceps/Chest workout more often than the others because these are my weak spots.

Anyways, with the 1/1 split, which makes sure I do NOT overtrain, I can do calves at home now on the days in between, making sure that I work them at LEAST 4x a week.

I went to my dad's place in the country and made myself a "calf stand" i.e. two 2x4 screwed together with the top one cut at about a 70° angle. Just perfect for doing calf raises with a heavy dumbell.

I'll keep you posted as to my calf progress on this. Check back here in a month.