calves
- Thread starter Eric160
- Start date
Ricky5145
Active member
yeah i had 16 inch little calves this time last year and in 8 months i brought them up to 20s with no signs of slowing down. the main problem people have with calves is NOT genetics which i hear all too often and want to vomit its lack of stimulation, or too much stimulation and the most important thing for calves people arent STRETCHING them.
calves, aswell as all other muscles have a membrane coating them. This membrane is called your fascia. you muslces can get as big as you fascia allows before growth stops. think of it as filling a plastic bag with water. its only going to hold so much and get to a certain size. however, is that bad is stretched that will leave new room for more growt. sounds simple, it is, sort of.
to stretch your fascia you must stretch the muscle WHILE THE MUSCLE IS PUMPED. the muscle is already pushing against the membrane and stretching at this time is the only time it will expand. hold a deep stretch for 30 seconds. over time, increase the stretch up to 60 seconds. this should be done at the end of your workout and a few mini stretches during your workout.
THE REASON PEOPLE HAVE SMALL CALVES IS NOT GENETICS. THE MEMBRANE COATING THE CALVES IS HARDER, DENSER BECAUSE OF ITS WEIGHT BEERING PRINCIPLES.
stretch your calves (and everything else, to expand the membrane and create room for more growth. Id hit them once a week, up to twice a week. I personally hit them once a week then twice a week then once and repeat.
calves, aswell as all other muscles have a membrane coating them. This membrane is called your fascia. you muslces can get as big as you fascia allows before growth stops. think of it as filling a plastic bag with water. its only going to hold so much and get to a certain size. however, is that bad is stretched that will leave new room for more growt. sounds simple, it is, sort of.
to stretch your fascia you must stretch the muscle WHILE THE MUSCLE IS PUMPED. the muscle is already pushing against the membrane and stretching at this time is the only time it will expand. hold a deep stretch for 30 seconds. over time, increase the stretch up to 60 seconds. this should be done at the end of your workout and a few mini stretches during your workout.
THE REASON PEOPLE HAVE SMALL CALVES IS NOT GENETICS. THE MEMBRANE COATING THE CALVES IS HARDER, DENSER BECAUSE OF ITS WEIGHT BEERING PRINCIPLES.
stretch your calves (and everything else, to expand the membrane and create room for more growth. Id hit them once a week, up to twice a week. I personally hit them once a week then twice a week then once and repeat.
deadlift18
Member
what i do sometimes for my calves is standing calf raises, 3 sets toes forward, 3 sets inward and 3 sets outward. All to failure and after that you could do seated raises also. It usually kills my calves prettygood.
JoHNnyNuTZ
Well-known member
RESPECT!!!!!!
Type O Hero
Banned
I think it just takes consistent, planned training. Always go as far up on your toes as possible, then down to a full stretch. Let the calves do the work; don't bend your knees a lot or use your legs to push the weight up - once you find yourself doing this, you may as well stop your set because your calves have now taken the back seat. Stick to higher rep ranges (10-12 or as high as 15 maybe) for the bulk of your sets but use as much weight as possible here. For your last set or two, increase the weight by a good amount and do as many reps as possible (maybe as little as 3-4). Then stretch them out. A mix of standing calve raises and seated calve raises are all you need, maybe adding some donkey calve raises in there sometimes.
It just takes consistency. If you ever try something that works, keep doing that. Add weight as you have to.
Also, every once in a while try doing a set, dropping the weight, doing another set, dropping the weight, and so on until your calves feel like they're ready to explode. Or anything else you can think of to shock the calves.
Just use the best form. Make your calves do as much of the work as possible.
It just takes consistency. If you ever try something that works, keep doing that. Add weight as you have to.
Also, every once in a while try doing a set, dropping the weight, doing another set, dropping the weight, and so on until your calves feel like they're ready to explode. Or anything else you can think of to shock the calves.
Just use the best form. Make your calves do as much of the work as possible.
bluehealer
Active member
This is the best, standing calf raises on a block/step, whatever, as long as you can go down far enough to stretch out the muscle and the heal not touch the floor. I use the squat rack with the guide rods. You can go real heavy that way and maintain balance.
mjdalegend
New member
my calves are pretty much the most solid muscles i have, ha. Thats probably cuz i dont store fat in my calves
killamac27
Member
Work your calves in both standing and seated positions.
AnthonyIOSOS
Active member
Seated Calves Raises W/ Smith.
Place a bench center to a smith machine.
Place the smith machine bar low enough to fit in between your knees and quads while sitting; obviously closer to the knees, but not on the knees.
Place some plates or if you have stepping blocks on the floor under the smith machine.
Sit at the end of the bench with ball of foot of the end of the step or weights.
Release the bar from the hooks and do calve raises.
Make sure you have everything placed to where is is comfortable for you to perform the exercise. It really allows a great contraction, stretch and opportunity to add weight. It works great for me and several others that I have introduced to this exercise.
Place a bench center to a smith machine.
Place the smith machine bar low enough to fit in between your knees and quads while sitting; obviously closer to the knees, but not on the knees.
Place some plates or if you have stepping blocks on the floor under the smith machine.
Sit at the end of the bench with ball of foot of the end of the step or weights.
Release the bar from the hooks and do calve raises.
Make sure you have everything placed to where is is comfortable for you to perform the exercise. It really allows a great contraction, stretch and opportunity to add weight. It works great for me and several others that I have introduced to this exercise.
Raladoc
New member
Ricky and everybody else you could try the DC calf training method. It involves doing the reps on whatever exercise you use but as you go into the stretch position you hold it at full stretch for 15s with a explosive positive and a 4-5s negative. BTW they burn with the fires of hell.