Legs not growing

[theROOTS420]

I've been working out for 3 years, and the only problem i have been having is with my legs, mainly calves.

I've been doing everything for my legs. Training them as much as upperbody. I do Compounds (squats deadlifts etc), isolation, i even have been ramping up my intensity lately trying to spark some growth. My legs will NOT grow!

Suggestions? Explanations?

 

[Aggravated]

Over training perhaps?

 

[WittyName]

Have you employed T.U.T?

 

[futurepilot]

Suggestions? Explanations?

at 5'11, 170; I would say your not eating enough.

 

[theROOTS420]

Have you employed T.U.T?

?

and futurepilot im up to 175 right now

but its wierd becuase i have been eatin so much recently that i have gained some fat around my upperbody, but my legs are still skinny :think:

i guess now that i think about it my quads and hams arn't that bad, its just the calves that arent growing

for calves i do:

3 sets of 12 reps of 3 to 4 different excercises after legs, i go intense, do drop sets, full range and stretch between sets

 

[WittyName]

It stands for time under tension. Watch your form and tempo.

 

[theROOTS420]

It stands for time under tension. Watch your form and tempo.

oh.. So you mean just do everything Slower?

I do have good form but i guess i could work on my tempo. Thx

 

[futurepilot]

?

and futurepilot im up to 175 right now

but its wierd becuase i have been eatin so much recently that i have gained some fat around my upperbody, but my legs are still skinny :think:

i guess now that i think about it my quads and hams arn't that bad, its just the calves that arent growing

for calves i do:

3 sets of 12 reps of 3 to 4 different excercises after legs, i go intense, do drop sets, full range and stretch between sets

Most people's calves are genetic, unless your parents have big calves, odds are you wont.

whats your diet look like? Do you know how much protein/carbs/fats you eat in a day?

 

[mooch2321]

try doing one balls to the wall drop set on the standing calf machine and then one balls to the wall drop set on the seated machine....this engages both the soleus and the gastrocnomecus(spelling?)...the calf is a very small muscle and most people tend to overtrain it...future pilot is right to some extent tho...if you have 12 inch calves your probably never gonna get em to 20inches...but you can d@mn well hit 16 or 17 in a couple of years and not be embarressed to wear shorts...ive been there bro...ive gone from 11 inch calves to 16 and a half in about 4 years

 

[TheAnimalG]

I agree with most of the posters so far. Time under tension for the calves. Remember that they lift your 175 lb butt all day for hundreds (probably thousands) of reps.

Lift heavy. Lift slowly. Do twice as many reps as you were doing before. Add an extra two sets.

 

[mooch2321]

I agree with most of the posters so far. Time under tension for the calves. Remember that they lift your 175 lb butt all day for hundreds (probably thousands) of reps.

Lift heavy. Lift slowly. Do twice as many reps as you were doing before. Add an extra two sets.

has this ever worked for you...how many inches have you added to your calves in the last year by adding in extra sets???? most guys do this...they work the hell out of their calves doing set after set after set, until they cant even feel what their doing...then they complain that calves are all genetics and its not their fault they cant get em to grow

 

[TheAnimalG]

Good point. Mine grow without trying and it's a struggle to have my arms keep up. I was just giving the suggestion since I see so many guys barely put any weight on their calves and then complain that their calves don't grow.

There's a reason fat guys have such huge calves. LOL. Heavy weight lots of reps.

 

[WittyName]

oh.. So you mean just do everything Slower?

I do have good form but i guess i could work on my tempo. Thx

Yeah, for hypertrophy you generally want to use 3 seconds down and 3 seconds up. As you drive upwards concentrate on the movement and the neuromuscular connection.

 

[CopyCat]

You can try and hit up a different muscle group each day and do multiple exercises for each one.

i.e.

Mon: Quads
Tue: Hams
Wed: Calves
Thur: Cycle
Fri: Off
Sat: Squats
Sun: Off

 

[thaOrleanyte]

calves are the hardest things to get to grow. You gotta think.. u use ur calves everyday to walk. So they get thousands of reps on a daily basis. The best thing i have found to get my calves stronger and bigger is to use drop sets.
for example:

Standing calf press
start off at about 150lbs or so and rep it until failure. Drop 30 lbs and rep til failure. Do this until you get to just body weight until failure. 3 sets of this and you calves will be gased

 

[310lifter]

calves are a different type of muscle and require different type of stimulus

try this method. this really kills (and as a result grows) my calves:

on standing calf machine

a. do at least 6 sets, three different ways - toe out, toe in and toe straight forward

b. do each set to at least 15 reps

c. rest no more than 60 seconds between each set. i rest about 45 sec.

by the time you hit 4th or 5th set, you will really feel it in your calves.

sometimes i'll go for 9 sets instead of 6.

read this method in some type of work out journal written by a trainer.

works very well.