# Let's talk about your Calves



## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

*Do you isolate your Calves?*​
Yes 7677.55%No2222.45%


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## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

Do you isolate them? Give them their own exercise with the rest of your leg workout? Or do you just let them develop along with the rest of your lower body during things like squats or leg presses?


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2009)

Hate training them. Hardly train them. But they look half decent


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## Jem (Mar 5, 2009)

Love them - love training them


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## Nelson (Mar 22, 2009)

Beast 'em...Hard...!!! :thumb:


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## WRT (May 21, 2009)

Do you isolate every other body part? Why not your calves, they are a muscle.


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## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

WRT said:


> Do you isolate every other body part? Why not your calves, they are a muscle.


Good point, what would you say is your favourite iso exercise for them then?

I used to do them at my old gym on the calf press machine thing, but they don't have one at my new gym and I get funny looks when I start bouncing around on the leg press.

Used to love the burn, almost orgasmic.


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## coldo (Dec 7, 2008)

Got to be isolated imo.

Always work calves. I like the burn/doms you get.


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## Jonnyboi (Aug 23, 2009)

Ive only really started to train them to shape them a bit more as they are big enough.


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## WRT (May 21, 2009)

MillionG said:


> Good point, what would you say is your favourite iso exercise for them then?
> 
> I used to do them at my old gym on the calf press machine thing, but they don't have one at my new gym and I get funny looks when I start bouncing around on the leg press.
> 
> Used to love the burn, almost orgasmic.


I use the calve raise machine, just do 4 sets of 20 after training legs.


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## dmcc (Nov 25, 2007)

Love training them, almost never do, and they're just under 18".


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## frowningbudda (Dec 16, 2008)

Use a reebok step on a smith, full ROM.

Few heavy sets & couple of dropsets and they are frazzled


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## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

frowningbudda said:


> Use a reebok step on a smith, full ROM.
> 
> Few heavy sets & couple of dropsets and they are frazzled


Gonna try that, reps


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## Nelson (Mar 22, 2009)

Smiths machine, step from the cardio bunny sudio...Sorted.. :bounce:


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

I do, but don't see the point. They are [email protected] and prob always will be. Crap genetics.


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## Guest (Dec 24, 2009)

NickR24 said:


> I do, but don't see the point. They are [email protected] and prob always will be. Crap genetics.


maybe its all the beer u drink and powder you sniff?


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

Dan said:


> maybe its all the beer u drink and powder you sniff?


You c**t.

Doubt it, everything else seems to grow ok :lol:


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## rs007 (May 28, 2007)

Dan said:


> maybe its all the beer u drink and powder you sniff?


 :lol:

That might do it.

Easier/less guilt to blame genetics tho, right?

:lol:


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## Guest (Dec 24, 2009)

NickR24 said:


> You c**t.
> 
> Doubt it, everything else seems to grow ok :lol:


Im not a ****, thanks. :thumbup1:


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

rs007 said:


> :lol:
> 
> That might do it.
> 
> ...


Hahah quite possibly, but I only drink/sniff 1 day a week, the rest I train very hard and eat well, and get plenty of rest. Obviously my weekend habits dont help, but i'm 6"2 and all legs unfortunately, and my calves wont grow no matter what. I'm content, I don't want to compete til im 30, so ive got 6 years to learn self discipline and advanced techniques.


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

Dan said:


> Im not a ****, thanks. :thumbup1:


My apologies.


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## rs007 (May 28, 2007)

NickR24 said:


> Hahah quite possibly, but I only drink/sniff 1 day a week, the rest I train very hard and eat well, and get plenty of rest. Obviously my weekend habits dont help, but i'm 6"2 and all legs unfortunately, and my calves wont grow no matter what. I'm content, I don't want to compete til im 30, so ive got 6 years to learn self discipline and advanced techniques.


Although I do think genetics is used too much as an excuse, I was just messing.

Weeman is a great example, does all sorts of nastiness to himself, now, health aside becasue you never know whats going on inside, his physique has always responded - and the reason is because the rest of the time he eats and trains like a bodybuilder.

So your once a week jollies shouldnt hold you back too much with regards to gains...


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

Thank you rs, I read your posts, particularly the ones with prodiver, and I respect your opinions.

Believe me I train and eat hard the other 6 days, its just I have a problem with the drink and reccys. Its a serious problem that im seriously trying to overcome, and am confident wont keep me from the stage in 6 years time. 

I live breathe and sleep bodybuilding, but I have my weaknesses. I just admit mine, whilst most wont.


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## rs007 (May 28, 2007)

NickR24 said:


> Thank you rs, I read your posts, particularly the ones with prodiver, and I respect your opinions.
> 
> Believe me I train and eat hard the other 6 days, its just I have a problem with the drink and reccys. Its a serious problem that im seriously trying to overcome, and am confident wont keep me from the stage in 6 years time.
> 
> *I live breathe and sleep bodybuilding, but I have my weaknesses. I just admit mine, whilst most wont*.


So true mate, so true. If it helps, most of the succesful bodybuilders I know all have vices of one sort or another :lol:


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## NickR24 (Sep 9, 2009)

rs007 said:


> So true mate, so true. If it helps, most of the succesful bodybuilders I know all have vices of one sort or another :lol:


lol, those words give me a lot of strength mate thankyou,


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## ZAXXXXX (Oct 3, 2008)

Hammer the fek out of them before a heavy squat and leg press session with 20 rep sets of raises, there just over 18" cold.


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

train them with legs. and sometimes on another day


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

I only do standing calf raises. 145 KGs at the moment for 4 sets of 8 reps with a 1 second hold on each rep at full stretch. My dad is a top level rower so i've been blessed with good legs anyway.

And as for the above argument about the booze and the dusty showbiz, i can definitely feel it the next day and can't hit it as hard after a night on it.


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## MillionG (Nov 17, 2009)

Thanks for all the responses, I've got a mixed bag of opinions here on when to train them, at the start or at the end of a let workout?

With them being the smaller group, in relation to the quads, tradiionally it would make sense to do hem at the end&#8230;?


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## BigDom86 (Jul 27, 2008)

do them at the end. no point wasting energy which could be used for leg press and squats etc


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## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

2 working sets after my quad workout. Train them every 10 days.


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

I work my legs at the end of my other workouts. So at the end of my arms workout i might do standing calf raises, chest day i might do leg press, back day i might do leg extensions etc.

If i did a complete legs day i don't think i'd be able to walk properly.


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## coldo (Dec 7, 2008)

Smitch said:


> I work my legs at the end of my other workouts. So at the end of my arms workout i might do standing calf raises, chest day i might do leg press, back day i might do leg extensions etc.
> 
> If i did a complete legs day i don't think i'd be able to walk properly.


Why do you give your other muscle groups a dedicated day but not legs? Working the big muscle groups like legs stimulates the release of natural growth hormone by your body. Arguably helping the rest of you grow.


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## Team1 (Apr 3, 2008)

Ive always moaned about mine not growing no matter what i did untill i stated training them with the same determination i put into benching or squats etc.

Its a mind set to get into when you have trained for years and neglected them in relation to the rest of your body.

Thats a lesson i have learned this year. BB is mostly about having the correct mindset.


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## Irish Beast (Jun 16, 2009)

Dan said:


> maybe its all the beer u drink and powder you sniff?


Au contraire!

I drink heavily 6 days a week and snort as much coke as I can get in me yet my calves are amazing. Well maybe not amazing!


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## R84 (May 10, 2009)

I train them and for me they are one of the more responsive body parts in terms of growth for the amount of effort I put in(which I've never quite understood).


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## LittleChris (Jan 17, 2009)

Smitch said:


> I work my legs at the end of my other workouts. So at the end of my arms workout i might do standing calf raises, chest day i might do leg press, back day i might do leg extensions etc.
> 
> If i did a complete legs day i don't think i'd be able to walk properly.


What a strange approach :confused1:


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## beefcakebaggie (Jul 9, 2008)

bulkaholic said:


> Ok probably gonna get shot down in flames for this one but here goes:whistling:
> 
> Why the fook would you do high reps on legs full stop for size?
> 
> ...


I thought it was because your legs are "designed" in such a way to have a lot of muscle stamina that you need higher reps to push them into a state of shock. Also there are a lot of muscles in the quad & when the stronger ones wear out, others take over & it's better for overall mass (Why this doesn't work for back too on this principle I don't know).

Again, these are my assumptions.


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## Mikazagreat (Apr 10, 2009)

Can't get'em big enough to match my quads/ham


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## spiderpants (Nov 21, 2007)

you gota train them. no point having chgicken legs top and bottom


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

Never had to train them as naturally rather large, as my training partner says...."them's fookin' cows, not calfs" :thumbup1:


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## Jem (Mar 5, 2009)

spiderpants said:


> you gota train them. no point having chgicken legs top and bottom


*yas I concur spidey * :thumb:



Squirrel said:


> Never had to t
> 
> rain them as naturally rather large, as my training partner says*...."them's fookin' cows, not calfs"* :thumbup1:


*PICs or it's a lie*  *the best calf man on this site has not posted in this thread - bet they don't beat his * :confused1:


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## Guest (Dec 24, 2009)

Read what Charles Poliquin has to say on the matter.


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## wastedtime (Nov 18, 2009)

Currently having to walk around on my heels as my calves hurt so much! been doing this thing i read about where you pick a weight that you could do 15 reps normally on, then push till failure, rest long enough to get rid of the lactic acid/burn, then carry on. You keep doing these mini sets till you reach 75 reps, and by the end you are only managing 5 at a time. Just do 1 set of that on one exercise and it absolutely wrecks for days!

Otherwise i try to mix up my calf training with slow reps, tempo's etc, i guess its just to stop myself getting bored of training them, i have been guilty of neglecting them in the past, and this makes me want to train them twice a week. As far as gains from doing this, i think its a little early to tell, but fingers crossed its gunna get some growth going!


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

yes training them 3 times a week

my calves are my worst bodypart


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## griffo13 (Dec 7, 2009)

i used to hate training my calves. for years i had no progress. i was reading an article by dave palumbo for training calves which was so simple i thought there was no way it could work. one set of standing calve raises with barbell with max weight you can handle for 15 reps super set straight away with seated calve raise for 30 reps. pushing it the seated calves raises must be where the real gains come from. the pain is a killer. i do it once or twice a week and to be honest it only takes around 3 mins in total.for me the best workout ever for calves and there after coming on so much im delighted


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## ElfinTan (May 23, 2008)

Isolate and intense. So whether that be heavy and low reps or lighter high reps....just fcking hard. Always before quads and hams as when they are thrown in at the end they will be done half assed. But why is it that most people are quite happy to resign themselves to the 'fact' that they have genetically sh*t calves but will move hell and high water to find some way to make their arms grow if they are lagging? :whistling: I've never heard of anyone say 'H my arms are cr*p, it's genetics so I won't bother training them any more.' lol

BTW my calves are rubbish, I hate training them, I've done the heavy sets, done the drop sets, giant sets, supersets and at the moment on 50 rep sets of 3 exercises....these fckers will grow!


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

Has anyone gone from **** calves to amazing?


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## BillC (Jun 11, 2009)

bizzlewood said:


> Has anyone gone from **** calves to amazing?


Done the reverse when I snapped one propping.(not that they were amazing just good) Even though mine are 18", ankles are skinny so still look like chicken legs. aren't you supposed to try to have your calf muscles the same size as your arms ?


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

BillC said:


> Done the reverse when I snapped one propping.(not that they were amazing just good) Even though mine are 18", ankles are skinny so still look like chicken legs. aren't you supposed to try to have your calf muscles the same size as your arms ?


i've got tiny ankles aswell which probably explains why they look so bad

calves the size of my arms lol LMAO


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## Smitch (Dec 29, 2008)

coldo said:


> Why do you give your other muscle groups a dedicated day but not legs? Working the big muscle groups like legs stimulates the release of natural growth hormone by your body. Arguably helping the rest of you grow.


Seeing as i had some time on my hands i did standing calf raises, seated leg press and leg extensions on Sunday after my shoulders workout and am still limping about today. If i'd have done a full on legs workout i don't think i'd actually be able to walk today!!! :laugh:


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

wastedtime said:


> Currently having to walk around on my heels as my calves hurt so much! been doing this thing i read about where you pick a weight that you could do 15 reps normally on, then push till failure, rest long enough to get rid of the lactic acid/burn, then carry on. You keep doing these mini sets till you reach 75 reps, and by the end you are only managing 5 at a time. Just do 1 set of that on one exercise and it absolutely wrecks for days!
> 
> !


have started doing the same thing...but instead of 75 sets I was told to do 4 mins...do as many as you can on a comfortable weight, then rest for a few seconds then do it again until your only managing to push out a couple........and yes I cant walk for days.....its agony and I always wonder why I do it until the next week :laugh: but my calfs are pants, hoping this way of doing it will start to see results :thumb:


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## glen danbury (May 23, 2006)

I have always responded well to any calf movement

however the one thing I tend to notice alot is those who cut short there squat depth tend to have worse calf development - get real deep and look at the amount of ankle plantar flexion required to get out of a deep squat

in addition i saw a paper once which showed workload and during the initial pull of a deadlift the soleus takes around 20% of the workload

try super setting leg curls and calf raises as well as the gatrocnemius is a weak knee flexor - this gives a really good calf blast IMO


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## Bettyboo (Jun 8, 2009)

I have seen good improvements in my calves since I started training, with advice from Et i now do them as a second exercise, and beast the buggers properly as opposed to doing them when Im knackered at the end of a session. 

First pic is from before june, second pic was a week ago.


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

bulkaholic said:


> My legs in general were like a chicken before I trained them and wouldn't even wear hsorts in summer as looked like golf club when I had shoes on:lol:
> 
> They are not amazing but have come on a lot
> 
> Musr add that since training them though they respond to even cardio???


you're lucky because you dont have high calves

i hear what you mean about not wearing shorts though


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## ElfinTan (May 23, 2008)

bizzlewood said:


> Has anyone gone from **** calves to amazing?


I believe James L has...by his own admission!


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## Chew (Mar 4, 2009)

One leg day, whatever weight I was squatting I do 3x20 calf raises. Get a good burn in them after that.


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## Ak_88 (Nov 9, 2008)

glen danbury said:


> I have always responded well to any calf movement
> 
> however the one thing I tend to notice alot is those who cut short there squat depth tend to have worse calf development - get real deep and look at the amount of ankle plantar flexion required to get out of a deep squat
> 
> ...


Quite interesting what you say r/e plantar flexion. My ankle mobility for whatever reason is very, very poor - meaning i have to squat quite wide and rely on opening up my hips to hit depth, as opposed to being able to user a narrower stance and caving over because my heels won't stay on the floor.

So by process of elimination you can guess i've got fcking awful calves  If i had a clue how to improve my ankle mobility properly i'd hammer it to see if it helped with my calf development.

Also seen the same thing said about the gastroc - though i think it only applies if you dorsiflex though? (it might be Plantar flexion but i can't remember)

I tried stretching my calves out before working them last week and it seemed to help get a 'felt' contraction out of it, i'd imagine tight calves don't help in keeping the load away from the achilles tendon either.


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## Tempa (Dec 31, 2009)

Your calves are probably your most durable muscle as they take your weight anytime you move. This means that alot of the time you do have to isolate them and go heavy but still with high reps if possible. I personally neglect calves because they're so hard to train but I often put them first on any leg day so that they're already exhausted for the other workouts, meaning as much is gained from them as possible.

A good superset I find is standing calf raises x15 supersetted with either SLDL or regular deadlifts. The Burn is immense.


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## Shrugs (Oct 29, 2009)

My calves are surprisingly strong considering their size. Since I've been converted to the Mike Mentzer HIT school of thought, I've done one working set per week for calves (yes 1 set per week, you heard right) and they have improved in both strength and size quicker than ever before. The one set I do is to complete failure.


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## BigStew (May 6, 2008)

Probably the strongest muscle in the body! How can anyone not isolate them?

My regimen is heavy weight, high reps, slow rep speed & holding for a sec. at the top.

2 sets of 20+ reps twice a week, whether that be standing/seated/smith machine/hack squat machine raises or leg press machine toe presses.

I have the typical black male, genetically poor & high calves but they are improving. (Poor genetics is NO excuse for not bothering to work them hard!)


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

stretching and full movement x intensity 

stretching between sets helps loads


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## BillC (Jun 11, 2009)

Biggest calves I've seen were trained by using a lying down squat machine full stack +3 people on top of the stack! So to get big calves you have to shift huuuuge weights. He used to do the same for shrugs, scary b'strd.


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

FATBOY said:


> stretching and full movement x intensity
> 
> stretching between sets helps loads


I was told by PT person floating around my gym that stretching between sets is when you are likley to cause damage/injure yourself....cause like you I stretched out my calf between sets.....any ideas on this?????? as I dont have faith in the PTs in my gym :laugh: but havnt stetched between sets since he said it


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## BigStew (May 6, 2008)

clairey.h said:


> I was told by PT person floating around my gym that stretching between sets is when you are likley to cause damage/injure yourself....cause like you I stretched out my calf between sets.....any ideas on this?????? as I dont have faith in the PTs in my gym :laugh: but havnt stetched between sets since he said it


Stretching SLOWLY & GENTLY for a few seconds with no jerky/bouncy movements should be ok.


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

clairey.h said:


> I was told by PT person floating around my gym that stretching between sets is when you are likley to cause damage/injure yourself....cause like you I stretched out my calf between sets.....any ideas on this?????? as I dont have faith in the PTs in my gym :laugh: but havnt stetched between sets since he said it


ask him how come ballet dancers calves are usually massive all they do is stretch and dance on there toes lol  its the same for any muscle group realy you stretch in between sets .

why are you more likley to do damage when your calves are warm and already been stretched on the calf machine with resistance ?


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

FATBOY said:


> ask him how come ballet dancers calves are usually massive all they do is stretch and dance on there toes lol  its the same for any muscle group realy you stretch in between sets .
> 
> why are you more likley to do damage when your calves are warm and already been stretched on the calf machine with resistance ?


this is what I thought..... I do my calfs on a step heels balanced over, calf raises with a barbel and weights balanced across over my shoulders...after each set would just stretch them out briefly on the step before the next one, only about 10 seconds each leg...to ease them up a bit.....fine I thought....until the skinny boy told me I was gonna injure myself


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## rayvonn (Nov 17, 2005)

yes I isolated my calves afew months ago, 17 heifers and 14 bulls


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

high heels seem to work well to


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

FATBOY said:


> high heels seem to work well to


is that speaking from personnel experience  :lol:


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

pmsl i walked into that one wearing heels to


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## SALKev (Feb 28, 2009)

Just started training them twice a week, it's better than not training them at all that's for certain (or training them with crap intensity). Just measured them at 15.5". Shame about arms, else I'd be perfect in the neck-calves-upper arm Greek ideal


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## Zara-Leoni (Mar 12, 2007)

BillC said:


> Done the reverse when I snapped one propping.(not that they were amazing just good) Even though mine are 18", ankles are skinny so still look like chicken legs. *aren't you supposed to try to have your calf muscles the same size as your arms *?


Apparently so.... I'm 5ft 2 with 15.5 inch calves though so I'm unbalanced the opposite way cos my arms are an inch or so smaller lol.

I dont train calves either.... they grow on their own lol.


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## EDDIE.H (Dec 21, 2008)

4x25-50 standing calf raise m/c, 4x 25-50 seated calf m/c for me


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## FATBOY (Mar 4, 2008)

some great calve info here at b.com

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calves.htm


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## SALKev (Feb 28, 2009)

Con said:


> Read what Charles Poliquin has to say on the matter.





> I've found that in order to build calves, you need some frequency of training and some volume, but you can't have both high volume and high frequency. Therefore, I advise training them twice over a five-day cycle, one workout being *very high sets (16) and high total reps (250-510 reps)*; and the other being low sets (3) for a low amount of total reps (90). I've known people to gain in between 5/8 of an inch to a full inch with this routine in as little as 30 days.


That must take yonks....16-32 reps a set, it must also burn the hell out of them.

I'm assuming you do this - how do you rate it?


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## BabyYoYo (Mar 7, 2008)

Said no - have trained them about 3 times. Last time couldn't walk in flat shoes for about 3 days! :scared:

Have 15.5'' calves anyway so they don't really need training imo! I hate them that big anyway!

:ban:


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## T_Woody (Jul 16, 2008)

BabyYoYo said:


> Said no - have trained them about 3 times. Last time couldn't walk in flat shoes for about 3 days! :scared:
> 
> Have 15.5'' calves anyway so they don't really need training imo! I hate them that big anyway!
> 
> :ban:


Good day kate  nice to see you again :tongue:


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## kitten30 (Sep 25, 2008)

I too have naturally big calves, and they are low.. I hate them and no, I don't train them either!


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## SALKev (Feb 28, 2009)

So what would be the measurement (if looks were based on measurements) of a big calf muscle for males/females?


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## bizzlewood (Dec 16, 2007)

i'm training them three times a week now, hopefully i can get them in decent shape before summer lol


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## M_at (May 2, 2009)

Calves and arms the same size you say?

God I'd never want calves that small :lol:

Calves are 17.5" right now and arms are 14" - if only they weren't growing at about the same rate!


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## MrP (Nov 19, 2009)

Train mine twice week currently 19 1/2"

When i trained at Paul Georges gym for about yr he laughed at mine and told me train them twice week.

His calfs looked like quads lol


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## Littleluke (Nov 21, 2005)

NickR24 said:


> I do, but don't see the point. They are [email protected] and prob always will be. Crap genetics.


Judging from your avvy pic your chest arms (everything) isn't great mate but you still train... Stop blaming genetics for your lazy training.. My calves are shyte but even if I add a mm a year they are growing!


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## Littleluke (Nov 21, 2005)

Oh I smash claves 2x week.. One heavy as possible for 4-6 reps, 2 exercises.. Then 12-15 reps moderate.


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## Lou (Jul 27, 2008)

I am one lucky woman.......I NEVER EVER train calves....I don't have to they are all there and big......  

Lou


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## Damo86 (Aug 7, 2009)

I rarely isolate my calves and yet although they aren't huge they've far from small and have always been muscular and very well shaped.

Whenever I've got my shoes off I walk with my heels about 2 inches off the ground for some strange reason, I've always done it, its not just walking though, I cook, wash pots make proteins shakes etc, etc, etc on my fecking tip toes, I think thats what gives them their shape but I'd live just a little more size.

EDIT: I mean around the house by the way not on the beach or whatever I'd look like a right wrong 'un


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