# Good calves: genetics or training?



## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

Andy, I've posted this in your section as I'm sure it's the only one you really check but I'd like to open it up to the board also...hope you don't mind.

After being on hol for the past couple of weeks and constantly wearing the inevitable long flowery shorts, it struck me that a decent set of calves would actually be more visible than say a good set of quads. I NEVER wear shorts back here due to my poor wheels but I would possibly consider it if I could get something going on in this dept.

So, my question is: are they possible to build from a poor base or is it all about genetics? We see plenty of before & after pics relating to most other muscle groups but I don't think I've ever seen one involving calves.


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## Cookiexd40 (May 23, 2012)

Subscribed...


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## allbro75 (Mar 15, 2007)

Personally I'd say its possible to build them from any base but it IMO if you are relying on calf raises to do it then prepare to fail. I can only talk about my own experience but mine are reacting more to mountain biking with big climbs and hill walking.

I mentioned it last week to cal that my calves have grown by 1.5" this year just from my knee rehab schedule. They are now over 18", not massive but getting to the point where my jeans are getting a bit tight around them. I haven't realy done much leg work this year in the gym and my quads are getting a lot bigger aswell so maybe take training outside the gym to get results.

Definitely a low priority body part for the majority it seems.


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## freddee (Mar 2, 2009)

I do think its genetic, having said that, I have short calves but I think if yu plug away with assorted calf training like seated for the solus you could build a decent set of calves. I am switching around at the moment and training them more often.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

If you want really good calves then I believe genetics have a big role, that is not to say you cannot develop good calves from nothing but look at some of the Pro's out there Ronnies calves are not in proportion to the rest of him neither are Wolf's nor Dextors now I know these guys are at the top but clearly they train hard and do everything that is needed to build muscle yet still have lagging calves....

I am lucky to have decent genetics in my legs and calves this year is the first year I have trained calves every week yet they are much bigger than most of my competitors onstage.......


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

how on earth can calves be a low priority body part..

but your right al..

why would you squat your arse off to build your thighs up to then look a d1ck in a pair of shorts?

nature or nurture lol..

i beleive i am making small inroads into changing my genetically unblessed calves, but they will allways lag.

this is an area where i`m happy with any slow change..

even if growing them is a thankless task, you gotta try and create the total package.


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

imo if you dont train your calves with the seriousness you do your squats deads and bench (and presumably biceps in some cases) you calves will almost certainly never grow.


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## Ben_Dover (Apr 12, 2012)

What is there for calves, donkey raise, calf raise, toe press? I only ever do 1 set on them, may up it next time?


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

dont forget the exciting single leg option bj..

ask the q, why would you train them any less than any other body part?


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## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

In addition to genetics, do we then think it's a case of ppl simply not training them hard enough? 2-3 sets of seated raises at the end of a session whilst winding down??

I was thinking about it this morning, surely calves get used in day to day life a hell of a lot more than most muscles? Now if that's true, would it be fair to say they need training EVEN HARDER than most muscles? Every session perhaps? Going beyond what you'd normally call failure??

Just thinking out loud really...


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

ive heard all this blast them with 100 rep sets and then hit them heavy low reps next day..

bottom line is i know ive been training my calves like a ***** until this year.

still dont think you need more than 3-4 sets for 1 exercise, you just gotta build your poundages up and never skip them or take them lightly.

hence my sldl calves and biceps.

it forces me to train really heard on all my lagging bits..

i just happened across a routine in brawn that had that pairing on 1 of the days..


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## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

PScarb said:


> If you want really good calves then I believe genetics have a big role, that is not to say you cannot develop good calves from nothing but look at some of the Pro's out there Ronnies calves are not in proportion to the rest of him neither are Wolf's nor Dextors now I know these guys are at the top but clearly they train hard and do everything that is needed to build muscle yet still have lagging calves....
> 
> I am lucky to have decent genetics in my legs and calves this year is the first year I have trained calves every week yet they are much bigger than most of my competitors onstage.......


Paul, how would your calf training usually look?


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## Chrissy....... (Nov 25, 2013)

Now heres some food for thought that would blow some theorys out the water, and in their case go against diet care ,intake etc.

Has anyone noticed a lot of obese peoples calfs(active ones), I have and the majority male or female are developed and often shaped to a point most bbs would dream of.

Heavy rucksack anyone?


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## Brockyboy (Oct 17, 2010)

Ever seen a really hot bird or office chick that wears high heels all the time?

They always have well developed calves!....

Get your heels on boys!..lol


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## gingernut (Dec 11, 2006)

Heels enhance a good calf muscle, when wearing them your calf does little work at all and it's the quads that propel you forwards in that position. Years ago I strained both calves so bad that I couldn't walk in flat shoes, yet in heels I was fine because you just don't flex them at all.

Back to the point, I've always had good calves not sure if it's genetics or the fact I did a lot of walking (on the flat and proper fell stuff) when younger (and still do sometimes) plus was a serious runner for a few years. During an assessment taking part in sports research it was found that my calves produce a much higher force than my quads, was told this is quite common in runners. I don't run any more but hardly trained calves at all for my comp prep this year, just threw in a few sets every now and then. Prior to this I did go very hard and heavy with calves, low reps but others say high reps work best. One thing I do see is people not using full ROM with calves, they stick a heavy weight on then bounce it up and down perhaps only a centimetre or two. Not sure what this acheives if anything. My gym has a rotary calf machine and nothing else, I make a calf raise with a block under the smith. Not ideal but best I can do.


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## 3752 (Jan 7, 2005)

Dorsey said:


> Paul, how would your calf training usually look?


it does depend on where i am training(as i travel a lot) but when in the gym i train at in Plymouth (my normal gym) i normally do this...

Standing calf raise 5 x 15 reps (stretching inbetween sets)

Seated calf raise 4 x 15 reps

or

Standing calf raise - 20reps, 10sec rest, 20 reps, 10sec rest, 20 reps, 10 sec rest, 15 reps, 5 sec rest, 15 reps, 5 sec rest, 20 reps......finish x 3


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## crazycal1 (Sep 21, 2005)

brocky get yourself some 5 toes vibrams matey, the zero drop makes your calf work harder,

i swear to god they help slightly lol


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## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

Dexter used to have great calves proportional to the rest of his body, he's admitted himself he simply doesn't train them hard enough these days, they were practically non existent when he took the Olympia compared to a few years back. While Ronnie also had a set of calves, it's just his quads were so huge! Wolf has struggled in the calve department. Calve's are very much like any bodypart, some people are blessed genetically and will have great shape, and size with little to no training while other's will struggle for every ounce of muscle. Environmental factors obviously play a major role, I think quite frankly people don't priorities them enough or simply don't train them enough. Calve training is hard and not like other bodyparts, the feeling you get when you pump them full of blood can be quite sickening at times. Often calves are an after thought and simply thrown in at the end of a workout with little thought and effort put into exercise selection or training intensity. If you treated any body part this way you'd see poor results.

The evidence is plain for me to see and Chris sums it up brilliantly with his point about obese people, I've yet to see a fat man with poor calves you simply don't see it. So it's nature, nurture and the interaction between the two that builds a set of Dorian Yates style mammoth cow calves, but that doesn't mean you still can't improve poor calves, genetics should be an excuse.

Going by the old Steve Reeves Classic physique standards your calves should be the same size as your guns for a balanced symmetrical physique if they aren't time to step up (or toe press up) your calve training.

I suggest tri and giant sets at a high intensity, they helped my calves grow.


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## gingernut (Dec 11, 2006)

AChappell said:


> Dexter used to have great calves proportional to the rest of his body, he's admitted himself he simply doesn't train them hard enough these days, they were practically non existent when he took the Olympia compared to a few years back. While Ronnie also had a set of calves, it's just his quads were so huge! Wolf has struggled in the calve department. Calve's are very much like any bodypart, some people are blessed genetically and will have great shape, and size with little to no training while other's will struggle for every ounce of muscle. Environmental factors obviously play a major role, I think quite frankly people don't priorities them enough or simply don't train them enough. Calve training is hard and not like other bodyparts, the feeling you get when you pump them full of blood can be quite sickening at times. Often calves are an after thought and simply thrown in at the end of a workout with little thought and effort put into exercise selection or training intensity. If you treated any body part this way you'd see poor results.
> 
> The evidence is plain for me to see and Chris sums it up brilliantly with his point about obese people, I've yet to see a fat man with poor calves you simply don't see it. So it's nature, nurture and the interaction between the two that builds a set of Dorian Yates style mammoth cow calves, but that doesn't mean you still can't improve poor calves, genetics should be an excuse.
> 
> ...


A friend who's a relative newbie to the gym asked me "What are those things you were doing on the edge of that machine, you were pulling all sorts of faces?"(he can't/doesn't train calves due to a disability). Those are calf raises dear, I was getting the muscle pumped.


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## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

AChappell said:


> I suggest tri and giant sets at a high intensity, they helped my calves grow.


Give us a quick example if you would please Andy?


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## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

Sure Dorsey a Calve Workout might look like this:

Circuits are a great way to nail your calves here's one I suggest

Standing calve raises,

Seated calve raises, (you can set this up on a smith machine)

Toe Press (perform these on a leg press machine)

and BW Parkies (named after Mr Universe Graham Park, kneel down like your in a squat position then come up on your toes for a great squeeze)

All for reps of at least ten, for 3 to 4 sets in one giant superset. Use as much weight as you can for ten reps for each exercise, and perform this circuit when your fresh at the start of your routine if you need to priorities calves.


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## justheretosnoop (Jun 15, 2012)

Cheers Andy. I'm training calves 3 times a week for the next few months to see if it makes any diff. Not sure if that's a bit backward in thinking, it's just trial & error I guess.

Doubt I'll put that monster set at the beginning of my leg WO as wouldn't wanna take anything anyway from squats but will maybe approach them first on the other two sessions.


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## AChappell (Jun 1, 2011)

If you put them at the end of your workout on leg day, you should be fine considering your hitting them 3 times per week. If you do them first though, you tend to lose a little bit of drive from the bottem phase of your squat, however if your only lifting around about 85% 1 RM or doing sets of ten you should be fine. Give it a shot on alternative weeks.


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