# Calf raises (high or low weight)



## Myst (Apr 13, 2009)

I can get a good burn feeling with low weight. (about 20-30 reps)

With high weight I get no burn feeling. (about 6-10 reps)

I don't like few reps cuz the lack of burn.

I'm guessing my 20-30 reps though is too much and it's got to go.

Wonder if I should aim at the high weight or go for inbetween :confused1:

I know it's really hard to give advice to another person, especially without seeing them train.

But I like to ask, so that I learn.


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## Captain Hero (Jun 13, 2004)

high weight, high reps  calves can take a punishing!


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## tedder (Feb 4, 2007)

As above mate cuz they take a hammering every day usaully so you gotta go for it, or try the FST 7 method if your finding them stubborn.


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## Myst (Apr 13, 2009)

Ok high weight it is. Thx guys. 

Just wondering is it OK to do half reps at around the end of each set?


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## Uriel (Oct 14, 2008)

see what yours respond to and then change and monitor, same as everything.

My calves have alway grown almost too well. It's the one part I sometimes skip for a week or 2 as it can make my quads look small IMO.

My calfs are 18.5" thickest part - quads 28" mid thigh


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## Uriel (Oct 14, 2008)

see what yours respond to and then change and monitor, same as everything.

My calves have alway grown almost too well. It's the one part I sometimes skip for a week or 2 as it can make my quads look small IMO.

My calfs are 18.5" thickest part - quads 28" mid thigh


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## ragahav (Jun 11, 2008)

in general it's high rep


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## Need-valid-info (Mar 29, 2009)

they is full of slow twitch fibres so need high reps to be stimulated i have heard so. Standing calf raises are best for pure size apparently


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## Gerry_bhoy (Dec 25, 2008)

I do sets of 20. Think i'll mix it up a bit though, they feel like their getting a seeing to but not growing much.


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## tylerx (Feb 20, 2008)

I guess its varies for us all. I traditionally base mine on, high reps high weigh.t However I have had success with high reps- low weight too. My calves are stubborn but certainly respond to varied work schedule and being hit from varying angles.

At times I may indulge in a twice a week schedule where the first session of the week may be light weight work and the second session may very well be heavy weight with a basis on a low rep scheme.So the light work is more marathon intensity like where as the heavy sets are also intense but like sprint work.

Sitting calve raises form the foundation of my work out and I mix them up with varied other calve work outs. Within a three week period I can normally see significant changes, however as has been mentioned before we all have different bodies and its good to find out what works best for us and our respective goals.


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## Bonzer (Nov 26, 2010)

I use high weight, low reps till failure then i go straight into no weight high reps till failure burns like a bitch but feels good...


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## ElfinTan (May 23, 2008)

Started doing mine twice a week.

1 x 5 x 5

1 x 4 x high rep(20's) supersets

Attack from all angles lol!


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## Guest (Apr 19, 2009)

Well what has been working for me and i have VERY **** calves!

Day 1 high reps ie 30-50 about ten sets in total

Day 2 very heavy ie 6-10 (i used 960lb on the donkey calve raise last week for 6)

These days are done every week but the key is form, full range of motion and pause at the very bottom and very top for 1 second plus squeez.


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## ElfinTan (May 23, 2008)

Con said:


> Well what has been working for me and i have VERY **** calves!
> 
> Day 1 high reps ie 30-50 about ten sets in total
> 
> ...


Looks like we have a simlilar plan of action....race ya to decent calves...ffs ANY calves would be a bonus


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## Uriel (Oct 14, 2008)

Con said:


> Well what has been working for me and i have VERY **** calves!
> 
> Day 1 high reps ie 30-50 about ten sets in total
> 
> ...


Con, I'd trade you some calve meat for a piece of that back mate if I could, seriously, if I did that routine to my calves - they'd be like 2 motorcycle crash helmets - ridiciulous


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

good post been wondering the same.........

a little of topic but do calf muscles work the same as abs?

as you can train your abs more as they dont need the recovery time, and as the calf muscle is being used every time you walk, does the same apply?????

can I train my calfs heavy more than once a week without doing more harm than good...........

sorry for the hijack but along the same lines as your post........ :whistling:


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## MASSIVEMONSTER (May 28, 2006)

My calves have always been huge too . 20 inch calves is no joke, 22 when pumped. i do 3 sets one a week x 10 reps, heavy weight.


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

MASSIVEMONSTER said:


> My calves have always been huge too . 20 inch calves is no joke, 22 when pumped. i do 3 sets one a week x 10 reps, heavy weight.


at present I do as heavy as I can about 10-12 reps 4 sets of raises with barbell on step once a week.....

also cardio walking up hill 30 min a day, and the little b*ggers just wont grow:cursing:


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## MASSIVEMONSTER (May 28, 2006)

clairey.h said:


> at present I do as heavy as I can about 10-12 reps 4 sets of raises with barbell on step once a week.....
> 
> also cardio walking up hill 30 min a day, and the little b*ggers just wont grow:cursing:


calves are very genetic. some peoples just are very stubborn. have you ever thought about putting some synthol in them?


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

MASSIVEMONSTER said:


> calves are very genetic. some peoples just are very stubborn. have you ever thought about putting some synthol in them?


dont think synthol is really my answer.......lol


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## tedder (Feb 4, 2007)

Synthol geezus, defo a big no no clairey lol.


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## Adam_W (Jun 19, 2008)

I have stubborn calves, strong, but not willing to grow.

What i have found now is that variation is the key. Im currently training mine 3 days a week at the end of each workout. I do 1 exercise, for 3 sets. Alternating on a weekly basis between inside and outer thigh, and on a workout basis heavy (low reps) and light (high reps).

I am seeing improvements, but i will be changing this again soon to shock them.

Currently doing seated, donkey and standing machine. Each on a different day at the end of the workout.


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

Anyone with stubborn calves should try these methods,

Mine were around 15" pumped a few years back, today they are 17.5 cold at 88kg bodyweight i gave mine no choice but to grow:thumb:

*CALF ROUTINES<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>*

*Routine 1<o></o>*

First set on the standing machine 1 x 35 reps warm up<o></o>

Then give them both a 30 second stretch<o></o>

Next set is the triple drop set our machine is 100kg stack and we did 75, 50 and 25 kg drop, all out until nothing left<o></o>

Next set was 8 reps heavy 80kg<o></o>

Next set was 6 reps heavy 100kg<o></o>

Last set which will hit the big fibers which make you grow we did 25kg and did 100 reps.<o></o>

Our calves felt like rocks try it mate its a good un.<o></o>

*Routine 2<o></o>*

20 reps warm up, bodyweight only

20 full stretch and full contraction reps, weight for 20 reps only

20 reps with a double bounce on the stretch down, full contraction, bodyweight on block only

30 full reps off the floor with bodyweight only

Repeat 2 times over, when used to it increase the weight by 5kg every week or do routine 3 times.

*Routine 3<o></o>*

2 sets of 20 reps bodyweight only

Next set 100 reps non stop

Plenty of stretching in between sets when not repping out

After 100 reps 3-4 minutes stretching

Next set 3 sets of 20 reps on seated calf or leg press

Stretching to finish.


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## Adam_W (Jun 19, 2008)

Musclefox, what exercise is routine 2 and 3? Surely not all standing? And im assuming you alternate each routine on a different day?

So could fit in to my current calf routine at the end of the workout?

Will give that a try when my routine is up for a change.


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

Sorry i forgot to put in what they were,

All routines are standing calf raises.

Do routine 2 for 5 weeks and see how you get on, if your making gains with this one stick with it until you stop gaining then switch to one of the other routines, dont matter which one.

When doing routine 2 make sure you contract as high as possible and stretch as far as you can on the weighted sets , dont be tempted to cheat otherwise YOU will be loosing out.

Dont be supprised if you have difficulties walking for days after doing this one, it can be a killer the first time..

I chose routine 2 because this one really made an impact on my calves..


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## clairey.h (Feb 8, 2009)

musclefox said:


> Anyone with stubborn calves should try these methods,
> 
> Mine were around 15" pumped a few years back, today they are 17.5 cold at 88kg bodyweight i gave mine no choice but to grow:thumb:
> 
> ...


many thanks :thumb:

may start with routine 3 looks my best option...........


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## Adam_W (Jun 19, 2008)

Musclefox, you doing just once per week then? By limiting yourself to just standing calf raises, are you not limiting the muscles targeted in the calves?

I might try this, but do each routine once per week, each with a different exercise. It'll no doubt hurt like hell, but ill see how its goes. My calves really need a lot of work to hit them.


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## Robsta (Oct 2, 2005)

MASSIVEMONSTER said:


> calves are very genetic. some peoples just are very stubborn. have you ever thought about putting some synthol in them?


????wtf???


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## Adam_W (Jun 19, 2008)

Didnt notice that post by Massive, hope he was joking.


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## Goose (Jan 29, 2009)

High weight Low reps.

Your calves are used to high volume work as it is walking around everywhere.


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

ooops WILL REPOST PICS..


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## Robsta (Oct 2, 2005)

that mate is something you'll have to do yourself...we have enough to do...looking good though dude....

Ask someone for a resizing web site


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

Ok mate il see what i can do and have another go, thnaks.. :thumbup1:


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

Ok i think ive got the picture resizing sorted

I train my calfs now every other week as they have p my arms are 17" cold and calfs are 17.5,

By just doing standing claf raises i think my clafs are well developed, heres a couple of pics, if you look at the size of my arms to my calfs in the black and white pic and then look at my calfs today, they have come on well.assed my arms,


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## noturbo (Oct 27, 2006)

Damn dude nice calves :thumb: They have exploded, will give that routine 3 you listed a try :thumbup1:


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## breamking (Mar 22, 2009)

dam musclefox they going to explode lol


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## Robsta (Oct 2, 2005)

Pitbull off here has awesome calfs, and hardly ever trains them, he just does his incline walking and they get massive....jammy fcuk...


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## musclefox (Oct 21, 2008)

During summer i often see overweight guys walking around who probably never ever been to the gym but have huge calfs..

There was a partucular guy back home who worked in the train station who started to go to the gym to loose weight, we measured his calfs at 22 inches..


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## Myst (Apr 13, 2009)

musclefox said:


> During summer i often see overweight guys walking around who probably never ever been to the gym but have huge calfs..
> 
> There was a partucular guy back home who worked in the train station who started to go to the gym to loose weight, we measured his calfs at 22 inches..


??? but dude... everyone knows fat guys have big calfs.

BTW nice routines, I'm going to try each, will post back in um... about 15 days to say how they go for me.


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