Calves... Size Needed

Calves have always be some what of a lagging body part for me as they are with a lot of people. I posted here to maybe get some advice on improving my calf size dramatically. There are two reasons I feel that my calves are lagging:

  1. I’m 6’4 and I feel that they are just longer than they are wide? I’m not really sure. I’ve always been told oh well its cause you’re tall, but i’m sure it has been by people who have no Idea

  2. I may do too much cardio… I’m not sure if this would effect the growth of my calves, but thought maybe someone could comment on it.

Now I don’t normally do a lot of direct calf work… I’m not sure if it would be greatly beneficial? If so how often and what would the exercise/rep/set scheme look like if I was looking to build bigger calves?

Thanks,
YB

[quote]YoungBull wrote:
Calves have always be some what of a lagging body part for Now I don’t normally do a lot of direct calf work… I’m not sure if it would be greatly beneficial? If so how often and what would the exercise/rep/set scheme look like if I was looking to build bigger calves?

Thanks,
YB
[/quote]

YB that’s you’re problem. Calves need [for 99% of us] to be trained more often than not. They need direct work and a lot of heavy work at that. I hit calves almost every day I’m in the gym, except maybe heavy squat day as they get fatigued and indirect work from merely supporting the efforts.
Again I like lots of heavy weight thus low reps [3-9 let’s say] but from time to time I will throw in the odd set of 20+. A new favorite of mine is doing isometric holds at the top in the peak position for like 10 seconds and then lowering down.

You will kind of have to try out of whole bunch of different exercises and routines. The only constant IMO is heavy weight and lots of frequency

I’m only a little shorter than you and naturally very slim (relatively small boned) but my calves are a genuine 17 inches around, it’s a genetic gift.

They do look ‘stretched’ compared to short legged men, same for you i would guess.

I havent trained for months and lost a lot of weight for various reasons. I’m thin all over now and slowly getting back into it, but the calves are always the last to shrink and come back with almost no stimulation.

I doubt that helps but may offer some insight into the role of genetics here.

Yes, maybe cut down cardio a little and work them quite heavy (but not to the point of hearing crunchy sounds in your ankles!) a couple of times a week

Thanks for the advice

I think I am going to go with something along these lines if no one has any objections or further information to share:

donkey calf raises: 5x 3-6
Seated calf raises: 5x 3-6

You don’t train your calves at all… and you’re asking us why they are small. wow.

I would recommend you do more reps than 3-6 for calves. Calves tend to be more of an endurance muscle for most people, and a general range of 8-15 repitions is usually where most people can get stronger and see results.

I hit my calves directly twice a week. First day is 4 sets at 8 reps, heavy with long squeezes, second day is 2x25 not to failure. It’s worked well so far.

As far as cardio hurting you…unless you’re really overdoing it, your calves get the most use when walking/running. I know a number of people who don’t train at all, but walk 20-30 mins to work everyday. They’re ultra lean with some monster calves.

So it looks like some trial and error about to go down

thanks
YB

seated calf raises, hill sprints as much and often as possible until they are the size you want.

[quote]YoungBull wrote:

  1. I’m 6’4 and I feel that they are just longer than they are wide? I’m not really sure. I’ve always been told oh well its cause you’re tall, but i’m sure it has been by people who have no Idea[/quote]
    Height won’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. Do your lifting, eat your calories, and you’ll build them just fine. Plenty of bodybuilders over 6’0" have good calves (Arnold, Gunter, and Dillett, for example.)

What’s the “too much cardio” that you’re currently doing? If you’re jumping rope five days a week, or some other intense and/or long duration cardio, then it might interfere. If we’re talking about 20 minutes of incline walking twice a week, then no, I wouldn’t blame the cardio.

As others have mentioned, this is smack-your-head-ridiculous statement.

[quote]…how often and what would the exercise/rep/set scheme look like if I was looking to build bigger calves?
[/quote]
I’m kinda biased towards this program:
http://www.T-Nation.com/article/bodybuilding/building_fat_guy_calves

[quote]YoungBull wrote:
Thanks for the advice

I think I am going to go with something along these lines if no one has any objections or further information to share:

donkey calf raises: 5x 3-6
Seated calf raises: 5x 3-6[/quote]

You usually need volume. For your warm up every day, and on rest days do:

Jump Rope - 1000 jumps

Twice a week do your heavy calf raises like you planned but more like 3x20 or 3x30…and I mean heavy.

[quote]mmllcc wrote:
You usually need volume. For your warm up every day, and on rest days do:

Jump Rope - 1000 jumps

Twice a week do your heavy calf raises like you planned but more like 3x20 or 3x30…and I mean heavy.[/quote]

Ha, our advice couldn’t be more opposite if we tried.

That’s cool though. He’d actually get the most gains overall if he followed your advice for a month, and then followed mine.

Funny how that works.

I set the treadmill to max incline and I walk for 15-20 minutes. Welcome to calf country. Volume Volume volume.

[quote]Chris Colucci wrote:
mmllcc wrote:
You usually need volume. For your warm up every day, and on rest days do:

Jump Rope - 1000 jumps

Twice a week do your heavy calf raises like you planned but more like 3x20 or 3x30…and I mean heavy.

Ha, our advice couldn’t be more opposite if we tried.

That’s cool though. He’d actually get the most gains overall if he followed your advice for a month, and then followed mine.

Funny how that works.[/quote]

You are right on that…it only works for so long.

IMO most people are under the false impression that calves must be trained with 15-30 reps with pussy weights.

I use anything from 8-25 reps personally, with most work being UNDER 15 reps. The calves can take a brutal amount of work in terms of intensity and volume. Don’t be afraid to train them 3x/week. I find rest-pause techniques, lowering with one leg and very slow, strict reps to be particularly effective. Of course this only works if adequate rest and nutritional support are in place.

I recently increased my calf training frequency and they are already visibly responding. i have a 6 rep range one day and a ten rep range day soon after. i think it is also good to add in athletic movements such as jumping, running backwards, and martial art footwork

[quote]mr popular wrote:
You don’t train your calves at all… and you’re asking us why they are small. wow.

[/quote]

LOL.

“hey guys, my biceps are lagging…but I was told not to train them directly…so I won’t”.

TO GET SIZE ON YOUR CALVES, DO CALF RAISES.

8-12 reps for standing calf raises
15-25 reps for seated calf raises.

in general, more calf raises = bigger calves.

Also, can someone tell me how you are supposed to do upwards of 20 reps with a RELATIVELY HEAVY WEIGHT? Isn’t that a bit of an oxymoron?

Volume is the key to bigger calves but also high frequency and different types of stress, i put the different stresses on different days

Add a dedicated calf day.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
mr popular wrote:
You don’t train your calves at all… and you’re asking us why they are small. wow.

“As others have mentioned, this is smack-your-head-ridiculous statement.”

LOL.

“hey guys, my biceps are lagging…but I was told not to train them directly…so I won’t”.[/quote]

Thanks for all the advice guys and the kick in the ass. I guess I really did consider how ridiculous this sounded until I was getting shit on by all of you, but in a good way!

lol excuse my ignorance and thanks once again,
YB