Hit second workout yesterday. Lowered weight like you recommended. Got all the reps in. Real tough. On a side note my calves were a solid quarter inch larger Monday morning after the first calf workout done the previous Thursday. Looking forward to some serious progress…
I’ve been doing just one set to failure for calves once every other week for a while now, and they’re the biggest they’ve ever been.
We only have free weight equipment at our home gym so I use a dipping belt for added weight, and use a rounded heel-raise step in my bodyweight station. I use a weight that allows for two to four repetitions at a 10/10 cadence, holding the stretch at the bottom for three seconds and squeezing at the top for three seconds, for a total time of around 50-100 seconds.
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Great idea @DrewBaye! Maybe something to do with a low center of gravity? Loaded belt excercises is many times a great solution!
How much weight do you recommend? Since I’m fairly strong in my calves I fear a heavy belt.
Do you perform them standing straight or in a donkey fashion?
(One or) two legged?
I will try this one, since I’ve overdone the seated calf press machine. The gastrocnemius is supposely easier to reach with standing presses.
Use enough weight to achieve momentary muscle failure within your target time frame.
The reason for using a belt is to load through the pelvis and avoid compressing the spine.
Seated calf raise violates active sufficiency of the gastrocnemius.
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Drew, can you please explain what is rounded heel-raise step in bodyweight station?
Engliish is not my first language, not sure what exactely are you talking about here.
Thanks a lot :).
S.
This is the heel raise step on the custom bodyweight multi-exercise station I designed and had built for our home gym.
Notice there is also a round/curved foot platform for heel raises on this RenEx leg press, beneath the foot platform for leg pressing.
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Thank you!
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DB,
Nice 
on the calf raise!
Looks great!
I wonder if leg presses compare favorably with calf raises as regards overall calf development?
Never seen this comparison!
Static leg curls can be used to pre and post exhaust the calves. I never hear any talk of statics for hamstrings. The gastrocnemius muscle originates on the femur, as this muscle crosses the knee joint and inserts on the lower leg. I have found that flexing the feet toward the shin further involves the calves during leg statics.
The main squat/leg press variant where I feel much calf stimulation are the Pivot-Type Hack Squat machines — the ones with the curved platform. BUT, I’ve tried the no calf raise approach in my training and calf stimulation and development were greatly lacking — even though calves are probably my best bodypart.
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I’ve done phases where I leg Press with no direct calf work and this really only seems to allow me to maintain. However during my last training cycle, I hit calves four times a week with different calf raise variations (Standing Machine Calf raise, seated Calf raises, donkey calf raises with my brother on my back holding a dumbbell, and toe Presses on a Nautilus leg Press) in addition to the rest of my leg work (which did include leg curls) and I put half an inch on my calves in 6 weeks!
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Frequency seems to be the solution for stubborn calves. For some reason I have a hard time withstanding intensity and/or volume on calves - as it often feels like they’re going to cramp (or explode) when I try to overdo it.
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Thanks sh,
I guess the answer is rotating the leg press with the calf raise.
Tbh, the intensity of the leg press is scary. My wife does not like watching! Ever other week might work well. Tough to be an alpha!
Frequency, intensity, weighted stretches.
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I’ve always found direct work beneficial for calves (and arms for that matter). Where as compound moves optimal for thighs, chest, and back - single joint moves not adding a lot for me on those large muscles. Although I still do them from time to time, such as flies or leg curl.
I’ve just tried the method suggested by Drew Baye (10 up/10 down, with a 3s stretch at the bottom and a 3s squeeze at the top). Didn’t have the rounded platform but I may try to mock one up using a fence post. Have to say, I did enjoy it even though I went too light. Will up the load next time give it a decent run.
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If u just did it, wait to up the wt. 2 days after doing super slow on my nautilus seated calf, they were blown up and sore for 4-5 days. Also been using on shrugs. Wow!!!
I like the idea of using a round edge support. I usually put my toes on a 2x4, but it isn’t always that comfortable. Plus I’m never sure how I should angle my foot relative to the board, and where to weight the forefoot (more on the ball of the foot or spread more evenly over the forefoot). Subtle changes in foot position seem to make a difference in how the calf is stressed. Unfortunately, the few rounded foot supports I find on Amazon seem over priced.
You must hold your leg straight to flex the gastrocnemius muscle. Furthermore, over the years, I like calf raises performed on a leg press.
Lock the legs and press as slowly as possible, then immediately go to static leg curls with toe flexed, ithen mmediately go to a flexed knee calf raises to further work the soleus. The bent knee position only emphasizes this muscle to a degree as the gastrocnemius is still engaged. Then soleus is full of slow twitch fibers.