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A Guide To Building Massive Killer Calves
One of the most stubborn and hard to develop muscle for most bodybuilders is definitely a pair of Crazy diamond shaped calves. Even at the professional level, a great pair of calves is seldom seen on stage.
There are a few reasons why this is the case, especially in today’s bodybuilders as opposed to bodybuilders from the past. Firstly, the top reason that calves elude so many people is simply stated; a lack of effort and an equal lack of understanding just what the calves need to stimulate growth in the area. The majority of trainees tack on a few sloppy half hearted and half assed sets at the end of their quad session and then whine about how their calves won’t respond and that it’s just not in the cards for them to ever have a pair of impressive lower legs.
Importance of Form and Range of Motion
You see people doing calves while using the whole weight stack on Standing Calf Raises and just barely moving the weight, with a bobbing motion of the body. Granted you should train as heavy as possible most times, to stimulate growth, but you must always use a full range of motion, especially on calves, as they are one of the tougher body parts to build for most people, even with correct training Here are a few of the things TooToned would recommend to get your own crazy looking calves.
Calf Building Recommendations
The key is to use a full range of motion, varied rep ranges, stretching between sets, short rest periods, and lots of intensity techniques. You see a ton of guys in the gym using a veritable ton of weight on calf movements, but they are usually doing a half assed bobbing kind of motion where the body does most of the moving with no ankle flexion. Go all the way up and all the way down on every rep, and when you can do no more full reps, do half reps until you can’t stand the pain, then do a few more.
Supersets, Drop Sets, and Giant Sets are killer and will help make ‘em grow fast. Be intense and work hard, with a full range of motion, and lots of stretching, and they will grow.
TooToned Recommendations
Most bodybuilders like to set up 4 – 5 machines and go through the sets without stopping, for as many reps as possible per machine. Do a set of each for as many reps as possible, without resting between sets, add a little weight to each machine, stretch them out on a high block of wood between Giant Sets, and go again repeating this for 3-4 cycles. The next day your calves will let you know that they felt the routine. (Dont suggest every workout, every other will be fine to keep those calves guessing). Another technique is to Superset two movements, such as seated calf raises and standing calf raises.
Do 5 sets of each, adding weight each set. At times you should go lighter, and at other times heavy. Another tactic that bodybuilders use quite often and find very effective is to do half reps to failure once, until you can no longer perform any more full range reps. This takes the calves into a pain zone that they have never experienced before and extends the set far beyond what you could normally do, which will result in adding more mass to the calves.
More Tips
Another thing is to treat them like any other body part, if you do 12 sets for chest, and tack on only a measly 4 sets for calves, you aren’t working hard enough or smart enough for that matter. I’d do 10-15 sets once a week, and 5-8 sets lighter on another day of the week, depending on your training experience. You hear many people say that they can’t build their calves because they are a hard dense muscle and no matter what they do the calves do not respond. TooToned think that most people approach calf development in the wrong way. After training for many years, and observing a ton of trainees, in a ton of different gyms, TooToned have come to the conclusion that you have to really shock the calves in almost every training session.
Summing It Up
Go as high as 50 reps, at times and as low as 6-8 reps, always in good form with no bouncing. Try some of these suggestions and you may get a couple of Tree trunks of your own.
One of the most stubborn and hard to develop muscle for most bodybuilders is definitely a pair of Crazy diamond shaped calves. Even at the professional level, a great pair of calves is seldom seen on stage.
There are a few reasons why this is the case, especially in today’s bodybuilders as opposed to bodybuilders from the past. Firstly, the top reason that calves elude so many people is simply stated; a lack of effort and an equal lack of understanding just what the calves need to stimulate growth in the area. The majority of trainees tack on a few sloppy half hearted and half assed sets at the end of their quad session and then whine about how their calves won’t respond and that it’s just not in the cards for them to ever have a pair of impressive lower legs.
Importance of Form and Range of Motion
You see people doing calves while using the whole weight stack on Standing Calf Raises and just barely moving the weight, with a bobbing motion of the body. Granted you should train as heavy as possible most times, to stimulate growth, but you must always use a full range of motion, especially on calves, as they are one of the tougher body parts to build for most people, even with correct training Here are a few of the things TooToned would recommend to get your own crazy looking calves.
Calf Building Recommendations
- Always keep a full range of motion during the exercise.
- Keep the calves guessing by doing different workouts at every training session. The calves adapt to training easier than most muscles.
- Use different intensity techniques, such as Supersets, Drop Sets.
- Stretch the calves between sets in order to increase growth stimulus and decrease lactic acid build up.
- Standing Calf Machine
- Seated Calf Machine
- Donkey Calf Raises
- Leg Press Calf Presses
- Standing Calf Machine
The key is to use a full range of motion, varied rep ranges, stretching between sets, short rest periods, and lots of intensity techniques. You see a ton of guys in the gym using a veritable ton of weight on calf movements, but they are usually doing a half assed bobbing kind of motion where the body does most of the moving with no ankle flexion. Go all the way up and all the way down on every rep, and when you can do no more full reps, do half reps until you can’t stand the pain, then do a few more.
Supersets, Drop Sets, and Giant Sets are killer and will help make ‘em grow fast. Be intense and work hard, with a full range of motion, and lots of stretching, and they will grow.
TooToned Recommendations
Most bodybuilders like to set up 4 – 5 machines and go through the sets without stopping, for as many reps as possible per machine. Do a set of each for as many reps as possible, without resting between sets, add a little weight to each machine, stretch them out on a high block of wood between Giant Sets, and go again repeating this for 3-4 cycles. The next day your calves will let you know that they felt the routine. (Dont suggest every workout, every other will be fine to keep those calves guessing). Another technique is to Superset two movements, such as seated calf raises and standing calf raises.
Do 5 sets of each, adding weight each set. At times you should go lighter, and at other times heavy. Another tactic that bodybuilders use quite often and find very effective is to do half reps to failure once, until you can no longer perform any more full range reps. This takes the calves into a pain zone that they have never experienced before and extends the set far beyond what you could normally do, which will result in adding more mass to the calves.
More Tips
Another thing is to treat them like any other body part, if you do 12 sets for chest, and tack on only a measly 4 sets for calves, you aren’t working hard enough or smart enough for that matter. I’d do 10-15 sets once a week, and 5-8 sets lighter on another day of the week, depending on your training experience. You hear many people say that they can’t build their calves because they are a hard dense muscle and no matter what they do the calves do not respond. TooToned think that most people approach calf development in the wrong way. After training for many years, and observing a ton of trainees, in a ton of different gyms, TooToned have come to the conclusion that you have to really shock the calves in almost every training session.
Summing It Up
Go as high as 50 reps, at times and as low as 6-8 reps, always in good form with no bouncing. Try some of these suggestions and you may get a couple of Tree trunks of your own.
I have that one book marked ^^^
Just in case you were wondering lol
I am so sick of seeing people professing to be strong or ripped...and they have twigs for legs (you do not have this problem GROAR!) lol But many others do.
I find it incredible that some people just don't train their legs...at all?
Even I...train my legs, including calves.....
Just in case you were wondering lol
I am so sick of seeing people professing to be strong or ripped...and they have twigs for legs (you do not have this problem GROAR!) lol But many others do.
I find it incredible that some people just don't train their legs...at all?
Even I...train my legs, including calves.....
I clearly need to be held for a while....
It's ok. I'm calm. Am going to go and make myself a cup of decaf coffee - which will do fuck all, but it makes me feel better
Work those calves people!
Shrek
Fucked up Kunce
I've treid every known program known to man to increase calf size. It aint gonna happen. While they are not too bad I'll never have the coveted diamond shape.
Ah well.
Skalatharx
Member
Same here mate, im in the same boat.
chocchillimango
Well-known member
Groar / Shrek / Hammer / Man of a Thousand Faces ...
precisely what have you been doing to train those aspirational calves of yours?
serious question.
what, how, and how often?
precisely what have you been doing to train those aspirational calves of yours?
serious question.
what, how, and how often?
Shrek
Fucked up Kunce
Viv,
I train calves twice per week.
One day concentrating on the solues with seated calves, usually 4-5 sets.
The next time concentrating on the gastro again 4-5 sets with standing calf raises or donkeys.
I keep reps around the 20 mark but some times i got higher. I feel if i go to low in the reps I can't gt full ROM. I get massive DOMS in the calves that usually last up to 5 days.
Stupid things.
I train calves twice per week.
One day concentrating on the solues with seated calves, usually 4-5 sets.
The next time concentrating on the gastro again 4-5 sets with standing calf raises or donkeys.
I keep reps around the 20 mark but some times i got higher. I feel if i go to low in the reps I can't gt full ROM. I get massive DOMS in the calves that usually last up to 5 days.
Stupid things.
I think we should do this as a ausbb challenge! YAY!
I'm in! Work calves every day, for the month of July - get it done GROAR! Post this shit up and let people get involved! God knows most people on this forum need to train calves MOAR, me included! Let's start it!
Train calves, every day, for 31 days, doing different exercises and sets for them, each and every day! And check in required, DAILY!
I'm in!
Start the thread!