Sick calves

[Shrek]

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!

Done, everyday for July even on non training days I will train calves. One day seated calves for soleus and one day standing or donkey for gastrocnemius.
This will be interesting.

why not have one for every muscle group everyday then?

Coz i don't have a lagging muscle other than the calves.

 

[Bella]

Bella's on a calf crusade
After calves we'll do a glute challenge

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMIGOD!!! THIS sounds like a fantastic idea!

 

[Bella]

Done, everyday for July even on non training days I will train calves. One day seated calves for soleus and one day standing or donkey for gastrocnemius.
This will be interesting.

Coz i don't have a lagging muscle other than the calves.

Yay! Me too! Start the thread GROAR - let people get involved! This is going to be fun! I might start before July though lol

 

[chocchillimango]

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.

every day probably not a good idea. they do adapt pretty quick. I remember proving that true when i was coming back from a soleus injury years ago.

For standing calf raises especially (but maybe also seated), try extending the ROM by using one of those half foam rollers under your feet. ie semi-circular ones with the flat part on the floor. Like being on a step but much more challenging. Really activates the stability action in your ankle and calf as well as allowing for extra ROM.
do them slow. you might need to drop the weight a bit doing it this way.

My trainer gets me to do the standing ones like this. Much harder but I can really feel it (unlike doing them on flat ground).

more reps is good. 15-20, even up to 25 if you feel like it. but 15 or a bit more is good.

not sure if that will help but might be worth a try.

 

[Shrek]

Yay! Me too! Start the thread GROAR - let people get involved! This is going to be fun! I might start before July though lol

Will do.

every day probably not a good idea. they do adapt pretty quick. I remember proving that true when i was coming back from a soleus injury years ago.

yeah they adapt but I think they have adapted already so I need to do something extreme I guess. Can't hurt to try.

For standing calf raises especially (but maybe also seated), try extending the ROM by using one of those half foam rollers under your feet. ie semi-circular ones with the flat part on the floor. Like being on a step but much more challenging. Really activates the stability action in your ankle and calf as well as allowing for extra ROM.
do them slow. you might need to drop the weight a bit doing it this way.

My trainer gets me to do the standing ones like this. Much harder but I can really feel it (unlike doing them on flat ground).

more reps is good. 15-20, even up to 25 if you feel like it. but 15 or a bit more is good.

not sure if that will help but might be worth a try.

I need to see if my gym has one of those. i don't have one. Where can i buy one and I'll do them at home?

 

[walt]

I still don't understand why people think they need to train calves "differently" then other muscle groups.. its only a muscle group, nothing different about them

 

[Shrek]

I still don't understand why people think they need to train calves "differently" then other muscle groups.. its only a muscle group, nothing different about them

Do you not read? I have tried training them the same. they are lagging, something different may be required.

 

[spud]

I've always had pretty defined calves without training them specifically, perhaps I'm lucky. They are more like the ones in the first post than the later ones. I think it's from kayaking regularly (you're jammed in and use your legs/ core for stability).

Probably not the best pic but it gives you an idea.

 

[chocchillimango]

Will do.

yeah they adapt but I think they have adapted already so I need to do something extreme I guess. Can't hurt to try.

I need to see if my gym has one of those. i don't have one. Where can i buy one and I'll do them at home?

same places you get foam rollers, physio supplies etc and online.

e.g. 66fit EVA, Blue Foam Roller, ITB Roller, Myofascial Release, Physio Roller 66fit Blue, 15x45cm, Australia

You can also use a wooden block or reebock step. I find these things make it just that much harder with the stupid bar on my shoulders.
So I need more control.

 

[chocchillimango]

I still don't understand why people think they need to train calves "differently" then other muscle groups.. its only a muscle group, nothing different about them

it's not that you need to train them "differently", it's just like anything else. Different people respond differently to specific exercises and how they are performed. it all comes down to your own personal calf-anatomy in this case

 

[walt]

Do you not read? I have tried training them the same. they are lagging, something different may be required.

Yes maybe try putting some effort into them and being consistent and stop just putting them at the end of your leg workout doing 5 sets while you do double that for arms. Bent-leg calf raises are shit as it only hits soleuos... straight leg hits both the soleus and gastrocnemius of the calf making it much superior. Stop doing this 20 rep stuff, "oh but i get doms so its good". 15 reps + is useless.

In b4 what would you know blah blah

i can read too

 

[Shrek]

Yes maybe try putting some effort into them and being consistent and stop just putting them at the end of your leg workout doing 5 sets while you do double that for arms. Bent-leg calf raises are shit as it only hits soleuos... straight leg hits both the soleus and gastrocnemius of the calf making it much superior. Stop doing this 20 rep stuff, "oh but i get doms so its good". 15 reps + is useless.

In b4 what would you know blah blah

i can read too

End of my leg workout? I don't train them with legs. and how would you know how much effort I put into them?

 

[Bella]

Yep, definitely.

Some people have great calves already, with very little training required. Other people struggle to build those muscles, even after years of training. And other people, don't train them - at all. Therefore they are shit.

It's like any other muscle group - quads, traps, lats, delts, tri's, bi's, back muscles, glutes - some people have muscles that grow like weeds and overpower every other body part. Unfortunately, for alot of people - they aren't the calves.

I think having a July challenge for calves is a great idea. Just train them, every day for 31 days. Why not? It's a bit of fun, no one is asking you to go hard and incapacitate yourself, just train them and train them differently, every single day.

My calves aren't lagging, in fact, I have great calves - but I always have had. The legs have always been strong, after years of ballet and swimming. My younger brother though? Holy shit, he has ZERO muscle development in the legs - I wish I could give him some calf muscles and trade him for his bum

lol

 

[chocchillimango]

Stop doing this 20 rep stuff, "oh but i get doms so its good". 15 reps + is useless.

In b4 what would you know blah blah

yeah, not always so true.

 

[Shrek]

same places you get foam rollers, physio supplies etc and online.

e.g. 66fit EVA, Blue Foam Roller, ITB Roller, Myofascial Release, Physio Roller 66fit Blue, 15x45cm, Australia

You can also use a wooden block or reebock step. I find these things make it just that much harder with the stupid bar on my shoulders.
So I need more control.

I will check it out.
[MENTION=4939]spud[/MENTION]; . Great calves mate.

 

[Bella]

I've always had pretty defined calves without training them specifically, perhaps I'm lucky. They are more like the ones in the first post than the later ones. I think it's from kayaking regularly (you're jammed in and use your legs/ core for stability).

Probably not the best pic but it gives you an idea.

yes I almost missed this! lol

Great calves spud!

 

[Darkoz]

So if you workout every day, you will be huge?

 

[Brick]

Yep, definitely.

Some people have great calves already, with very little training required.

People who have killer calves but and aren't into bb almost always used to be fat. Best way to pick a girl who recently lost alot of weight is the well built calves developed from hauling a plump arse around all the time. The exception to this rule is cyclists or other such sports, but for the most part they are reformed fatties.

 

[Bella]

So if you workout every day, you will be huge?

No, lol It's just giving the calves some consistency and hitting them, in some way, every day. Why not? Fun + working the muscles every day. I like it.

C'mon Darko, get involved!

 

[walt]

unremoved from discussion, good. was just giving thoughts thats all.

Could always just go obese and then shred down, fat people always have decent calves.

yeah, not always so true.

what you reckon then?


i would like to think my calves have improved somewhat (pics in my bb transform thread) even though ive lost weight.. i credit that to actually training them normally and not having the mindset of everyone else when it comes to calves (they are genetic ect ect).