Q: What are the best exercises for increasing calf strength and size? I do a lot of standing and seated calf raises, but I was wondering if there is anything else I’m missing? I’m about 2” away from dunking a basketball and I’m looking for an edge. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
John
A: Big calves have about as much to do with how high you can jump as the color of your hair. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with doing some calf raises in your training routine, but they shouldn’t be the
focus of the routine. As I’ve said time and time again, the “posterior chain” (spinal erectors, gluteals and hamstrings) makes up around 70% of the musculature that is responsible for your jumping ability. Squat and deadlift variations, Olympic lifts and good mornings will give you the best “bang for your buck” with regards to improving your vertical jump in the weight room.
There is another very interesting factor that plays a large role in how high you can jump. I’ve had the pleasure of working with over 2-dozen athletes who can jump over 35” and, besides being very strong in the posterior chain, they had something else in common. The one thing they all had in common are what I call “high cut” calves. What I mean by this is that the calves have an insertion point very high on the lower leg. This usually means a longer Achilles tendon. A longer Achilles tendon can store more elastic energy, which translates into more explosive jumps.
Think about this; have you ever seen a kangaroo with big calves? Of course not! The reason they can jump so well lies in the length of their Achilles tendons. Kangaroos have the longest Achilles tendon of any animal on earth. They also spring off the ground better than any other animal on earth. Unfortunately, you can’t increase the length of your Achilles tendon – it’s genetic. You have your parents to thank for that.
