stubborn calfs!

[Podium Kreatin]

my calfs don't seem to do anything noticable since i started. they are pretty strong and endured (i've done 700lb+ calf press on 45* lp long time ago, but i gave up heavy weight and tried more strict form w/ more reps). my friend, he does calf xtensions on a stair step for 100x5 w/o weights, and his calfs are huge. they look like a friggin steak! what should i do to get my calfs bigger? i heard that they behave differently than other muscles.

[YatesNightBlade]

I'd like to hear some adivce on this one too. My calves are feable too. Ive tried volume work heavy sets supersets .... the works and still them little fellows won't grow. Implants are the answer I think.

[YatesNightBlade]

Bumping .......... Anyone ??

[The Cobra]

You know the goofy shoes with a raised toe? Buy them, or make your own. They'll work. Wear them for a 20 minute walk, and your calves willl blow up.

[PowerManDL]

Calves behave differently than most muscles because in almost everyone, they are predominantly slow-twitch muscle. From a biomechanical standpoint, the calves simply have little to no reason for fast or explosive movements, so there is generally little in the way of fast-twitch fiber present. However, there are ways around this for hypertrophy purposes.

First, train with heavy weights to target the FT fibers that are present. Second, train with reps in the 12-15 range for either *high* volume, or slightly lower volume with sets performed to failure, to maximize protein breakdown. Third, train with very high reps, 40 or more, to hit the ST motor units. The other rule to remember is that, being predominantly ST fibers, the calves can take a *severe* beating without being overtrained; I'd seriously recommend to train them two, three, or even four times a week to get the best results, as well as using a higher-than-normal volume. However, only use the heavy load protocol once a week; like any other muscle, the FT fibers in the calves are just as susceptible to training damage and need recovery. This doesn't apply to the repeated effort loadings for the metabolic training and the ST fibers, though.

All the best,

PowerMan DL

[The_Chicken_Daddy]

So Powerman, how would you make a routine out of those guidelines?

[heathj]

A good exercise is to put a book on the floor and then step on it with the back of your feet...Hold a dumbbell in each hand with as much weight as you think you can do and do about 15 reps of raising the back of your foot up and down. These help my calves stay big. I do about 75 lbs. on each dumbbell...so not a ton, but enough. Another is standing calf raises on a machine that rests on your shoulders and another is seated calf raises.

[PowerManDL]

Ok, well.....

Basically, do heavy standing raises for 4 or 5 sets of 5 or 6 reps as the *heavy* protocol. Do donkey or standing raises for 6-8 sets of 10-15 reps for the protein breakdown effect. Do seated raises for 2 or 3 sets of 40+ reps.

The reason I suggested the given exercises is that the standing raises favor the gastroc, which is the slightly more anaerobic calf muscle; the seated raises tend to favor the soleus, which is on the more aerobic side. Donkey raises target both about equally.

Have fun,

PowerMan DL

[YatesNightBlade]

Thanks Powerman ..... I'll give that a try.