Anybody ever really build BIG calves (without genetics)?

[kidvortex]

I'm new, so bear with me if I mess this up.

I've gone from 115 lbs to 180 since I started bodybuilding years ago. I've developed good proportions except my calves. My quads are even decent. But with long lower legs, small bones, and calves that insert really high, my legs sort of look like a chicken drum stick. I'll wear pants when it's 100 degrees.

Read everything here on calves and have been starting to work them harder, but I need some motivation. Has anybody out there ever REALLY built big calves (without having them genetically?) Just knowing it CAN be done would be enough to keep me and probably lots of others going for another 6 months. Thanks!

 

[FitnessFrk]

they are 100% genetics !

it is physiologicaly IMPOSSIBLE to build huge calves is you do not have enough fast twitch fibers.

if your calves have too few fast twitch fibers, they're not going to grow plain and simple. even direct injections with gear can not change that. Some people (mostly people who already had decent calves or hadn't worked them previously) can make them grow because they have the right types or a decent ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch fibers...

 

[Blood&Iron]

I'm not sure I'm the best person to answer, as both my legs and calves are naturally fairly decent looking. I don't think I have much in the way of fast-twitch fibers in them though, and don't get much out of calf-raises. But I've noticed when I am dieting, and start to do cardio, which consists of walking on incline at 15 degrees for 30 or so minutes, my calves grow significantly. So I don't think a predominance of fast-twitch fibers are necessary to have decent calves. Maybe you need them for great calves though. And although I always hesitate to use pro-bodybuilders as examples, look at Arnold. In his early years his calves sucked, but he made tremendous strides in their development, so that later on they were one of his strengths.

 

[kidvortex]

Freak may be right. I can get them stronger, but not much bigger.

I don't know Blood, I look at Arnold and he's got these average calves, then all of a sudden they're huge. Something's up there. It took him a decade to build his body and then he gets his calves caught up FAST! How did he really do that?

 

[CytoMel]

TRAIN BEYOND THE CALF PAIN!!

I was wondering how you are currently training your calves? If it is the regular 8-12 set routine, then forget about ever growing them.

I never had weak calves but mine grew stronger and 3 inches in less than a year quickly when I just started blasting them with 40-50 SETS EACH WORKOUT. I kid you not, this was a workout for about 1 hour also. My trainig partner and I would start out with about three different calf exercises: seated, standing and others to choose from. This is usually easy to do in most gyms because nobody ever uses the calf machines.

Superset all three and only break for as long as your partner takes to do a set (1 min approx) Do each set with about 1 rep left in you 8-15 rep range...you should be able to do around 8-10 rounds...one round is 3 sets (the rotation)

You will be VERY SURPRISED THAT YOUR CALVES WON'T DROP OFF IN STRENGTH...incredible because this seems to be the only bodypart that is dense and tough enough to just about fully recover between tough sets over 30 straight times. Then start hitting drop sets (easy to adjust the pin on the standing one) and just lower it about 20 lbs a drop-crazy as hell but it works..also do drop sets on seated and the other calf (*donkey, etc) and this usually turns out to be around 45 sets in an hour or less.. We used to call it 50 in 50 for 50 setys in 50 mins (supersets included).
Your calves will be more sore than ever but you can do this every 5-6 days and keep rotating order and movements and I swear you will add at least a 1/2 inch in less than a month.

You just have to change your mind-set about calves. When you start doing this you must think about your calves as boulders and you must kick their ass to grow-aolso full range motion and some and in the supersets do some partials, most sets a moderate-fast but under control tempo. KILL THOSE KALVES!!!

You will have to endure some crazy calf burning-worse then anything you have imagined in your worst nightmares-but you will be able to accept and embrace it when you see HOW FUCKING FAST your calves will grow.

 

[BronzedGoddess]

they are 100% genetics !

it is physiologicaly IMPOSSIBLE to build huge calves is you do not have enough fast twitch fibers.

if your calves have too few fast twitch fibers, they're not going to grow plain and simple. even direct injections with gear can not change that. Some people (mostly people who already had decent calves or hadn't worked them previously) can make them grow because they have the right types or a decent ratio of fast twitch to slow twitch fibers...

My day is officially RUINED

 

[BronzedGoddess]

Well...........I feel bad for bitching so much because once upon a time I built my calves much bigger than they are now, but I think it may have been because they were knotted up cause it went away in a matter of months. I'd do standing calve raises then go directly to seated calve raises then I'd jump rope for 2 minutes, then repeat for 3-4 more times. That was the worst feeling ever. I hate the burn I get on calve workouts. SO I guess i dont want it bad enough? If only I had one of y'all guys on here to whip me into shape

 

[kidvortex]

If only I had one of y'all guys on here to whip me into shape

BronzedGoddess ... whip ... hmmmm ... sounds like a good workout.

Probably won't do much for the calves though.

 

[kidvortex]

Re: Train beyond the pain!

Thanks CytoMel!

3 inches in a year is awesome. At least I know that someone has made some progress. I'll see how it works for me.

 

[bignate73]

50 sets........

hmmm.....interesting.

seems the intensity should be turned up 5x and be done in 10.

how fast are the negatives? how slow are the positives? isometric hold or just bouncing?

too many variables to change before actually increasing the workload.

there are tons of alternatives to doing a crippling amount of sets.
plyometrics, rep tempo tweaking, increased load, increased reps.

hit some standing calf raises at a 4/2/2 tempo and ill bet noone wants more than 5 sets.

 

[CytoMel]

Thanks for all the interest in the high volume calf routine! The tempo would depend on the movement. A lot of times the 3rd exercise would be:
Hack squat machine
leg press calf raises
one legged calf raises on a calf block

these were all higher rep movements (remember the soleus responds well to sets with more time under tension like 30sec+ a set on the thrird, high reps like you can bang out 25 hack squat calf raises at about a sec a rep and rep it out

The first movement was often standing calf raise with around a 201 or 101 type tempo all the way up and down, pretty fast but under control. I remember a slight pause sometimes and sometimes w/o it. Those are some of the variables that you need to cahnge around including a toes in, straight or toes out also feet touching, feet wide apart etc. So you do different variations and rotate each week.

When I say 50 sets it is not something that beginners need to do their first time. I would say 30 sets in an around an hour would work. By the way if you can get someone to share in this blitzkreig then a partner makes a perfect rest period...by the way the partner counting the reps out loud was a very good way to do it and when others in the gym come close to you and you don't want the distractions, keep counting and they always go away.

Most of the reps are at a rhythmic pace, you will get the grove in these and really get into the training. Sometimes I would pause at the bottom and stretch for a few secs.

When you do this training you will get so into the movements and after many workouts it will be possible to rotate all 3 machines w/o a break for many rounds, this will need to be worked up to though.

As for counting the tempo, training journal-forget it because you have no time to think just train. You dont want time between sets to think or talk. I never talked to anyone except my training partner or really did anything expept walk quickly to the equipment.
This can also be used as a rest pa

 

[BronzedGoddess]

BronzedGoddess ... whip ... hmmmm ... sounds like a good workout.

Probably won't do much for the calves though.

So are you volunteering? I'm taking aplications!

 

[Evloks]

I know this dude that got 21 inch calves and is in high school.

 

[Grizzly]

Freak may be right. I can get them stronger, but not much bigger.

I don't know Blood, I look at Arnold and he's got these average calves, then all of a sudden they're huge. Something's up there. It took him a decade to build his body and then he gets his calves caught up FAST! How did he really do that?

See CytoMel's workout. That's approximately what Arnold said he did to get his calves better. He also trained them daily. He said to train them just like any other bodypart and hit them for 45 minutesish. Very, very intesnsely.

 

[FitnessFrk]

Arnold's calves were small in proportion to his other body parts. what like 18" and he grew them to 21"+. they were never small.

 

[Kid Blast]

Bump