Making Large Calves Smaller... advice

[Fit2walkDownTheAisle]

Hey ya'll.. I have always had larger calves, It started when I was in elementary school and played soccer for 4 yrs, then softball after that for 4 years. Well I have been working out like a fiend and curious if there is a way to get the muscle to be a bit smaller? If that's even possible? There is no fat on my calves and I mean nothing! When flexed, it is seriously rock hard and I can't even pinch the skin cus they are tight. I love them looking muscular but I feel they are a bit "manish". Maybe it's all in my head but I've always had comments on them so I know people notice. My legs are getting so nice and defined now since I started working out but I'm worried my calves will grow and grow, I do strength train them too, should I stop working them and hopefully they will shrink lol? Or workin on building up my quads to make the illusion of smaller calves? need help please! thanks

 

[The Shadow]

Why are you training them directly if you feel they are too big??

Back off the direct weights, stay away form things like inclined tradmill etc and see how they respond.

As you said, form your soccer experience etc - they will not shrink and then be UNDERsized...I speak form experience with my quads....a year after ZERO training - they were still fairly large(27 inches)

 

[*Bunny*]

Can you post pics of them please?

 

[Fit2walkDownTheAisle]

I train them because I dont know any better and I thought by getting them tighter, the muscle would look smaller.. I dont know but THATS WHY IM HERE to ask questions because if everything was easily understood, there would be no need for this forum right? And I played soccer from the ages of 6-10 and really didnt notice the body back then I just know that the sports at a young age may have contributed and/or genetics. AND.... I ask questions because I've read SOOOO much in this forum (hundreds and hundreds of back threads on every freakin topic) that contradicts eachother.. so how is anyone supposed to know what to do anymore... someone says overtrain muscle to make it shrink, someone says no cardio, someone says cardio every minute of the day, someone says dont train at all.. what am I supposed to know lol I just started 10 weeks ago doing this lol.

And yes Ill post pics when I get some taken.

 

[mermaid]

AND.... I ask questions because I've read SOOOO much in this forum (hundreds and hundreds of back threads on every freakin topic) that contradicts eachother.. so how is anyone supposed to know what to do anymore... someone says overtrain muscle to make it shrink, someone says no cardio, someone says cardio every minute of the day, someone says dont train at all.. what am I supposed to know lol I just started 10 weeks ago doing this lol.

I can completely relate to how you feel but please don't ever stop asking questions or else you'll stop learning. The reason why there is so much conflicting info is because everyone is so different that not one tried and tested method works for each person. Yes there are some physiological/biological similarities that relate to everyone but there are so many genetic differences that we can't all train/eat the same way and expect the same results. For me, it has taken nearly a year to just begin to understand my body and what works for it.

When you ask questions, you may get conflicting advice. So try it all out over a period of time and see what works for you. You'll eventually find the right formula for your body. And then there comes a point where you just have to accept how unique you are - and if that means your calves are naturally well developed, try and be happy about it, if you can.

Good luck with your goals

 

[Fit2walkDownTheAisle]

thank you Sorry that my last post sounded a bit PMSish but I am just frustrated sometimes and I dont understand what to do. I thought just eating right and working out is what it takes.. obviously its so intricate and fine tuned down to what percentage of fats lol.. im just getting dizzy is all.

 

[The Shadow]

I train them because I dont know any better and I thought by getting them tighter, the muscle would look smaller.. I dont know but THATS WHY IM HERE to ask questions because if everything was easily understood, there would be no need for this forum right? And I played soccer from the ages of 6-10 and really didnt notice the body back then I just know that the sports at a young age may have contributed and/or genetics. AND.... I ask questions because I've read SOOOO much in this forum (hundreds and hundreds of back threads on every freakin topic) that contradicts eachother.. so how is anyone supposed to know what to do anymore... someone says overtrain muscle to make it shrink, someone says no cardio, someone says cardio every minute of the day, someone says dont train at all.. what am I supposed to know lol I just started 10 weeks ago doing this lol.

And yes Ill post pics when I get some taken.

You just stated that there is a lot of differing opinions out there.This is a very true statement. Asking the question that you asked is going to yield the same kind of results.


So.....you have established that training them is not working, wouldnt the next step involve backing off the direct training??

You mentioned doing a lot of background learning...my advice is to trust your instincts a bit more.

You did a great job in coming to the conclusions that you could:

1 - attempt to overtrain them
2 - not trainthem at all



you did 1 - didnt work.


Go with your natural thought process and try 2

 

[Fit2walkDownTheAisle]

finally took a pic. sorry it was with my camera phone.. but here are my calves.. sorta.. I had no one around to take some decent ones.. so am I just trippin or do they look large to ya'll too?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y300/roxanne81/calfpic.jpg

 

[Gymgurl]

Mine might be bigger...Im the same way...I have taken off an inch with running the past two months....now they are just really defined..

 

[superqt4u2nv]

finally took a pic. sorry it was with my camera phone.. but here are my calves.. sorta.. I had no one around to take some decent ones.. so am I just trippin or do they look large to ya'll too?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y300/roxanne81/calfpic.jpg

Honestly hard to judge if they are to big perpotion wise to the rest of your body with that pic but I will say they are a nice shape and you are for sure packing some muscle there which is a good thing.

 

[Scotsman]

Personally I like girls with bigger muscular calves. Shadow is right as per usual, you tried one method, now try the other. A lot of calf size is purely genetic, so you are probably supposed to have bigger calves and sports usually involve lots of exercises to increase them. Try only doing calf work through running etc. and lay off the weights and direct work.

BTW- you, GG, and QT all have some nice looking legs/calves.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[jenscats5]

I don't think they are large or huge at all......(I was expecting cankles LOL) but that's my opinion - if they are bothering YOU then change them!

 

[florencia]

I don't think they are huge either...you may have a thick ankle and that may make the calves look larger...I don't know it is all a supposition picture does not show all...
Have a good night's rest!

 

[Sassy69]

I didn't think they looked huge either - my genetics come from my dad who literally looks like his calves are as thick as his quads -- I'm startign to see the same thing - I have big calves but I tend to hold water in them as well. I added sprints & short sprint drills to my warm up -- I do 2x across & back in the aerobics room at my gym doing stuff like butt kick sprint, high knee sprint, etc. This stuff has cut my calves up really nicely -- if you have big calves and they just seem to be ignoring your efforts to not encourage more growth, another thing to consider is that you may be holding some size in them in the form of fat or water and that may cut down w/ diet.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

Personally I like girls with bigger muscular calves.

Agreed

 

[Miss24k]

I agree with the another ladies from the pic you posted they don't look "too big" from that pic you look like you have nice calves. How many inches are they?

 

[Fit2walkDownTheAisle]

just measured around the middle (largest part) 15.5"

 

[velvett]

finally took a pic. sorry it was with my camera phone.. but here are my calves.. sorta.. I had no one around to take some decent ones.. so am I just trippin or do they look large to ya'll too?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y300/roxanne81/calfpic.jpg

Girlfriend - your calves are awesome - they're not big they're very sexy.

Try and take a pic while standing - flat foot like you're gonna touch your toes and snap one from the front and if you have a tub stand on the apron and take a back shot using your mirror if possible.


Just as a side note - I've found that a combination of running and rollerblading gives my calves nicer definition.

















that sounds terribly perverted - sorry it wasn't meant that way...

 

[WilliamBailey]

Personally I like girls with bigger muscular calves.

Same here. I don't think they're big...