How to get bigger calves

[Guest Travis.]

I know this sounds like a joke or tmi, but I heard from a mate that doing a chick from behind that is taller than you also works. Is this a myth or true?

 

Edit:grammar

[droo]

He gymmed in SA??

 

I think he was referring to his mate, not Arnie.

 

Also I don't think smoking the local flora counts as working out...

[PrinceVlad]

I know this sounds like a joke or tmi, but I heard from a mate that doing a chick from behind that is taller than you also works. Is this a myth or true?

 

Edit:grammar

 

Myth. I don't have big calves and I have a tall wife

[droo]

I know this sounds like a joke or tmi, but I heard from a mate that doing a chick from behind that is taller than you also works. Is this a myth or true?

 

Edit:grammar

 

That's just motivation to keep going past exhaustion. You could achieve the same in a gym, it's just not nearly as much fun.

[fabes]

I know this sounds like a joke or tmi, but I heard from a mate that doing a chick from behind that is taller than you also works. Is this a myth or true?

 

Edit:grammar

True but if she isn't taller make her wear high heels

[Guest Travis.]

 

 

Myth. I don't have big calves and I have a tall wife

I think she has to be taller than you. In your pic you look way taller.

[Hairy]

I think she has to be taller than you. In your pic you look way taller.

Maybe he thought you meant doing squats?

[fabes]

 

 

Myth. I don't have big calves and I have a tall wife

Same rules as gym applies.... Need to do at least 3 sets 3 times a week

[PrinceVlad]

I think she has to be taller than you. In your pic you look way taller.

 

Sorry, my mistake, when shes on the bike shes taller! I in any event think it comes down to what an earlier poster said....you have to work them until they burn.

[Guest Travis.]

Maybe he thought you meant doing squats?

A bossie

[Hairy]

I walk with a strut (unfortunately) and have fair calves ... so OP, walk John Travolta in Grease and you should be good to go!

[Guest Travis.]

Same rules as gym applies.... Need to do at least 3 sets 3 times a week

Haha, I have to say that makes perfect sense.

[Hairy]

A bossie

No, this is not a spruit thread ....

[Grebel]

Is it easier to build your thighs? Just try and squat as much as you can?

[clyde79]

I remember once hearing that wearing high heels will strengthen calves. I am sure this isn't completely true or would have the desired effect but it would be funny to see.

[gummibear]

Reasons Your Calf Training Isn’t Working

• Poor flexibility
  
• Fascial restrictions and adhesions
  
• Lack of training variety
  
• Failure to utilize proper tempo
  
• Not enough volume or intensity
  

Poor Flexibility

http://www.functionalfitmag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/0199210896.dorsiflexion.1-300x214.jpgAnkle flexion and extension does not provide a very long movement like a squat or bicep curl. You only have a few inches to work with, and if you’re limited even just slightly, you are losing out on valuable training stimulus. Losing an inch of dorsiflexion at the ankle would be like losing the top 15% of your curling motion. When you can’t train the full range of motion, you can’t recruit all the fibers effectively in that muscle. The end result is plateaus and limited results from your training.

 

Fascial restrictions and adhesions

Soft tissue problems can limit results in three ways. These can decrease your flexibility, resulting in the problems listed above. Soft tissue adhesions can also decrease the strength of the muscle and load you can use in training because the fibers are not able to contract properly. If you can’t use a proper weight, you will not grow very easily. Lastly, restrictions in the soft tissue can actually make it harder for the muscle to grow simply because there is not room. Imagine blowing up a balloon that is inside a bottle. As soon as you have filled the bottle, it becomes impossible to expand the balloon further. Muscle fascia has a tensile strength greater than steel, and can restrict the growth of the muscle belly in this same fashion.

Lack of Training Variety

http://www.functionalfitmag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/big20donkey20calf20raise-234x300.jpgCalf training tends not to be very fun or sexy. Thus not a lot of thought usually goes into it. Most bodybuilders might have 50 exercises they know for biceps and less than 5 they use for their calves. Calf training needs changes in the angles, strength curve, and force curve just like any other muscle. Changing your stance, and angle of your feet are a good way to add variety to your training even if you are limited on equipment. Most gyms will have either a standing or seated calf raise machine but not both unless you are lucky. The leg press and squat machines also serve as equipment you can perform heavy calf training with. The point is, you may have to get creative, but it is still important to change up your calf routines just as much as you would for any other muscle group.

• Vary foot position
  
• Vary knee and hip angle
  
• Vary width of stance
  
• Vary the angle of the foot platform from which you are pressing.
  

Failure to Utilize Proper Tempo

Proper tempo for calf training is extremely important. With such a thick tendon, and elastic component, the calf muscle can handle a significant load with very little muscular work. The calf/soleus complex is a very reflex based muscle group. The muscles utilize the tension built up in the tissue to then contract like a stretched rubber band. These elastic contractions are important to train for sports and maximum strength, but are not very effective for muscle growth because the majority of the work is not done by the muscles fibers contracting. Controlling the eccentric (lowering) portion of each rep will help increase growth response, and pausing at the maximum stretched portion of the exercise will increase the amount of muscle fibers recruited giving you even more growth. Of course you will not be able to move nearly as much weight with a controlled tempo, but the results will be much better. Don’t let your ego stagnate your growth.

Not Enough Volume, Frequency, or Intensity

http://www.functionalfitmag.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/1b7b6_ORIG-asCalf2_1_-209x300.jpgCalves are one of those muscle groups that respond really well to high volume training. You can accomplish this by dedicating a entire training session to calves each week, or incorporating 3 sets of one exercise per day, 4-5 days per week. The latter is the approach Arnold used to get his stubborn calves to grow. He used to train calves between sets of his body part for the day. Both methods work very well, but if you have never trained high volume for calves, you will be finding yourself in a whole new world of hurt. In addition to volume, high intensity (heavy load) such as >90% of your 1RM need to be used at times. The calf (gastrocnemius) muscle is largely a fast twitch muscle that will respond better to heavy low rep sets than high rep sets. It’s also important to maximally contract the calves when using heavy loads. You don’t want to lift the weight slow. If you never train at high intensities for calf training, you will plateau very fast.

An example of a bad calf routine: standing calf raise 3 sets 20 reps, 1010 tempo.

An more effective routine: standing calf raise, narrow stance, toes neutral, 6 sets of 4-6 reps, 22X0 tempo + 3 sets of seated calf raise toes out, 6-8 reps 24X0 tempo.