A question of stubborn calves

[Jean-Paul]

From an email:
Q: I have a problem with my calves, its defenitely the weakest body part for me, by FAR! It is lagging way behind and I need some tips on how to make it grow. I am running out of options and if by next late spring I dont see any improvements, I think I will commit the deadly sin...injecting oil in them!!! HELP. Please refrain from giving me tips if you too are suffering from skinny calves. Thanks.
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A: Donkey calf raises are one of the best exercises for calves. Have any of you ever seen the classic photo of Arnold with two of his bodybuilding buddies on his back with his feet on a calf raise platform? Yeah, it looks silly, but it WORKS. Screw what anyone in your gym thinks... have your training partner sit on your back, your legs straight but not locked out, back straight, and hands balancing you on a bench or something. If they are not heavy enough, have them hold heavy dumbbells until you begin to really feel it.

Even better than Donkeys is HIKING on steep mountain trails if you have them available. I grew up in Colorado and I have never met someone on the trail with small calves. In fact, most hikers have calves like bloated over-ripe cantelopes hanging off their legs. Plus, steep up-hill training will blow out your quads and glutes, and give you some extra cardio which you know you don't do enough of. The key to calves is that they can take so much more of a hammering than you realize. The muscle tissue is slightly different than the rest of your muscles inthat they re-oxygenate VERY quickly, therefore must be punished for a long period of time to really get worked.

Another trick, if don't live in an area with steep, rocky trails close by, is to do 60-100 yard sprint drills on sand, like a sandy beach. It will BLOW THEM OUT! The whole idea about using either hiking or sand sprint drills is that you are submitting them to an extremely UNSTABLE environment, shocking the muscle, and causing your calves to recruit muscles never touched in a closed-chain machine exercises. You may be able to lift a lot, but that is only because your nervous system becomes more efficient. You can definitely get stronger without gaining size. Look at competitive powerlifters. They specifically train to keep their mass down while refining their bodies physics in certain movements. Think "Pocket Hercules" (remember him from the last summer olympics? Pound for pound the strongest man in the world, but tiny!). Don't train like a strength athlete if you want to gain mass!

[DavidCPA]

quote:

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Donkey calf raises are one of the best exercises for calves. Have any of you ever seen the classic photo of Arnold with two of his bodybuilding buddies on his back with his feet on a calf raise platform?

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For those like me without a vivid imagination, this is the postion being described:

Donkey Calf Raise - Arnold doing the riding

[Master Trainer]

On calves- to add to the great advice of our moderator. A couple of years back I also suffered from "chicken-like" calves and had quite a bit of success with these methods.

(1) Vary cadence - Cadence being the speed at which the particular calves exercise is performed. I especially saw great results with 1 second (postive movement- pressing up), 2 second hold (at the top), and 4 seconds (negative movement- lowering down). By increasing the time it takes to perform the set you will consequently increase the volume of work you subject the calves to thus stimulating muscle growth.

(2) Barbell Calve Raises - Try putting a loaded olympic barbell on your back. Put a 35 lb. plate in the floor and place the balls of your feet on the plate about 4 to 5 inches apart from each other. With your knees locked, complete full reps by pressing up onto the plate and returning to the ground making sure you full weight returns to the ground, with your heels touching the floor and resting for one short count. Two things happen here: 1. You force the calves to begin each rep from a stretched position which increases the range of motion (ROM). 2. By returning your full weight to the ground, on your heels, after each rep, the calves will be forced to contract from an elongated, but relaxed position. Similiar to the training effects on the quadraceps in a box squat. This will initiate more fast twitch muscle fibers and give you a different training stimulus for added variation and muscle growth.

[ October 26, 2002: Message edited by: Master Trainer ]

[ October 26, 2002: Message edited by: Master Trainer ]