How do you train your calves?

[webcake]

Just wondering what you guys do for your calves...

Lately i have been doing a HIT style of training for calves. Warm up good, then do just 2 sets of around 12-15 reps with heavy weight yet pretty good form of standing calf raises. Twice a week.

Im seeing pretty good results with it so far...

[Slin1]

I'm trying to do 5sets of 10-20reps 2 times a week

[Meso_z]

I've tried the mtwain protocol for calves, worked pretty good, great results but i have switched it with gym equipment again now to shock them.

[Montague]

I often switch things up, but my favorite is a superset of low rep seated calf raises for the soleous, followed by standing toe raises – these are done with knees locked out standing about 10 in. from a wall. Facing the wall I bend at the hips and lean into it using my hands as support. I proceed to perform 10 raises “pigeon toed” (toes in), 10 reps duck footed (toes out), and finally go to failure with feet parallel.

Recent literature, at least that I’ve read, indicates that toe direction plays no role in stressing inner vs. outer fibers; that has more to do with rolling on your inner or outer foot during execution.
But I’ve found that pointing the toes in one direction or another helps me transfer the weight to the desired part of my foot.

I’m not trying to “isolate” any part of my calf. I just wanna make sure I hit EVERY FIBER.
 

[slaveboy1980]

Just wondering what you guys do for your calves...

Lately i have been doing a HIT style of training for calves. Warm up good, then do just 2 sets of around 12-15 reps with heavy weight yet pretty good form of standing calf raises. Twice a week.

Im seeing pretty good results with it so far...

whatever you do, im gonna give you the most important 'calf secret' of them all : in the bottom position, never bounce! always stop for 2 seconds or so in the bottom position. most people can 'bounce rep' huge weights, but you should be trying to work the calf muscles not using the achilles tendon's 'bounce energy' to do the work for you.


and as i said before: stop trying to 'shock' the muscle. instead have a simple but structured calf routine, and log the weights your using to make sure they are moving up, utilizing the 2 second pause in the bottom position.

the exact amount of sets and reps etc etc..is secondary to progression. stop looking for some magic calf superset combo, or drop set variation. instead pick ONE calf exercise (the one you like most..preferably not seated calf raises....) 3-5 sets should be enough. as for reps , do 3x5-8 and then 1-2 sets of 12-20 reps (different rep ranges covered).

work the calves twice a week. and dont change calf exerices every workout (or other variables..other than weight used). do this for 6-8 weeks, and try to go up in weight as often as you can.

[JasonH]

I just train calves the same way as I train pretty much every other bodypart - using as heavy as I can go for between 10-15 reps a set, three sets each exercise, and using strict form, squeezing for two seconds at the top and ususally one second at the bottom, never bouncing the weight.

I do standing calf raises, followed by seated calf raises, followed finally by toe presses on the leg press. The face that my calves lag a bit behind my quads is simply to do with the fact that I only train them one every two weeks which I know I shouldn't do but it's a bad habit that I'm trying to get out of.

[Overload]

whatever you do, im gonna give you the most important 'calf secret' of them all : in the bottom position, never bounce! always stop for 2 seconds or so in the bottom position. most people can 'bounce rep' huge weights, but you should be trying to work the calf muscles not using the achilles tendon's 'bounce energy' to do the work for you.


and as i said before: stop trying to 'shock' the muscle. instead have a simple but structured calf routine, and log the weights your using to make sure they are moving up, utilizing the 2 second pause in the bottom position.

the exact amount of sets and reps etc etc..is secondary to progression. stop looking for some magic calf superset combo, or drop set variation. instead pick ONE calf exercise (the one you like most..preferably not seated calf raises....) 3-5 sets should be enough. as for reps , do 3x5-8 and then 1-2 sets of 12-20 reps (different rep ranges covered).

work the calves twice a week. and dont change calf exerices every workout (or other variables..other than weight used). do this for 6-8 weeks, and try to go up in weight as often as you can.

I concur.

[Bluto]

i sprint hills.

[calfzilla]

I do four sets of standing calf raises. 

Set 1:  Medium weight 15 reps

Set 2:  Heavy weight 6-10 reps

Set 3:  Repeat set 1

Set 4:  Light weight 25-30 reps. 

And my name is calfzilla so I must be right.   

[tonymctones]

whatever you do, im gonna give you the most important 'calf secret' of them all : in the bottom position, never bounce! always stop for 2 seconds or so in the bottom position. most people can 'bounce rep' huge weights, but you should be trying to work the calf muscles not using the achilles tendon's 'bounce energy' to do the work for you.


and as i said before: stop trying to 'shock' the muscle. instead have a simple but structured calf routine, and log the weights your using to make sure they are moving up, utilizing the 2 second pause in the bottom position.

the exact amount of sets and reps etc etc..is secondary to progression. stop looking for some magic calf superset combo, or drop set variation. instead pick ONE calf exercise (the one you like most..preferably not seated calf raises....) 3-5 sets should be enough. as for reps , do 3x5-8 and then 1-2 sets of 12-20 reps (different rep ranges covered).

work the calves twice a week. and dont change calf exerices every workout (or other variables..other than weight used). do this for 6-8 weeks, and try to go up in weight as often as you can.

I agree, I do about 5 sets for calves twice a week and ive seen pretty good improvement in my calves. I start up high though at 18 or 20 reps whatever i can get and just work down i dont really have a set number with each set but just go until i cant go anymore but i usually end up at 8 or 10 reps on the 5th set.

And ya the bouncing as well as the partial reps i would say are things to stay away from, get a good stretch and slow the motion down.

[NoCalBbEr]

I've recently changed my calf  exerise to include a reverse calf movement. I alway do a straight leg movement, and seated/bent leg movements and a reverse calf raise. my gym just got a  calf extensions  machine. 3x15 once a week and  one set toes straight, toes in, toes out or maybe even 21's with the three ways of pointing the toes.

[wes]

whatever you do, im gonna give you the most important 'calf secret' of them all : in the bottom position, never bounce! always stop for 2 seconds or so in the bottom position. most people can 'bounce rep' huge weights, but you should be trying to work the calf muscles not using the achilles tendon's 'bounce energy' to do the work for you.


and as i said before: stop trying to 'shock' the muscle. instead have a simple but structured calf routine, and log the weights your using to make sure they are moving up, utilizing the 2 second pause in the bottom position.

the exact amount of sets and reps etc etc..is secondary to progression. stop looking for some magic calf superset combo, or drop set variation. instead pick ONE calf exercise (the one you like most..preferably not seated calf raises....) 3-5 sets should be enough. as for reps , do 3x5-8 and then 1-2 sets of 12-20 reps (different rep ranges covered).

work the calves twice a week. and dont change calf exerices every workout (or other variables..other than weight used). do this for 6-8 weeks, and try to go up in weight as often as you can.

Great advice!!

You see tons of guys in tons of gyms with tons of weight on the calf machine doing half assed bobbing type reps,but their calves suck.

Another tip to add to slaveboys post is after you have completed all the full reps that you can do,do as many half reps first from the top position,then from the bottom that you can stand...........great way to extend the set,and for those into pain,it`s perfect.

[laurion]

http://www.vealfarm.com/edu-resources/downloads/Veal%20Coloring%20Book9-04.pdf

Hope this helps...

[YoungBlood]

Pretty any standing calf raise movement, I do no more than 10 reps. Yes, I'll occasionally waver from that but not often. Any seated movement, I'll do no less than 10. Different parts of the calf are hit with the standing or seated versions.
Very seldom do I use "constant tension" or not going totally up or completely down a la Ronnie Coleman. Always go from the very bottom- even better if you pause- and all the way up; again best if you can pause there too. Full ROM is important.
And NO BOUNCING!!!!! Too many people bounce with calf movements. This minimizes the tension and takes away from the adaptation response the muscle can benefit from.

[thewickedtruth]

two high rep sets of whatever i'm in the mood for. Calves are to me like forearms..so damn dense you've got to beat the hell out of them to get them to respond.

[LatsMcGee]

My favorite method for calves is suicide calve raises.  These can be done on any calve machine.  I'll start with my 5 rep max,  than cut the weight in half and do 12 reps, than drop the pin in half again and do 30 reps.  I do this when I'm looking to add size.  I do 2 cycles, I recommend 3 cycles to anyone who trains calves once a week.

[MisterMagoo]

i don't, and they're as big* as ever.




*big meaning still very small. 

[markdavis]

dont need be wastin no time on workin caves shit i do squat and bench you want some mofo beef dont waste time on these shit i aint no fucking pussyboy workin on the caves like a pussy sumbitchss if you like the jackdaniels you know what im saying

[chainsaw]

i sprint hills.

Post a pic!!!
They must be huge,
and you're probably ripped as
a racehorse!