Calf Routine - That worked best for you?

[TRIX]

Post yours.

[spude]

3-4 times a week
1-2 exercises/3-4 sets at a time
slow full reps, stretch and contract
light weight -> 10-50 reps, all out every set
stretching between sets
occasionally super-/drop sets, not necessary, IMO

[Meso_z]

I do them twice a week with weight. pretty much like the above gber described.

and i might do them one more time during the week only with bodyweight and high reps.

simple training brought up my calves from nothing.

[cephissus]

i found a very simple workout that worked well for me:

I would go on the leg press and do it like this:

1 plate for 50 or so reps, lots of stretching and pumping
2 plates 30-50 reps
3 plates
4 plates
5 plates -- only about 5 reps here, as it was getting hard.
5.5 plates all out to failure
10 seconds rest
5.5 plates all out again, this time putting all the force big toe / inner balls of feet.
10 seconds rest
5.5 plates all out again, this time all the force on outer toes / outer balls of feet.

Could drop it down to 3 plates and rep out or something like that afterward, but not necessary.  Regular reps, no extreme stretching or anything.

I never felt like I had to do seated calves, as my sartorius grew just fine without them, and I could never feel them anyway.

[wes]

Here`s three tips I`ve found that work great:

1.Get a good stretch and a decent contraction on each rep.........don`t let the ego get involved by going too heavy.
No giant stacks of weight and half assed bobbing up and down!!

2.If you do 12-15 sets for pecs or biceps,and only 4 sets for calves...............GOT IT ?

3.After you can no longer get any full reps on each set,do half reps until your calves are screaming....do this on every set.

[webcake]

I've found that doing kinda like extreme stretching has helped mine. Do a set of whatever exercise to failure and then straight away stretch and hold said stretch for like a minute. The stretching hurts more than the exercise but feels good afterwards.

[cephissus]

The stretching would always wreak havoc on my achilles tendon.  With calves more than any other muscle group I would say don't bounce.  Your achilles tendon is very strong and people can easily lift the whole stack on a calf machine just bouncing on their tendon.  Of course this does nothing for the muscle.

[JasonH]

3-4 times a week
1-2 exercises/3-4 sets at a time
slow full reps, stretch and contract
light weight -> 10-50 reps, all out every set
stretching between sets
occasionally super-/drop sets, not necessary, IMO

I've started training calves in a similar way to this and I'm seeing results - before I was all about ridiculously heavy weights for a rep-range of 6-10 reps a set and gained fuck-all from it.

[dr.chimps]

See pellius' calf thread. That's it.

[Hurricane Beef !]

Two to three times per week, a great deal of stretching prior to work out ( 10 min minimun ) 4 sets ( 1 x 15 - 1 x 10 - 1x 7 - 1 x 6 ) VERY HEAVY weights. Slow and controlled.

Grew faster then Keith at an all you can eat cock and ass buffet.

THE BEEF

[funk51]

Post yours.

having good genetics is important esp with calves.

[tommywishbone]

Shoot 3 cc's of Sustanon 250 into each calf every 4th day. Do high reps, high volume, moderate weight.

You can send me a post card when you're famous.

[ManBearPig...]

I lift your mom, that's a calf workout.

[benchmstr]

the same as my forearm routine.....nothing..

bench

[Master Blaster]

the same as my forearm routine.....nothing..

bench

where you been man?  Are you using your "skill set" in a target rich environmont?

[benchmstr]

where you been man?  Are you using your "skill set" in a target rich environmont?

kinda....

bench

[Nirvana]

If you don't have them, you never will so don't even try.

If you do have them, you don't even need to try.

[cephissus]

If you don't have them, you never will so don't even try.

If you do have them, you don't even need to try.

I disagree with this, to an extent.  As long as you have decent insertions, you can make them grow.

I had absolutely nonexistent calves starting out. I could flex them as hard as possible, and not even see a hint of definition -- absolutely no shape change at all.  It took me years to figure out how hit them well, but I finally did and they've been catching up with the rest of my body nicely.

Don't despair when faced with poor calf development.  Unless you have blackman insertions, you CAN make them grow to a respectable size.

[tbombz]

Here`s three tips I`ve found that work great:

1.Get a good stretch and a decent contraction on each rep.........don`t let the ego get involved by going too heavy.
No giant stacks of weight and half assed bobbing up and down!!

2.If you do 12-15 sets for pecs or biceps,and only 4 sets for calves...............GOT IT ?

3.After you can no longer get any full reps on each set,do half reps until your calves are screaming....do this on every set.

fixed

[wes]

fixed

One of the best things you can do to get your calves out of the comfort zone Taylor.........try it for a month or two and tell me you didn`t put on size.

[littlechris]

If you don't have them, you never will so don't even try.

If you do have them, you don't even need to try.

Yeah, calves will grow, but you have to hit them hard of course, but they need LOTS of volume!!  For years my calves wouldnt grow and i trained them heavy, light, high reps ,low reps, and they didnt grow.  So now i train them for about 30 minutes, 4 days a week.

monday: ill do single legged calf raises holding a 45 pound plate. i usually fail at 8 reps. and i rest 1 minute between legs. so once i am done with my left leg, ill immediately do my right leg, then ill wait for about 40 seconds, then do my left leg,etc,etc. i do this for 30 minutes straight, and it comes out to about 12 sets total.

Tuesday: i do seated calf raises. i usually fail at 10 reps. i rest one minute between sets, i do this for 30 minutes straight. Comes out to about 12 sets as well.

wednesday: off

thursday:  same as monday routine

friday: same as tuesday routine

sat: off

sunday:off

monday: do mondays routine

etc,etc. Try to move up in poundage  as much as possible while staying strict form.  never go less than 8 reps and never higher than 10 reps.
My calves are getting very strong and are finally growing. so in this routine, you are spending 2 hours a week training calves.

[local hero]

last 2 weeks ive switched to rigger boots at work as opposed to lace ups, and my calves are popping out the skin, there a bit loose on the foot and you must be straining as you walk...

ive noticed that during contest preps with long bouts of frequent cardio especially the likes of stair climber and high incline treadmill realy brought my calves out, with veins sticking out all the time

as for conventional calf training, the obvious full movement with not too heavy weight, big squeeze at the top etc, doesnt matter what movement you do

[The Showstoppa]

[dr.chimps]

Jimmy like.

[The Showstoppa]

Jimmy like.