Calf exercise that has been working for me:standing free weight calf raises

[TrapsMcLats]

Saw a guy with big calves at my gym doing these... a year ago he didn't have big calves.

Squat rack, 2 45's side by side on the ground.  Guy had the bar on his back loaded up with some plates, stepped halfway onto the 45's (so that his heels were touching the ground, but his calf was being stretched), and essentially did free weight standing calf raises.  I've been doing these, and I gotta say i feel they much more effective than their machine counterparts, and I've noticed some growth. Just wanted to share.

[Yev33]

That sounds like a good idea, balancing might be tricky, I think I will give these a try next time I work calves.

[John O]

This is the only way I have done them. balancing is tricky. There are times when I have to do a rep over because I had to step off.

[wes]

We don`t have an actual calf machine at my gym(on a college campus) so I do mine on the Smith Machine while standing on a block and at times I do them on the leg press........calves are one of my best bodyparts............not that I have too many good ones!   

[trapz101]

too much balancing to do with free weight...better with leg press because you can focus on the calf only...

[Donny]

I think doing them one legged with a DB is good. I do that then at the end of my sets i do them without weight and do as many as i can.

[NaturalWonder83]

i really like doing bodyweight raises ascending steps style

u go on a staircase
step 1 u do 1 raise
step 2 do 2 raise
step 3 do 3 raises
etc etc

[local hero]

hate to be boring,,, but normal standing calf machine with propper form, big squeezes and slow negatives wins the race for me

if your calf genes are normal it just takes years of plugging away

[TrapsMcLats]

hate to be boring,,, but normal standing calf machine with propper form, big squeezes and slow negatives wins the race for me

if your calf genes are normal it just takes years of plugging away

If it works for you, go with it!  Me personally, it takes free weights to get me to grow.  something about the stabilizer muscles being taken out on machines that kills it for me.  When I do the free weight calf raises, I have to squeeze my groin to really isolate my calves, and this seems to be making all the difference.  On a machine, i don't have to do that, but it doesn't seem to be as effective... who knows?

[tonymctones]

We don`t have an actual calf machine at my gym(on a college campus) so I do mine on the Smith Machine while standing on a block and at times I do them on the leg press........calves are one of my best bodyparts............not that I have too many good ones!   

I actually prefer doing them on a smith while standing on something than a standing machine...

leg press calve ext are good as ish too...

[local hero]

weve just got a weird looking calf machine, looks like a hacksquat but instead of shoulder pads, the sled jams into your arse, you do a toe poke movement on it on a steep angle, brutal pumps, much better than using a leg press