The SECRETS to MONSTER CALVES!

[MrBigandCut]

New programme for Dennis wolf!  

[Metabolic]

So good to know Im in the genetic winning team with calves.

[jaejonna]

You either got them or you dont....

[tbombz]

slow negatives, squeezing at the the top, dont over do it. can hit them every other day just one or two sets.

[GBLurker]

What the pros use

[Abacab]

High intensity intervals on the Gauntlet/Stepmill. Don't hold the hand rails and only use the balls of your feet. Fantastic calf workout.

[andreisdaman]

The only secret to monster calves is BEING BORN WITH MONSTER CALVES. Period. Shitty calves reman shitty over a lifetime.

nice thread but I fear this is true

[basil]

Walking on a treadmill w/ a steep incline for 30 mins 3 or 4 times a week worked wonders for my calves. 

[Cleanest Natural]

"calf machines do not work the whole muscle" ... you outed how much you know right here bro 

For calves I train 3 x week ... 4 sets x 60 reps toe raises using bodyweight

[pellius]

As promised.  I am sorry for the delay I was busy with work yesterday.

Ok you want monster calves.  Here are the secrets to getting them.

1:  HIGH REPS and TWICE PER WEEK

Calves are the ONLY exercise that I recommend doing more than 12 reps.  For any other exercise I would only say 10-12 reps max.  Any more and your not using heavy enough weight and it's just useless.  But for CALVES, high reps is much better.  Moderate weight, but high reps.  You want to SQUEEZE every rep out.  No funny stuff.  Your last rep should have your legs shaking.

Calves are one of the only muscles than can take significant beating.  Walking everyday is putting stress on the calves.  TWO TIMES a week is a MUST.

2: NO MACHINES

Calves are the WORST exercise to do on machines.  Every pro bodybuilder thinks the calf machine is the holy grail for big calves.  WRONG.  Machines for calves are horrible.  There are many variations of calf machines, but all involve sitting down with your knees under pads and your feet on platforms pushing up through toes and lower/raising heel.  MANY people use to heavy weight, don't do full extensions, and CHEAT.  They cheat by activating their quads.  Some machines have handles above the pads to hold with your hands.  9 times out of 10 people will yank on these when the weight gets heavy.  USELESS!!!

Calf machines also do not work the whole calf muscle.  I REPEAT - THEY DO NOT work the whole calf muscle!

3: BEST EXERCISES

The best exercise for monster calves are as follows...

Standing Calf raises - use stairs or a platform.  FULL EXTENSIONS!
Donkey Calf raises - FULL EXTENSIONS!  FEEL THE BURN!

4: CALF PAIN

This is very important for the first real calf work out.  If you are not hitting calves properly YOU WON'T HAVE PAIN.

There is always a little pain after finishing a set.  You want to stretch your legs.  Then it goes away.

AFTER your FIRST REAL calf work out, you will get pain TWO-THREE days after.  This is called DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

You will have MAJOR pain in one or both calves.  You will PROBABLY not be able to walk or you will be limping.  NO you did not pull or tear your calf.  This is GOOD news!!!

The feeling should be like the very first time you did an intense weight session.  Do you remember?  The first time hitting squats.  The next day you had massive pain in your quads and couldn't sit down!  Your first deadlift session, it felt like your back muscles were ripped apart!

Calves are the same the FIRST few times because people DO NOT TRAIN THEM PROPERLY!

The pain should subside in 3-5 days after.  After a few training sessions you won't get DOMS anymore.

5: GENETICS

Genetics are what separate the amateurs from the pros.  Unfortunately calves are the toughest for results if you have trained properly.

Race wise, Asians have the best calf genetics and Blacks have it the worst.

To get monster calves you must follow all my advice above.  If you do NOT see significant change in your calves in 3-4 months, you genetically have poor calves.

Let me tell you I thought I had horrible calves when I started.  I thought I had high insertions and small calves.  After trying applying different routines I found what worked and my calves BLEW up.

Steroids will NOT give you monster calves if you have poor genetics.  I have calves bigger than most pros out there.  I am drug free.

Good luck!  

hope this helps

Can you show us a pic of your calves.

[#1 Klaus fan]

New programme for Dennis wolf!  

Did he have one before this one? 

Serious, I don't think he trains them at all. Like he doesn't train the forearms or neck.

[Dr Dutch]

Agree on the asian calves genetics thing.

Just in my office alone there are a couple of 5'3 asian CHICKS who have bigger calves (with low insertions) that would make many an amateur bodybuilder - and dennis wolf - jealous.

Musclecenter's calves are huge and built on dog meat..

[Ropo]

As promised.  I am sorry for the delay I was busy with work yesterday.

Ok you want monster calves.  Here are the secrets to getting them.

1:  HIGH REPS and TWICE PER WEEK

Calves are the ONLY exercise that I recommend doing more than 12 reps.  For any other exercise I would only say 10-12 reps max.  Any more and your not using heavy enough weight and it's just useless.  But for CALVES, high reps is much better.  Moderate weight, but high reps.  You want to SQUEEZE every rep out.  No funny stuff.  Your last rep should have your legs shaking.

Calves are one of the only muscles than can take significant beating.  Walking everyday is putting stress on the calves.  TWO TIMES a week is a MUST.

2: NO MACHINES

Calves are the WORST exercise to do on machines.  Every pro bodybuilder thinks the calf machine is the holy grail for big calves.  WRONG.  Machines for calves are horrible.  There are many variations of calf machines, but all involve sitting down with your knees under pads and your feet on platforms pushing up through toes and lower/raising heel.  MANY people use to heavy weight, don't do full extensions, and CHEAT.  They cheat by activating their quads.  Some machines have handles above the pads to hold with your hands.  9 times out of 10 people will yank on these when the weight gets heavy.  USELESS!!!

Calf machines also do not work the whole calf muscle.  I REPEAT - THEY DO NOT work the whole calf muscle!

3: BEST EXERCISES

The best exercise for monster calves are as follows...

Standing Calf raises - use stairs or a platform.  FULL EXTENSIONS!
Donkey Calf raises - FULL EXTENSIONS!  FEEL THE BURN!

4: CALF PAIN

This is very important for the first real calf work out.  If you are not hitting calves properly YOU WON'T HAVE PAIN.

There is always a little pain after finishing a set.  You want to stretch your legs.  Then it goes away.

AFTER your FIRST REAL calf work out, you will get pain TWO-THREE days after.  This is called DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

You will have MAJOR pain in one or both calves.  You will PROBABLY not be able to walk or you will be limping.  NO you did not pull or tear your calf.  This is GOOD news!!!

The feeling should be like the very first time you did an intense weight session.  Do you remember?  The first time hitting squats.  The next day you had massive pain in your quads and couldn't sit down!  Your first deadlift session, it felt like your back muscles were ripped apart!

Calves are the same the FIRST few times because people DO NOT TRAIN THEM PROPERLY!

The pain should subside in 3-5 days after.  After a few training sessions you won't get DOMS anymore.

5: GENETICS

Genetics are what separate the amateurs from the pros.  Unfortunately calves are the toughest for results if you have trained properly.

Race wise, Asians have the best calf genetics and Blacks have it the worst.

To get monster calves you must follow all my advice above.  If you do NOT see significant change in your calves in 3-4 months, you genetically have poor calves.

Let me tell you I thought I had horrible calves when I started.  I thought I had high insertions and small calves.  After trying applying different routines I found what worked and my calves BLEW up.

Steroids will NOT give you monster calves if you have poor genetics.  I have calves bigger than most pros out there.  I am drug free.

Good luck!  

hope this helps

Well, show what you got? Pair of noodles hanging from your knees? I bet the knee is the widest part in your legs. What comes the muscle soreness in the calves, it is silly to limp three days after each workout, because you have to use those muscles daily. Be smart and stretch them between every set = no pain = no limping. Very simple.

[funk51]

be born with em or be really fat so they work really hard when you walk[waddle] around.

[purenaturalstrength]

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/training-the-calves.html

[sky02316]

It's all genetics I've seen girls at the gym with better looking calves then me and I know I work them harder. There is only so much you can do when you don't have good low calf insertions.

[dantelis]

Definitely good advice.  I did standing calf raises two days ago after not doing them for years and my calves are killing me today.  I can barely stand up and hobble when I walk around.  Will definitely add them back to my leg routine. 

Related to genetics, is there any way that someone like Dennis Wolf can improve his calves or is he SOL, no matter how hard he trains them.  Arnold supposedly brought his calves up when they were a weak point.  (Though some rumors say with implants.)



Arnold hiding his calves before they became good:

[jaejonna]

I know alot of getbiggers would be underwater completely if they had Arnold's mentality.

[Vince B]

Pellius knows a way to get big calves. Jakesonyou has no clue at all about advanced calf training.

[jakesonyou]

Pellius knows a way to get big calves. Jakesonyou has no clue at all about advanced calf training.

I am sorry but who are you?  I don't like to engage in arguments with people online, but you don't know me.  My calves are about 4x the size of your small chubby forearms.

You want monster calves you train them in the way I laid out.  Genetics are what will separate you from the boys.  Not training them at all is idiotic!

[Vince B]

It is always refreshing to hear the advice of a true expert!

[jakesonyou]

It is always refreshing to hear the advice of a true expert!

What's your problem old man 

I just saw your topic training at 69.  I was about to give some props saying that's great people your age still train and enjoy lifting.  But all you care about is big fat biceps.  You look horrible and you could have a stroke any minute!

You are a clown and you don't even know how to train at all!

I would be much more impressed with a 69 year old person in shape AKA LOW body fat percentage.

Go do you oddball exercises in the corner and leave the rest of the gym to the real bodybuilding men.

[Vince B]

I am supposed to give a shit about what some anonymous dork on the internet thinks about me?

Where is the photo of these huge calves you claim you have? Everyone is an expert here on Getbig.

[outby43]

I have legendary calves but that's where it ends.  All genetics.  My dad has big muscular calves and hasn't moved out of his recliner in 30 years.

[diamondcut]

shit man, i'm asian but i have terrible calves