Found an old pic with my skinny calves

[pellius]

I was in my early thirties here and have been training for nearly two decades -- including calves. I was pretty self-conscious at how thin my calves were and rarely wore short pants. I'm with my nephew here. The same one I mentioned a week or so ago that I trained legs with and is now a fireman. Times sure flies.

The second pic was taken yesterday at the gym.

[Kwon]

Talk about improvement Pellenor!

[pellius]

Talk about improvement Pellenor!

I went through a nearly two year period when I became absolutely obsessed with my calves. A period I look back on with some consternation. The fact that a lower leg muscle could so dominate my purpose in life. Not only every waking hour but I would even dream about my calves.

It was not a healthy mental state to be in.

[pellius]

what was the secret to such improvement?

I wrote a whole exhaustive report describing every detail over on ironage.
It was in response to MaxRep regarding HIT training. He posted part of it in the training section on this board when I use to post as MTwain.

The main points were progression, find ways to increase the intensity, and allowing for full recovery. Always keeping in mind the principle I first learned from Author Jones: "As long as you keep working within your functional ability, doing things that are already easy; exercise will do little or nothing by way of increasing muscle size, strength, and functional ability."

And I did it all without any weights or machines at all. Just a door jam and a dictionary.

[Humble Narcissist]

Pellius, do you have any pain or discomfort in your calves from the thick veins?  If so, what do you do to combat it?

[pellius]

Pellius, do you have any pain or discomfort in your calves from the thick veins?  If so, what do you do to combat it?

No. Not in the very least. Why would it cause pain? You have veins just as big and as thick in your legs as well. They just are not as close to the surface of the skin as mine are. And it's not just body fat percentage. I have never been as low in bodyfat as a stage ready Jay Cutler but he hardly had any visible veins whatsoevery. Then you got a guy like Frank McGrath.

[Montague]

I wrote a whole exhaustive report describing every detail over on ironage.
It was in response to MaxRep regarding HIT training. He posted part of it in the training section on this board when I use to post as MTwain.

The main points were progression, find ways to increase the intensity, and allowing for full recovery. Always keeping in mind the principle I first learned from Author Jones: "As long as you keep working within your functional ability, doing things that are already easy; exercise will do little or nothing by way of increasing muscle size, strength, and functional ability."

And I did it all without any weights or machines at all. Just a door jam and a dictionary.

I vaguely remember reading parts of that thread around the time I first joined GB. In fact, I think I had it saved on the computer I owned at the time.

You performed everything in your socks or barefoot, right?

[Humble Narcissist]

No. Not in the very least. Why would it cause pain? You have veins just as big and as thick in your legs as well. They just are not as close to the surface of the skin as mine are. And it's not just body fat percentage. I have never been as low in bodyfat as a stage ready Jay Cutler but he hardly had any visible veins whatsoevery. Then you got a guy like Frank McGrath.

I actually had surgery for it years ago that's why I ask.

[DooM_]

I wrote a whole exhaustive report describing every detail over on ironage.
It was in response to MaxRep regarding HIT training. He posted part of it in the training section on this board when I use to post as MTwain.

The main points were progression, find ways to increase the intensity, and allowing for full recovery. Always keeping in mind the principle I first learned from Author Jones: "As long as you keep working within your functional ability, doing things that are already easy; exercise will do little or nothing by way of increasing muscle size, strength, and functional ability."

And I did it all without any weights or machines at all. Just a door jam and a dictionary.

there was also this one guy on ironage who only did body weight calf raises , doing massive amounts of reps and developed freakishly big calves . . . from having very small calves before . . .

[oldtimer1]

there was also this one guy who only did body weight calf raises , doing massive amounts of reps and developed freakishly big calves . . . from having very small calves before . . .

Tnation has a fairly recent article on the single leg body weight calf raise. I have zero calf development despite using calf machines my whole life. Bill Grant laughs at my calves. Tommy Hearns says, "Those are the smallest calves I've ever seen." I started using body weight single leg and finishing with two legs and if nothing else I could see my calves getting stronger. Many times with standing calf raise people don't realize they are unintentionally using a little thrust from unbent knees. Sometimes it's unavoidable in the later reps.

[njflex]

Nice job

[Twaddle]

[Marty Champions]

Everyone with good calves has that rediculous walk u notice? Always calf raising every step is sillyness

[HTexan]

Everyone with good calves has that rediculous walk u notice? Always calf raising every step is sillyness

Only if they started with bad ones.

[BayGBM]

Talk about improvement Pellenor!

This! 

[Brian Poulos]

I was in my early thirties here and have been training for nearly two decades -- including calves. I was pretty self-conscious at how thin my calves were and rarely wore short pants. I'm with my nephew here. The same one I mentioned a week or so ago that I trained legs with and is now a fireman. Times sure flies.

The second pic was taken yesterday at the gym.

Pellius you appear to be part of the MGTOW Movement. Are you a Brother?

[falco]

For Christ sake man, is it possible that you have to always be with a kid in your arms?

[ProudVirgin69]

Everyone with good calves has that rediculous walk u notice? Always calf raising every step is sillyness

i have noticed that

Their heel barely touches the ground with each step, it's like they're walking on the balls of their feet

[Primemuscle]

i have noticed that

Their heel barely touches the ground with each step, it's like they're walking on the balls of their feet

Or just wear these. 

[stuntmovie]

Didn't one of the Weider pubs used to advertise a pair of shoes that would enlarge your  calves if you wore them long enough?
 
OldTimer, WES, Tommy W.??

[pellius]

I vaguely remember reading parts of that thread around the time I first joined GB. In fact, I think I had it saved on the computer I owned at the time.

You performed everything in your socks or barefoot, right?

Yes, barefoot. That made a big difference.

[pellius]

I actually had surgery for it years ago that's why I ask.

Really? That's interesting. It actually caused you pain. I know they do treatments to get rid of varicose veins. Arvilla here had that done. He said the surgery was painful but it was primarily for cosmetic reasons. What was your condition?

[pellius]

Tnation has a fairly recent article on the single leg body weight calf raise. I have zero calf development despite using calf machines my whole life. Bill Grant laughs at my calves. Tommy Hearns says, "Those are the smallest calves I've ever seen." I started using body weight single leg and finishing with two legs and if nothing else I could see my calves getting stronger. Many times with standing calf raise people don't realize they are unintentionally using a little thrust from unbent knees. Sometimes it's unavoidable in the later reps.

Exactly! You'll see tons of guys loading tons of weight on a calf machine. Literally pinning the stack then stacking plates on top of that and do those partial calf/partial leg press movement year after year and still have skinny calves. Then you get a ballet dancer that never touched a weight but does constant full contraction get great calves.

Arthur Jones stated that he specifically never developed a calf machine. He said there was no need for it. If properly done all you have to do is single leg standing calf raises. That's one calf lifting your whole bodyweight. If needed, he said you can hold a dumbbell for added resistance. I never needed added weight. My bodyweight was enough and I would just push up on the door jam for negative resistance.

[pellius]

And, as always the case, we will never see a picture of you. Even though you are younger than I am I will bet anything that you are balding and nursing an ample gut. If anyone posted a picture of you as they did back in the good old days you would never post here again.

It still amazes me how many adults here are still in a stage of arrested development and act like teenagers. Making fun of how other people look.

[Humble Narcissist]

Really? That's interesting. It actually caused you pain. I know they do treatments to get rid of varicose veins. Arvilla here had that done. He said the surgery was painful but it was primarily for cosmetic reasons. What was your condition?

I had the same surgery Arvilla had on both legs about 5 years apart.  The second one was easier as the tech gets better and better every year and they didn't even dope me up for it.  In and out in like 20 minutes. Took the supplement Diosmin for about a year afterwards as it's supposed to help with the rerouted circulation.  I still wear compression "Miracle Socks" bought on Amazon when working out or if I'm going to be on my feet for hours at a time to try to prevent them from ever coming back.