how to get monster calfs

Marz009

im pretty lean all around but compared to the rest of my body i have very wimpy calf's. what do you guys recommend for me to put some meat on my chicken legs. i do 3 different machines for calf's pretty heavy weight 8-12 reps of 4 sets each once a week. but i was told im working them out too much if i want to grow. is 1 work out of 4 sets good enough or are there any other suggestions out there? i would gladly appreciate it since beach season is right around the corner.

thanks

sshultz

Hey, Marz.

3-4 sets twice a week is a good schedule. However, your calves get a lot of work every day from walking and running. You should be aiming for 3 sets of 15-20 reps. Genetics will also determine the size and shape of your calves. I am fortunate to have the "V" cut but I know several people that have longer calves without the V.

Lift heavy and go for higher reps. Keep at it and you will get them to pop out.

ninerbuff

Genetics are the more determining factor here. There are lots of amateur and pro bodybuilders who have "high" calves and no matter how hard they train them, they don't grow proportionally to the rest of their body.
The main way I've seen people get monster calves (unintentionally) though is having to carry a lot of weight around all day for a few years. The body adapts to that load by increasing in muscle size.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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rileyes

Mine grew by simple calf raises. I do 54 non-stop several times a day every other day (when filling my water bottle).

Also jogging the bleachers at the local highschool on weekends helps my gastroecnemius. I found out how well stairs work after climbing over 200 steps one day and feeling the pain the next.

jemhh

My legs are one of the first places where I lose weight and my calves tend to look skinny. I have been doing a lot of Romanian deadlifts this year though and have seen a big difference in my calves. I either do 3 straight sets of 10-12 or (most often) I pyramid up 12, 10, 8, and then back off and do another 12. I do that twice a week and then regular deadlift 1-2 other days. No calf isolation exercises. I don't have a before picture but, 3 months in, I'm pretty happy so far.

rileyes

To OP,
I was reading an article in Men's Health at my dentists office the other day suggesting calf raises/dips on a step.

For me it is more of the *repetition* that builds my calf muscles. Have you seen the legs of people who live in NYC and San Francisco? Now there are some monster calf muscles!

I lived in Manhattan for one year and my gastroecnemius got huge by walking at that NYC pace everyday.

glevinso

I don't lift anything at all. However I run a lot and I cycle a lot (no really, a lot). My calves don't fit into most jeans that otherwise fit my waist/height. Seriously most pants get tight there (and at my quads).

jemhh

rileyes wrote: »

To OP,
I was reading an article in Men's Health at my dentists office the other day suggesting calf raises/dips on a step.

For me it is more of the *repetition* that builds my calf muscles. Have you seen the legs of people who live in NYC and San Francisco? Now there are some monster calf muscles!

I lived in Manhattan for one year and my gastroecnemius got huge by walking at that NYC pace everyday.

Hills/incline walking definitely make a difference.

Aliciaaah

I got my monster calves from being overweight most of my life.. lol. When your body has to carry that much weight they just grow I guess. I probably have some of the biggest calves of a person my size, but haven't trained them in foreverrrr. They get enough work from lunges and stuff.

dwolfe1985

I agree with Glevinso i used to run frequently in my teens-early 20's and that gave me pretty big calves.

Marz009

rileyes wrote: »

To OP,
I was reading an article in Men's Health at my dentists office the other day suggesting calf raises/dips on a step.

For me it is more of the *repetition* that builds my calf muscles. Have you seen the legs of people who live in NYC and San Francisco? Now there are some monster calf muscles!

I lived in Manhattan for one year and my gastroecnemius got huge by walking at that NYC pace everyday.

yup i agree with that, Ive visited new york and you do a lot of walking compared to Miami where i live. i might have to move if i want those calfs sigh lol

mike_bold

well after jumping rope regularly over 2 years for my cardio, my calves are "not small"

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

Aliciaaah wrote: »

I got my monster calves from being overweight most of my life.. lol. When your body has to carry that much weight they just grow I guess. I probably have some of the biggest calves of a person my size, but haven't trained them in foreverrrr. They get enough work from lunges and stuff.

You have amazing legs. Now I have serious leg envy.

Marz009 wrote: »

rileyes wrote: »

To OP,
I was reading an article in Men's Health at my dentists office the other day suggesting calf raises/dips on a step.

For me it is more of the *repetition* that builds my calf muscles. Have you seen the legs of people who live in NYC and San Francisco? Now there are some monster calf muscles!

I lived in Manhattan for one year and my gastroecnemius got huge by walking at that NYC pace everyday.

yup i agree with that, Ive visited new york and you do a lot of walking compared to Miami where i live. i might have to move if i want those calfs sigh lol

Um, or you could just walk more where you like. smh. Walk the beach every morning ... the fluffy stuff. That'll give you more than walking city streets any day.

Do people really use words like gastroecnemius in every day conversation about simple walking? lol

rileyes

Besides genetics, it seems that most people's *repetitive action* determined growth of calf muscles -- walking, running, cycling, jumping rope... I challenge everyone to record how many raises/dips you can do BEFORE pain/failure. It's not that easy.

rileyes

@sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Sorry. I hear "gastrocnemius" so much it has become just another normal word for calf muscles. I usually just say "gastros". Nobody uses it here?

And, definitely, the beach is great for building legs!

scottacular

Find a monster, kill it and take it's calfs.