Calves too big

Wombat468
Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Having been lifting for a few months, I've gained some good definition in my legs (newbie gains). The problem is that my calves have grown, and I don't really like it! My left calf is 15.5 inches, and my right is 16.5. When I tense them, they feel like solid muscle. The possible culprits are weighted squats, adductors (both types) and leg presses. Are any of these likely to be more responsible than the others? I don't want to drop the squats, but if the leg presses are likely responsible, I'll maybe ditch those. Thanks for any advice!

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Embrace them!!
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Embrace them!!

    I feel a bit manly - I'd like them to be smaller!
  • supersimonesquirrel
    supersimonesquirrel Posts: 74 Member
    I agree! I have big calves - but I like them, it makes you look shapely and strong :-)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,940 Member
    Calves are genetic. Even people without them who train them consistently, have a hard time increasing size significantly. Losing muscle is hard to do. The only real way to have them atrophy, is to not use them at all. And there aren't many people who are willing to stop walking around, climbing stairs, or sit in a wheelchair for a good amount of time to achieve it.
    As mentioned above, you accept them.

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  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I bet they look killer in heels! I would learn to embrace them and even flaunt them. If it's a matter of not being able to wear knee high boots, buy them a half size bigger and the calves fit better.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    edited June 2016
    not much you can do as calves are genetic. years ago, when i was anorexic and underweight, i still had muscular, shapely calves.

    in fact, now at 5' 3" and haven't been doing legs for years, they're still both over 16". luckily i think they look great and when i lose a little body fat, i get compliments on them.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    Really? No one else has found their calves have grown after working out?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited June 2016
    What were your calf measurements before lifting? How much have they increased? Congrats on the progress! Solid muscle is great! Seriously.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    @CiaraCatch - I have. I have always had big calves and they have grown more from working out. I train I did not measure but I have noticed it in my skinny jeans - they are tighter.

    I'm not worried and I do not think it looks manly. I can't wait to wear some heels to show them off.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What were your calf measurements before lifting? How much have they increased? Congrats on the progress! Solid muscle is great! Seriously.

    I have to confess that I haven't measured them before today. But they're solid and bigger in comparison to my thighs! (Which I'm also working out)
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Keep losing fat and they will shrink a bit.
  • chonji4ever
    chonji4ever Posts: 120 Member
    I have big calves and legs too! We're lucky, because tons of lifters wish they could build theirs. Like the leg press machine hog that tied up the press on Friday for over 30 minutes. I paid him back by telling him to leave the weights on it so I could warm up again, then almost maxed out the machine with 45s on my last set. I did my 4 sets of 6 in about 15 minutes and left. His look was priceless. Lol
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Keep losing fat and they will shrink a bit.

    Yeah....they just might shrink a bit. My huge calves have gone down .5" That's over almost an entire year though!!! I'm not nearly as focused on it anymore because I've made huge strides overall. My calves are what they are....
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,280 Member
    Why do women worry so much about growing muscle and looking manly? It ain't going to happen unless your some kind of genetic freak. You may be more muscular than some women for your size, but embrace the fact that you are blessed to actually grow muscle. A lot of women struggle to even get the slightest muscular gains in any part of their body. You probably have genetics that tend to grow muscle in your calves. Probably looks killer in heels and a skirt. I wish I could grow muscle in my calves, I'm jealous. Even as a guy, it's constant work to see even the slightest gains in my calves. I can grow quads all day long but calves always lag behind. I say, love your muscle. Any guy lucky enough to grab hold of your legs shouldn't complain about how hard your muscles are. If he does, he may need to check his own lean muscle composition.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    CiaraCatch wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What were your calf measurements before lifting? How much have they increased? Congrats on the progress! Solid muscle is great! Seriously.

    I have to confess that I haven't measured them before today. But they're solid and bigger in comparison to my thighs! (Which I'm also working out)

    My guess is that they are the same and that your thighs have gotten smaller. I've never heard/read a person complain that their calves were okay but have now grown. It's always they were big/small and are still big/small, how can I get them to shrink/grow?

    Anyway, embrace them. Unless they eventually lead up to male genitalia, I doubt they are manly.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Thick thighs to go with my thick and muscular calves. I have had to embrace large thighs so why not have a pair of nice calves to compliment them.

    I need my calves to be strong, gosh think about what our calves do for us all day long and during exercise (what ever your passion is).. but moreover all that weight we put them through doing all the heavy lifting.. more power to my calves...
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    Yep just embrace 'em. They won't shrink, so it'll save you a lot of mental anguish to just learn to love them and appreciate all the cool *kitten* you can do because of them.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    CiaraCatch wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What were your calf measurements before lifting? How much have they increased? Congrats on the progress! Solid muscle is great! Seriously.

    I have to confess that I haven't measured them before today. But they're solid and bigger in comparison to my thighs! (Which I'm also working out)

    Then you really don't know if they are in fact larger, or just shaped differently. It could be you've lost some fat from your thighs so your calves look larger by comparison. We're not really good judges of our own bodies. Not at all.
  • Wombat468
    Wombat468 Posts: 191 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    CiaraCatch wrote: »
    lorrpb wrote: »
    What were your calf measurements before lifting? How much have they increased? Congrats on the progress! Solid muscle is great! Seriously.

    I have to confess that I haven't measured them before today. But they're solid and bigger in comparison to my thighs! (Which I'm also working out)


    Anyway, embrace them. Unless they eventually lead up to male genitalia, I doubt they are manly.

    Hahaha! No...
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
    Ahhh... strong, muscular calves... the stuff dreams are made of! I love my calves. Wouldn't trade them for all the skinny jeans in the world!

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