Big Calves. HELP

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  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    I like how so many of us feel your pain, yet cannot really help! :laugh: I have had huge calves my whole life, even when I was a size 4 weighing 105 lbs! I was always jealous of my sisters who could wear high, leather boots. Not me. So, not much help from me, other than to say, "I feel ya".
  • ashleyncollege
    ashleyncollege Posts: 2 Member
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    Wow, all these people are really negative and give you no hope. Yeah it is alot about genetics, but if you lean out and do calf toning exercises, you can trim them down a bit. Just do calf raises 1st/20rep, 2nd/25, 3rd/30, 4th/as many as possible(minimum more than 25). I have massive, well had, massive calves. I was 5'6" 200 lbs, now im down to 140. I busted my but at the gym. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical with upper body weight lifting/machines after, next day was 30 mins elliptical with lower body/abs weights/machines. I dropped the weight fast (about 4 months) but you also have to watch what you eat, hopefully myfinesspal helps with that. Just do youre high rep calf raises with NO weight except your body weight on your lower body days and they will slim down. Message me if you wanna know my routine.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Wow, all these people are really negative and give you no hope. Yeah it is alot about genetics, but if you lean out and do calf toning exercises, you can trim them down a bit. Just do calf raises 1st/20rep, 2nd/25, 3rd/30, 4th/as many as possible(minimum more than 25). I have massive, well had, massive calves. I was 5'6" 200 lbs, now im down to 140. I busted my but at the gym. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical with upper body weight lifting/machines after, next day was 30 mins elliptical with lower body/abs weights/machines. I dropped the weight fast (about 4 months) but you also have to watch what you eat, hopefully myfinesspal helps with that. Just do youre high rep calf raises with NO weight except your body weight on your lower body days and they will slim down. Message me if you wanna know my routine.

    I thought all the other posts have been lovely and supportive, not negative at all! Exercise will help you to lose fat, but you still can't spot reduce. No amount of cardio or low weight-high rep exercise is going to specifically slim down your calves. You just have to lose the fat all over and hope for the best, while building muscle there to shape them if you want, and hopefully learning to love them!
  • jedwardsau
    jedwardsau Posts: 9 Member
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    I have huge calves, but it is genetic, my Dad had them too, even when I was young, I could never get zip up boots. But you know, I am the envy or some of my cycling mates!

    GG

    I have huge calves (as well as my legs) too - seems to be genetic, I could never get zip up boots at the stores (I always walked out close to tears) I have tried EVERYTHING! calf raises, walking lunges, running, cycling...I just decided I will deal with it.

    I managed to find boots though - Bennetts Boots www.bennettsboots.com/
  • phoenix8633
    phoenix8633 Posts: 137 Member
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    I've always had pretty big calves, now I've been working out and slowly losing weight I'm seeing a big difference in my calves more than anything else as they are more defined and firm, I don't think I'm ever going to have smaller calves so I'll have to work round them with boots etc!
  • nebbz
    nebbz Posts: 18
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    Whether this helps i dont know but my mum has really nice legs (although she struggles to see it her self -.-) she used to be big like me and im currently working my butt off to try and slim down and get healthier for my sake and my horses!

    any way

    she said to stand on the 1st step or a step (enough to elevate you off the ground floor) with your only your toes on the step (heels hanging over) and stand up on your tippy toes, and come down and do 10 sets go watch tv or cook tea, or even if you dont have steps do it whilst making a cupper (i have found my self doing this and yet to measure my calves which were/are 22" around as i have epic rugby calves and a typical horse rider leg (lame)

    still it worked for her maybe it would us!!! lol x
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    I :heart: my muscular calves. They look super sexy in heels!
  • chooriyah
    chooriyah Posts: 469 Member
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    Muscular, shapely legs are sexy! Embrace!
  • susiepet
    susiepet Posts: 68
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    Hi - I too have big calves - and in England you can now buy fitted boots from a firm called DUO who cater for big calves and do lots of styles. Cheap they are not - but I've worn mine for a couple of years and they are going strong!:smile:
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    I have big calves too. Mine got BIGGER when I exercised them in my youth, so I'm not sure that exercises are the way to slim them down. I think if you have big muscles there, then you're stuck with that. But as others have said, it's not such a bad look!

    My calves seem to be reducing more slowly than the rest of the body, and I think that's partly because there's less fat and more muscle there.

    I do the exercise that nebbz suggested above (standing on the edge of the step and going up to tiptoes and back down), but I do it on one foot to give my legs and feet some extra work. It's a good exercise, but I don't think it would decrease the size as it's using that big calf muscle quite a lot.
  • rainghirl
    rainghirl Posts: 203 Member
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    You should be able to lose the fat off them, but not the muscle. I have big calves and they did get smaller when I lost weight, they are still pretty big though and I think you just have to accept that it's the way you're made. There was another discussion about this a while back and someone pointed out that it's down to genetics as well as exercise.
  • daydream_believer
    daydream_believer Posts: 332
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    i have always had big calves (i did ballet for many years when i was younger) and now that i have been working out they are only increasing in size as my muscle mass increases. its annoying to buy skinny jeans because none of them fit around my hips/waist and thighs as they are too big... and too small around my calves. ohh the joy! lol
  • kimmianne89
    kimmianne89 Posts: 428 Member
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    I have chunky muscular calves, I'v given up worrying about it though deep down wish they would shrink! I'm short (5ft4) and feel that they make me appear even smaller. But meh, they aren't flabby so guess I have to put up with it!
  • sunlover89
    sunlover89 Posts: 436 Member
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    I do too, and have the problem that I can't wear cute boots. After -50lbs, they DO get smaller, because of fat loss and my health has increased so I don't get swollen ankles as much or water retention. I now have 2 pairs of boots that just about fit them :-) Persevere and it will pay off!!
  • ctalimenti
    ctalimenti Posts: 865 Member
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    Here's how you shrink them. Worked for me and I wasn't intending for it to.

    Stand with your feet pointing outward. Go up and down on your tippy toes as many times as you can daily.

    Stand with your feet pointing inward. Go up and down on your tippy toes....

    Your calves will be so sore you can hardly walk but it'll improve and your calves will shrink. Let me know how it works. It should take a couple months.
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
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    They will shrink as you lose weight. Do cardio. Also watch your sodium, water is retained in the lower extremities easily, and sodium just works against that. If you have large muscular calves not much you can do about that unless you over train them, which is not recommended.
    Search how to reduce / get rid of fat / large calves
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    i have always had big calves (i did ballet for many years when i was younger) and now that i have been working out they are only increasing in size as my muscle mass increases. its annoying to buy skinny jeans because none of them fit around my hips/waist and thighs as they are too big... and too small around my calves. ohh the joy! lol

    Exactly! It was ballet that made mine big in the first place too, which I suppose is proof that the "tip-toe" type of exercises don't work for reducing the size! You just have to learn to love them, I suppose :).
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
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    i have cankels... my biggest insecurity :(
  • Nutella91
    Nutella91 Posts: 624 Member
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    cankles*
  • cheshire1865
    cheshire1865 Posts: 71
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    I was always able to fit in knee high boots (my weakness in the fashion department), since I've put the weight on, I can't fit a single pair. Am hoping that general weight loss and walking will help. I have also started throwing in a few of my old ballet moves such as calf raises and plies whilst standing around, eg cooking, hanging out the washing, waiting for the bath to run etc lol. The last set work the inner thigh as well (added bonus lol).

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