Can I get rid of large calf muscles??

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babykaileybeth
babykaileybeth Posts: 7
in Fitness and Exercise
What type of exercise (if any) would be helpful to slim down calf muscles?? I have HUGE calf muscles that are hard as a rock. they are so ugly!!! Is there any way to slim them down???

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  • brittany0322
    brittany0322 Posts: 7
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    i am in the same situation as you...i dunno if it will slim them down at all but i can barely walk today by some simple exercise my trainer had me do. stand on a step with your heels off the step in 2 motions go up on your toes and then back down and drop your heels below the step it streches those muscles out.....severe pain but hopefully worth it in the long run!
  • babykaileybeth
    babykaileybeth Posts: 7
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    Thanks! I'll have to try that. It does sound like something that would leave you pretty sore!! lol
  • runner2runner
    runner2runner Posts: 1,937 Member
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    If they're mostly muscle then it will be a bit difficult to reduce their size significantly, especially if you exercise a lot and particularly if they're mostly a result of genetics. But I have also heard that the best way to slim down large calf muscles is to stretch them as often as possible. After every exercise, even if you weren't specifically working the calves, make sure to stretch them. You should also try doing yoga which involves a lot of stretching. That should also help in some way.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
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    If its just muscle best you can do is embrace them, or sit in a wheelchair for a year, that will probably slim them down.
    Most likely they are covered by fat which makes them appear bigger but its hard to tell how much of a difference lowering your bodyfat percentage will help.
  • runner2runner
    runner2runner Posts: 1,937 Member
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    If its just muscle best you can do is embrace them, or sit in a wheelchair for a year, that will probably slim them down.
    Most likely they are covered by fat which makes them appear bigger but its hard to tell how much of a difference lowering your bodyfat percentage will help.

    That's a much better answer. Should have thought of that one.
  • nekoface
    nekoface Posts: 149 Member
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    I have them, they're genetic and as far as I can figure nothing will change them. My mother was skinny and had huge calves, I've had them all my life. It's just something we'll have to be chill with.
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
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    I say focus on the big picture... i.e. overall weight loss and fitness training. As your weight loss success progresses, there are going to be things you may, or may not, like about yourself.

    Thing is, and I mean this with all the supportive respect in the world, you are just 8lbs into a pretty good goal. There are going to be a lot of things that change about you as you progress through this.

    My point is, don't get caught up in things like your calves being too big now, waiting until you are closer to your goal and see how things are developing. Some things you might have to accept, others might change on their own, some others you might be able to focus some exercise attention on for change.

    keep up the good work... 1lb at a time.
  • celiason81
    celiason81 Posts: 57 Member
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    I've always had huge calves also, and thought it was all muscle as they've always been pretty rock solid. Finding out as I"m losing weight, my calves are getting smaller also. They are still pretty good size, but don't bother me as much now
  • default
    default Posts: 124 Member
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    I'm just going to say that if you don't do heavy lifting ie: heavy deadlifts (at least 400lbs), calf raises, something that works out your calves, they probably aren't mostly muscle. They are notoriously one of the hardest muscles to enlargen, most professional bodybuilders have difficulty building them.

    a cuttting regime will reduce the size of your calves, it may be that this is just one of the places you put on first.
  • runner2runner
    runner2runner Posts: 1,937 Member
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    I'm hearing more and more that people who carry a lot of weight on their upper bodies tend to develop large muscular calves since they have to support the extra weight of the body. You might find that as you lose weight your calves may slim down just a little as the weight is, to put it bluntly, lifted off their "shoulders". My best advise though is that you should embrace them. The fact that you say they're hard as rock clearly means they must be mostly, if not all muscle, which is actually a good thing when you think about it.

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