halp. got huge calves? GTFIH

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janten
janten Posts: 64
in Fitness and Exercise
So preface...started working out again in February, got pretty fit and lean by end of summer. In the process of getting lean, my calves seem to have shrunk two inches in circumference, mostly due to fat, and no I don't skip leg days brah.

Everything else is fine, on leg days I think I'm pushing pretty hard, squats moved up from 135 to 285, leg press from 270 to 540, calves went up from 115 to 180 on calf raises, and I still seem to have a slight chicken leg. I've tried 5x5, 3x5, 4x12, 4x15 and it just seems to get muscular but never gains any mass like the rest of my body does when I'm in the bulking phase.

What's your calf routine/how did you make your calves grow?

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  • flechero
    flechero Posts: 260 Member
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    I had very large calves when I was a cyclist... diet, running and weights have shrunk them. Of course I cycled for many years and have been in the gym less than 1, so weights may do it but hasn't yet
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Here's what you need to know:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/training-the-calves.html

    Your calf raises seem low. How are you doing them? I can calf raise roughly twice what I can squat.
  • SparklesSheppard
    SparklesSheppard Posts: 1 Member
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    Start Running. I run 7miles twice weekly. (a slow pace, 11min/mile) and in just over a month my calves are enormous! No pain. Not water retention. Super muscular.
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
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    All I do for mine is running and jump rope once in a while and they still are the best muscles of my body. While I cant seem to get my chest grow whatever I do. Idk man, some people just have crappy genetics for some muscles. Generally if you keep adding weight and progress they should get bigger and stronger, even if slowly. Maybe try to experiment with different type of exercises, like you did with reps, from different angles, etc. Calf rises are just one general exercise, just like flat bench press for chest, but try other stuff as well. There really isn't a magic calve building routine or anything, different things works for different people. If you have tried everything and it still doesn't works well then I don't think that you can do much about it, it might be just your genetics.
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    Running, cycling and swimming - I do at least one of these 5 times a week.

    My calves are bigger now than when I first started, so it seems I will never be dainty, even when I lose the weight.

    My husband does long distance running in our hilly area and a bit of fell running; he's skinnny, but calves are huge for his build.

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