How to spot reduce bulky calves?

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sixibabey
sixibabey Posts: 80 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, I was wondering if anyone had any good tips on spot reducing bulky calves. My calves are naturally very muscular so I don't want to risk them getting any more bulky than they are so I don't know what spot reducing exercises would work. Like, I know crunches and triceps kickbacks can be used to spot reduce belly fat and upper arm jiggles but I don't know what to do for calves. I really just want to lengthen and tone my legs.

Thanks so much for your help! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
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    Spot reducing really doesn't work.

    The only way to make your calves smaller is to lose fat or lose muscle. For myself, I know, though my calves feel pretty hard, they have a lot of fat in there, so lowering my bodyfat would definitely make them smaller!
  • Lone_Wolf70
    Lone_Wolf70 Posts: 2,820 Member
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    Inverted shakeology
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    Lengthen you legs? That sounds incredibly painful. You can't change genetics. You can't spot reduce. You can learn to love your body for what it looks like. Eating well and exercise will make the most of what you have been given by nature. AFter that, you have to learn to accept yourself.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    There's no such thing as spot reducing - not on the belly, calves, triceps or anywhere else on the body. Nor can you lengthen/shorten muscles. Your genetics have given you a certain shape and you can't change where your muscles are inserted or how long/short they are. Here's a good post from SideSteel which explains it further, including links to some other good reading:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/827838-how-to-blast-that-fat-from-a-specific-area
  • Dymatized
    Dymatized Posts: 48
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    Spot reducing's a myth you're building muscle so it feels like the fat is going away but it's not. I say do body weight calf raises only and do more cardio to burn the fat off.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    You can't spot reduce anywhere and if you lose weight and still have large calves that just may be your genetic make up.
  • sixibabey
    sixibabey Posts: 80 Member
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    Okay.. well what exercise is safe to do then? I'm afraid to exercise because I don't want to get big bulky muscles and look like a man.. lol
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Okay.. well what exercise is safe to do then? I'm afraid to exercise because I don't want to get big bulky muscles and look like a man.. lol

    Any exercise. And then don't take any steroids.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Lose the body fat.
    Exercise
    Be patient.

    Accept your genetic baggage.

    Good luck
  • Kimbrlee715
    Kimbrlee715 Posts: 17 Member
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    To be honest, you won't get big bulky muscles... Your body doesn't produce that kind of testosterone that is needed for that to happen. If it appears to be bulky, it's usually just fat and muscle in that spot I've had these concerns before and my nutritionist showed my before and after pictures of women that have weight trained and the difference is unreal. Work your troublespots, it won't bulk them, but it will actually make them more defined and streamlined.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    You can't spot reduce and women don't get bulky from weight training...unless they are shooting up testosterone.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Okay.. well what exercise is safe to do then? I'm afraid to exercise because I don't want to get big bulky muscles and look like a man.. lol

    Any exercise. And then don't take any steroids.

    ^^

    Any exercise is safe. Literally any damn thing. As long as you stay away from drugs, and don't eat too much (which will make you bulky with FAT and some muscle) then you won't get bulky like a man.

    Also re: calves. Sorry, but its mostly genetics. Trust me. Mine are so big I can't wear some brands of jeans because they get stuck on my calves even when they're not meant to be skinny jeans (curse you levis!) and on the other side I see guys at the gym doing massive amounts of calf raises without getting near the amount of calf I have. I have to look for boots with 15 inch calf openings (some are 14.5) or I can't buy them.

    Its cool though, it makes my thighs look proportional. Ha.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Okay.. well what exercise is safe to do then? I'm afraid to exercise because I don't want to get big bulky muscles and look like a man.. lol

    You can try going to a podiatrist. Don't laugh. I used to have big bulging calves (even when I was slim) before I went to the podiatrist. I went because I had a lot of lower leg and foot pain. The podiatrist said that my gait was messed up because of structural problems in my foot and that it was overworking the musculature in my legs. He prescribed orthotics for my shoes and now that my legs are getting slimmer due to dieting and exercise, I see that my legs are finally going to fit into standard women's boots---yay!
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    lyposuction will spot remove fat
    leg plastercasts for 6-8 weeks will reduce muscle (though it tends to come back really quick)
  • JamesCrush
    JamesCrush Posts: 9 Member
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    A lot of excersize programs when working calves call for higher reps, like 15-25 reps. My favorite calve exercise is the standng calve raises. 3 sets 15-25reps a couple time a week and some patients should tone your calves up nicely. Are you currently working your calves?

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