They just won't grow...

BarackMeLikeAHurricane
BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
...My calves! I've added .75" to my upper arms and 1.5" to my thighs but I'm afraid I'm doomed to be in goat mode forever :sad:

I do all the major compounds and I use the seated calf raise at the gym. It only goes up to 305lbs so I usually do 3x25@305lbs with long negative and largest ROM I can make my ankles do. I've been able to build mass just about everywhere except my calves. They have like zero fat on them but they also have like no muscle and it's depressing.

Pic related, it's my wimpy calves

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Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Can you use a bar and do standing calf raises?

    Here's a link to some articles on calfs:
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Calves

    And a link to some exercises:
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/finder/lookup/filter/muscle/id/9/muscle/calves

    I hope this helps!
  • nokanjaijo
    nokanjaijo Posts: 466 Member
    You do not have weak calf muscles. You just have long ones as do I. I think it is much harder to bulk up the long ones than the short ones.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    What's your calf measurement?
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    calfs are one of those muscles where you either have them or dont from a genetic standpoint... i used to think i didnt have them but then i just upped the training frequency and added some plyometrics and they grew.. so basically i doubled the volume (6 sets instead of 3 sets) and the frequency (2x a week calf training and 1 day plyometric training) and i started to see much more change... so just keep hittn them and they will grow. my advice would be to go heavy around 10 reps do the reps extremely slowly so you dont train the achilles tendon in your foot and just worry about the muscle contraction, and always do some sort of standing calf raise.
  • StaticEntropy
    StaticEntropy Posts: 224 Member
    Seated calf raises tend to work the soleus rather than the gastrocnemius. You can outwardly point your toes to de-emphasize the soleus, but the standing calf raise is much better at overall calf development.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Check out this link:

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/training-the-calves.html
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    Calf muscles can also be trained more frequently. Have you tried doing calf presses on the leg press machines. You can usually put more weight on those.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Well, you also are very lean and your bulk is very lean, so your gainz will take time.
  • Loftearmen
    Loftearmen Posts: 380
    Seated calf raises tend to work the soleus rather than the gastrocnemius. You can outwardly point your toes to de-emphasize the soleus, but the standing calf raise is much better at overall calf development.

    This ^. Also, stop training your calves with machines, get a heavy weight on your shoulders (usually more than you would squat), put your toes on the side of a 2x4 and bang out some calf raises that way. Jumping rope one legged is also a good way to spur some growth into stubborn calves.
  • Loftearmen
    Loftearmen Posts: 380
    Well, you also are very lean and your bulk is very lean, so your gainz will take time.

    This doesn't even come close to making sense

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