Work out to tone but not bulk calves?
Jrabbit321
Posts: 91
I have been doing calf exercises For the past several months using weights anywhere from 50-75 pounds & they have gotten huge! What can I do so that they are toned but not so big?
0
Replies
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Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"0 -
Healthy is beautiful, but bulky muscles are a little out of balance. Cut down on the weight you are lifting by 5 -10 pounds until you achieve the look you like.0
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Lower your body fat %.0
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Pardon me, I thought these writings were private until posted. :blushing:0
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Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+0 -
To expand upon what fire_rock said... Muscles get bigger as they get stronger. That's all there is to it.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/goulet5.htm
http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/toning.htm0 -
I'll trade you calves! Mine are toned but I want them BIGGER!!!0
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To expand upon what he said... Muscles get bigger as they get stronger. That's all there is to it.
Not necessarily0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
wut about more weight forced reps?0 -
I'm not seeing any pictures so it is hard to determine what you mean by huge. Anyway, I would suggest maybe focus more on glutes and hamstrings to balance it all out. Most women are quad dominant which is a recipe for injury that can often be avoided.0
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Calf exercising without wights? Things like sprinting on your toes, tennis, etc.0
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Are you asian (judging from your profile picture)? Asians tend to have good genetics for calf development, try laying off the calf workouts and see how your calves look just from compounds.0
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Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+
I'm curious about this statment on muscle growth.
If 6 - 15 is Hypertrophy, are you saying that 1 - 5 is Hyperplasia/Hypergenesis?
Op... It sounds like what you want is a "cutting cycle" for your calves. I'm not sure you can do this for just one muscle group but rather you have to work on ways to shift your entire BMI.0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+
This!
How is your bf%. If it's higher than you'd like, you can't really get an accurate view of how much muscle you have there unless you're fairly lean. Fat makes you look bulkier than muscle does.
Also, if you don't want much muscle size in your calves, I'd just rely on compound exercises as a previous poster mentioned, and see where that gets you. I don't train calves individually but they look just fine.0 -
Generally misconceived by people who are unfamiliar with how muscles are actually built or conditioned.Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
To the OP:
Calves are usually genetic. In most cases the size they are will ALWAYS be the size they are.
If they've increased, like any muscle it's due to water/glycogen retention and will subside. Bulking happens on calorie surplus and not deficit. If you want to keep them "down" then don't train them but once a week and just do a couple of sets of toe raises.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+
I'm curious about this statment on muscle growth.
If 6 - 15 is Hypertrophy, are you saying that 1 - 5 is Hyperplasia/Hypergenesis?
Op... It sounds like what you want is a "cutting cycle" for your calves. I'm not sure you can do this for just one muscle group but rather you have to work on ways to shift your entire BMI.
Hyperplasia doesn't occur much in humans. 1-5 reps would be more focused on the neural adaptations that cause strength gains.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
There's no such thing as building "lean muscle." Muscle is lean mass, by definition.0 -
Just lose weight. Chances are they are just big because larger people need larger calf muscles to move around. As you shrink, they will too, because you will have less fat there and need less muscle to tote yourself around. Mine didn't lose much as I lost weight but now that I've been at the same weight for a while they are shrinking pretty fast.
Also, don't do any calf-specific exercises. Just focus on whole body workouts.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+
I'm curious about this statment on muscle growth.
If 6 - 15 is Hypertrophy, are you saying that 1 - 5 is Hyperplasia/Hypergenesis?
Op... It sounds like what you want is a "cutting cycle" for your calves. I'm not sure you can do this for just one muscle group but rather you have to work on ways to shift your entire BMI.
No, since it's difficult to impossible for humans to increase the number of muscle fibers. Studies are not conclusive that we are able to do that. We can just increase the size of those fibers.0 -
Generally misconceived by people who are unfamiliar with how muscles are actually built or conditioned.Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
To the OP:
Calves are usually genetic. In most cases the size they are will ALWAYS be the size they are.
If they've increased, like any muscle it's due to water/glycogen retention and will subside. Bulking happens on calorie surplus and not deficit. If you want to keep them "down" then don't train them but once a week and just do a couple of sets of toe raises.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Just wanted to say you should read this advice.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.
Some people... yes, even some women... do put on muscle easily. This women is saying that she has. I don't understand why you're going to try to tell her she hasn't or that that is not possible. And no, it doesn't take everyone a long time to gain even a small amount of muscle. It really doesn't. If you eat enough, and you work your muscles, and you are predisposed to put on muscle, you put on muscle. I'm so sick of everyone saying lift lift lift, you need to lift, you won't bulk up. I put on muscle from exercsing without any extra weights. I've been boxing for a year now, and my arms have gotten all huge and my shoulders have these big bulging vissible veins on them (not during or after working out, like permanently). WTF? And that's just from doing pushups and hitting heavy bags. I don't do extra strength training, and I won't because I know I WILL look like a weight lifter in 3 months.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.
Some people... yes, even some women... do put on muscle easily. This women is saying that she has. I don't understand why you're going to try to tell her she hasn't or that that is not possible. And no, it doesn't take everyone a long time to gain even a small amount of muscle. It really doesn't. If you eat enough, and you work your muscles, and you are predisposed to put on muscle, you put on muscle. I'm so sick of everyone saying lift lift lift, you need to lift, you won't bulk up. I put on muscle from exercsing without any extra weights. I've been boxing for a year now, and my arms have gotten all huge and my shoulders have these big bulging vissible veins on them (not during or after working out, like permanently). WTF? And that's just from doing pushups and hitting heavy bags. I don't do extra strength training, and I won't because I know I WILL look like a weight lifter in 3 months.
Key phrase "if you eat enough". People, men or women, will not get "bulky" eating at a deficit.0 -
Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Not true!
Strength reps = 1-5
Hypertrophy reps = 6 - 15 <
Muscle gets bigger
Endurance reps = 15+
I'm curious about this statment on muscle growth.
If 6 - 15 is Hypertrophy, are you saying that 1 - 5 is Hyperplasia/Hypergenesis?
Op... It sounds like what you want is a "cutting cycle" for your calves. I'm not sure you can do this for just one muscle group but rather you have to work on ways to shift your entire BMI.
1-5 is ideal for myofibrillar hypertrophy (increased strength). This is why powerlifters tend to focus more on this rep range while bodybuilders focus more on the 8-12 rep range which is ideal for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (increased muscle mass).0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.
Some people... yes, even some women... do put on muscle easily. This women is saying that she has. I don't understand why you're going to try to tell her she hasn't or that that is not possible. And no, it doesn't take everyone a long time to gain even a small amount of muscle. It really doesn't. If you eat enough, and you work your muscles, and you are predisposed to put on muscle, you put on muscle. I'm so sick of everyone saying lift lift lift, you need to lift, you won't bulk up. I put on muscle from exercsing without any extra weights. I've been boxing for a year now, and my arms have gotten all huge and my shoulders have these big bulging vissible veins on them (not during or after working out, like permanently). WTF? And that's just from doing pushups and hitting heavy bags. I don't do extra strength training, and I won't because I know I WILL look like a weight lifter in 3 months.
Key phrase "if you eat enough". People, men or women, will not get "bulky" eating at a deficit.
I didn't assume she was eating at a deficit. Why train at all eating at a deficit? Seems counterproductive to damage tissue and not supply adequate nutrients for repair. I assumed she was eating at maintenance- i.e. how most people live most of their lives. Personally, I do put on muscle even eating at a deficit, but I get super lean and weak at the same time.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.
Some people... yes, even some women... do put on muscle easily. This women is saying that she has. I don't understand why you're going to try to tell her she hasn't or that that is not possible. And no, it doesn't take everyone a long time to gain even a small amount of muscle. It really doesn't. If you eat enough, and you work your muscles, and you are predisposed to put on muscle, you put on muscle. I'm so sick of everyone saying lift lift lift, you need to lift, you won't bulk up. I put on muscle from exercsing without any extra weights. I've been boxing for a year now, and my arms have gotten all huge and my shoulders have these big bulging vissible veins on them (not during or after working out, like permanently). WTF? And that's just from doing pushups and hitting heavy bags. I don't do extra strength training, and I won't because I know I WILL look like a weight lifter in 3 months.
Key phrase "if you eat enough". People, men or women, will not get "bulky" eating at a deficit.
I didn't assume she was eating at a deficit. Why train at all eating at a deficit? Seems counterproductive to damage tissue and not supply adequate nutrients for repair. I assumed she was eating at maintenance. Personally, I do put on muscle even eating at a deficit, but I get super lean and weak at the same time.
To preserve LBM while trying to decrease body fat. It's not counterproductive at all.0 -
I think most people here kinda understand that, but "toning" is a simple one word to describe the 'building lean muscle that looks healthy yet not 'weight lifter large'..."Generally speaking...
More Weight + Less Reps = Big Muscles
Less Weight + More Reps = Toned Muscles
I guess I would recommend lower weights and more reps.
Wrong
There's no such thing as "toning"
Like we all know that people don"t mean 1# muscles weighs more than 1# fat when they say "muscle weighs more that fat"
No, I think when most people talk about tonight they are talking about fat loss, potentially combined with some hypertrophy.
Muscle is lean by definition so you don't build lean muscle - you build muscle. And anyone who is worried about getting weight lifter large needs to understand how long it takes to gain even a small amount of muscle.
Some people... yes, even some women... do put on muscle easily. This women is saying that she has. I don't understand why you're going to try to tell her she hasn't or that that is not possible. And no, it doesn't take everyone a long time to gain even a small amount of muscle. It really doesn't. If you eat enough, and you work your muscles, and you are predisposed to put on muscle, you put on muscle. I'm so sick of everyone saying lift lift lift, you need to lift, you won't bulk up. I put on muscle from exercsing without any extra weights. I've been boxing for a year now, and my arms have gotten all huge and my shoulders have these big bulging vissible veins on them (not during or after working out, like permanently). WTF? And that's just from doing pushups and hitting heavy bags. I don't do extra strength training, and I won't because I know I WILL look like a weight lifter in 3 months.
Key phrase "if you eat enough". People, men or women, will not get "bulky" eating at a deficit.
I didn't assume she was eating at a deficit. Why train at all eating at a deficit? Seems counterproductive to damage tissue and not supply adequate nutrients for repair. I assumed she was eating at maintenance. Personally, I do put on muscle even eating at a deficit, but I get super lean and weak at the same time.
To preserve LBM while trying to decrease body fat. It's not counterproductive at all.
Yeah, but you aren't going to spend the rest of your life cutting bodyfat. People talking about lifting are talking about doing it as a permanent thing... even after they cut fat. So the problem of bulking is still there for anyone who has a predisposition to put on muscle... unless they lift but carefully restrict calories to the point where it is physically impossible to put on muscle... for the rest of their lives? Why would anyone do that? Why not just NOT lift and do lighter strength training instead.0 -
Some people mistake losing fat for building muscle. If your calves are actually getting bigger, it's because of your diet, i.e. you are eating at a surplus. If you are sure you are not eating at a surplus, then you probably have lost fat, so your muscles are more defined, and, thus, they merely LOOK bigger to you.
I've been lifting heavy for the past two years, and my entire body is smaller. My muscles are more noticeable because I have lost fat, but they have not grown in size. And while I am short and have a small frame, I am not a skinny person. I have a pretty athletic, gymnast-type body, like most women who claim they "build muscle easily." So this is not coming from one of those waif-like girls with sticks for arms and legs. And I am here to tell you, you are not going to look like a bodybuilder in three months just because you pick up some heavy weights a few times a week. If you are adding appreciable amounts of muscle, it is because you are eating too much.0
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