Help with calves

Beckyferg90
Beckyferg90 Posts: 64 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone! I have very large calves and was wondering exercising will they make them more bulky or will they slim down in time? I hate them and want them smaller and toned! Embarrassed having my legs out! So help please :)

Replies

  • danarandallreed
    danarandallreed Posts: 132 Member
    I have the same problem and am anxious to hear responses. I hate my calves and I cannot wear regular boots, even when I am fit and trim.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    1. Calf size is mostly genetic
    2. Unless your exercise is going to include high volume, heavily weighted calls raises is unlikely to increase your calf size.
    3. Your calves probably aren't getting noticed 5% as much as you think people notice them.
  • danarandallreed
    danarandallreed Posts: 132 Member
    Gee thanks Grandma, for my gigantic calves.
  • nena49659
    nena49659 Posts: 260 Member
    Gee thanks Grandma, for my gigantic calves.

    I have the same issue. I, also, have these fatty deposits on the front of my leg right under my knee.
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
    1. Calf size is mostly genetic
    2. Unless your exercise is going to include high volume, heavily weighted calls raises is unlikely to increase your calf size.
    3. Your calves probably aren't getting noticed 5% as much as you think people notice them.

    Ditto! I know 100's of guys that would be VERY jealous if you could bulk up your calf muscles that easily. I see guys working for years in the gym and always have tiny calves!

    If you want them to get smaller, lose weight. Otherwise, don't hate on your big calves! Show those bad boys off!!
  • HealthyWarrior
    HealthyWarrior Posts: 394 Member
    I've been taking a Spin class twice a week since the end of August and I've noticed that my calves and thighs are starting to look different. To me (could just be in my head haha) my calves look more defined and my thighs don't giggle as much.
  • WakkoW
    WakkoW Posts: 567 Member
    My family has big calves. When I was younger I hated my big legs and calves.

    After I found weight lifting and discovered squats, I was thankful for my big legs. Now I love my legs. I get compliments all the time, but I still can't wear boots.

    Oh well. Having nice looking legs is probably better than owning a great pair of boots.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Are you overweight? If so it is likely part or most of your calf size problem is excess fat. When I was overweight I had rather "beefy" calves that I didn't care for but since losing weight they are far and away my favorite body part.
  • mreeves261
    mreeves261 Posts: 728 Member
    I will never understand why women want smaller calfs!!! I have large calfs, I love them!!! They are becoming more defined the more I run but they are definitely NOT getting any larger.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I've been taking a Spin class twice a week since the end of August and I've noticed that my calves and thighs are starting to look different. To me (could just be in my head haha) my calves look more defined and my thighs don't giggle as much.

    That can be attributed to diet and lowered BF% as much, if not more, than the exercise you're doing.
  • snejkaxo
    snejkaxo Posts: 91 Member
    I always had huge hips, big *kitten*, and tiny calves. You know those army style galife pants? That's how I always pictured my lower body to look like before. I started taking Muay Thai classes not so long time ago, and part of the training is to be able to do 15 min of rope jumping. I'm still at maybe 7 min at most, but I noticed that all this rope jumping, squats, and kickboxing, really toned my butt, thighs, and grew my calves bigger. Now my legs look more proportional. I don't even hate my big thighs and butt anymore, because it just looks good, toned, athletic. So maybe this is something you can do, instead of fighting what you have, maybe you can tone/balance other parts, so you too look more proportional. It worked for me. There is nothing I can do about curves that I have, so I decided I should work with what I got, and make it look the best that I can. Good luck!!
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    Losing weight will help decrease the bulk. Plain and simple. And at the risk of being accused of going on a rant, but I have had to have surgery on both of my legs partially due to the muscle bulk in them...so I really struggle with hearing people complain about not fitting in boots as their main complaint... ugh
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    1. Calf size is mostly genetic
    2. Unless your exercise is going to include high volume, heavily weighted calls raises is unlikely to increase your calf size.
    3. Your calves probably aren't getting noticed 5% as much as you think people notice them.

    Ditto! I know 100's of guys that would be VERY jealous if you could bulk up your calf muscles that easily. I see guys working for years in the gym and always have tiny calves!

    If you want them to get smaller, lose weight. Otherwise, don't hate on your big calves! Show those bad boys off!!

    For real, my calf muscle are sexy looking, but small no matter what I do! And I do notice if a women has jacked calf muscles, especially if she is wearing some leather boots that she can't pull up over them so they are all wrinkled and pushed down at the bottom. My wife has the opposite, and her boots fall down on her, because she has tiny calf muscles as well.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Are you overweight? If so it is likely part or most of your calf size problem is excess fat.

    Yep.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
    As you lose weight, you'll lose weight in your calves too. Anecdotal evidence: I've always had some bangin' calves, but I especially did when I was running.

    Just find an activity you like and do it as you lose weight.
  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    I will never understand why women want smaller calfs!!! I have large calfs, I love them!!! They are becoming more defined the more I run but they are definitely NOT getting any larger.
    Same here! I was telling my hubby the other day that I really wish you could just pinpoint where you lose. I don't want to lose ANYTHING from my calves, maybe just firm up my thighs a bit more, and my butt is looking FABULOUS lol Now my tummy is a whole different topic... lol
    Embrace your calves!!
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
    I have ginormous calves. In fact, I don't have calves...I have cows. They are huge whether I am fat or thin (although when thinner, they are more defined looking). I spent many years hating them and then something dawned on me.....There isn't anything I can do about them so I learned to embrace them. Mine are genetic (my husband says my family was made to pull plows). I can also say this....I know lots of people with chicken legs that would kill to get a set of these bad boys (my hubby being one of them). Genetics work on both sides of the coin. Learn to love what your mama gave you basically.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Are you overweight? If so it is likely part or most of your calf size problem is excess fat. When I was overweight I had rather "beefy" calves that I didn't care for but since losing weight they are far and away my favorite body part.

    This My calves are bigger - that's just the way I'm built. But, after losing weight and lifting weights, they are much smaller (yes, I took measurements).
  • JADEPH0EN1X
    JADEPH0EN1X Posts: 162 Member
    I remember a guy saying I had rugby players legs !! Now they are my best feature ! I walk & swim & now they have been called skinny numerous times by numerous people .
  • elisabeisme
    elisabeisme Posts: 308 Member
    There's a researcher from the University of Vienna's Centre of Sport Sciences and University Sports, in Austria who claims that consistently wearing high heels reduces calf muscles by 13% and increases tendon thickness by 22%. It would make sense that the designer footwear industry is designing boots for models with calf muscle atrophy from wearing too many high heels.

    Article here:
    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/15/heels.shrink.muscle/

    So, if you stop working out and start wearing high heels 16 hours a day, you might be able to shrink down your calves. Of course, you'll also probably get Achilles tendonitis, bunions, Morton's neuroma, plantar fasciitis and hammerhead toes. Your feet will be nasty but your calves will look great.

    As for me, I'd rather have nice healthy calf muscles. I figure when the Zombie apocalypse comes, those silly girls with atrophied calves won't be able to run very fast and will get eaten first.:bigsmile:
  • Smeltzer2
    Smeltzer2 Posts: 210 Member
    I just saw this. I have big legs as i have a genetic disorder. I got great boots at Dots. They were inexpensive. They are for wide calves. I am cery happy with them.
  • Smeltzer2
    Smeltzer2 Posts: 210 Member
    I just saw this. I have big legs as i have a genetic disorder. I got great boots at Dots. They were inexpensive. They are for wide calves. I am cery happy with them.
  • SarahJayRigdon
    SarahJayRigdon Posts: 113 Member
    I was doing a program that had two different types of weighted calf raises on every leg day. I was super worried that my 20" calves would only get bigger, but I figured there was only one way to find out and I did them as the program instructed. I'm happy to say I lost an entire inch on my calves! Still too big for most boots, but they are sculpted, solid muscle and look great!
  • LosingItForGood13
    LosingItForGood13 Posts: 182 Member
    Mine were big but they are slimming down the main exercise I am doing is walking on the tredmill interval training walking forward and backwards on the tredmill

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