MuscleDog.com - Connecting you to a better body!

I’m a big fan of jump-roping to build up calves. I like doing it between sets to up my workload and make my weight workouts more cardiovascular. It makes for a killer HIIT workout too and feels more active than running.

Donny forgot to mention getting a killer set of heels or pumps to make your calves look great! lol

I like using the stairclimber or running up stadium steps, i really get a good burn that way. I’ll work calves into my routines every once in a while, but they are definitely a part that get forgotten and fall by the wayside sometimes =o/

Does anyone else split their calf work to work the two different parts, the gastrocneimus and soleus? Anyone have any recommendations for exercises for each part if you do?

My calves are really stubborn. I do work them out at least every other workout, but they never seem to get any bigger. I work them just as hard as any other muscle, usually standing calf raises, sometimes seated, but I gave up on getting them bigger a long time ago.

jester, calves are particularly tricky and a lot of people have trouble with them. they are notorious for being stubborn and you have to really pound them to make progress. it’s not common to see people limping around like a t-rex after a calf workout though, so it’s not wonder they don’t see any results. it takes long sets with lots of weight, usually to failure, and then you keep doing that til you can barely walk. you can switch up angles, switch to using one foot, or simply add more weight, but the key is to really destroy them and then come back and do it again in a few days.

nuwanee, i do recommend splitting work to hit both parts. the gastroc muscles work while your legs are straight, while the soleus is recruited while they are bent. i like to load up a squat barbell and work in standing calf raises between sets of squats to really tax the gastrocs, while loading up the seated calf raises works the soleus.

right on Pete!

another reason why people don’t see results with their calves is because their form is horrible. most people doing calf raises will bounce up and down really quickly, busting out reps as hard as they can. they don’t pause at the top or the bottom, they maintain their momentum and kinetic energy and burn through their sets. they would be better off pausing at the top and particularly at the bottom in the stretched position, dissipating the energy and forcing their muscles to lift the load and do more work. it’s important to use a full range and go all the way up and all the way down.

when you thin about it, you use your calves to walk and doing short range bouncy crap is nothing, your calves can do that all day without blinking. you have to really push them to cause growth.