My Calves Experiment

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I am tired of my calves being mediocre in relation to the rest of my body so I have decided to try something a little different. I live on a college campus so obviously I am walking around all the time, most of the time up and down stairs.

What I have been doing for the past 2 days is when I am walking up the stairs, do a full calve raise each step I take. Every time I step down, I am landing on the tip of my toes so my full weight is centered on my gastroc.

I am going to try and do my best to remain conscious of this plan as I walk around and do it for a month. Hoping to get some results from this.

What do you guys think about this idea? Does it have any merit?

2

I’ve tried something similar, but it didn’t do much for me. Doesn’t mean it won’t work for you though. I know this girl that always walks on her toes and she has amazing calves.

There are other factors, obviously, but I think if you don’t have great genetics for calves, you should just try everything. You never know what might work for you.

3

I’ve found that my trouble with squat depth is due to my poor ankle flexibility, which as far as I know is due to tight gastroc/soleus muscles. I’m no expert but couldn’t this possibly cause your calves to become tight or shortened and reduce ankle flexibility?

4

[quote]JLu wrote:
I’ve found that my trouble with squat depth is due to my poor ankle flexibility, which as far as I know is due to tight gastroc/soleus muscles. I’m no expert but couldn’t this possibly cause your calves to become tight or shortened and reduce ankle flexibility?[/quote]

That could be limiting my growth yah. I do some pretty nasty fascia stretches during my calf workouts though. The majority of my issues stem from the fact that the first 3 1/2 of my 4 1/2 training years were spent focusing entirely on workouts to make me better at football.

Calve workouts were not a part of that regimen. I’ve only been training calves seriously for 8 months so obviously they are lagging. I was just considering killing them with volume in hopes of some extra growth.

5

I remember some older dude at the gym when I was first starting training telling me that if I walked around on my toes all day, everyday, my calves would grow… and yes, I found myself trying it when no one else was around -lol.

S

6

try running around in sand (:

7

apparently vibram five finger shows give your calves quite the workout. don’t know for myself yet…(out of stock)

EDIT:
I just realized one of my housemates has pretty good calves (doesn’t lift at all) and he has a habit of walking on his tippy toes all the time.

8

It doesn’t hurt to try new stuff.

I started doing calf hops with 15lb. dumbells in each hand, I just jump for a minute (straight-legged, only calves doing the work), rest for a minute, then jump a minute more.

My calves responded with some growth to this.

9

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I am tired of my calves being mediocre in relation to the rest of my body so I have decided to try something a little different. [/quote]

that’s why I just keep my body mediocre. problem solved

10

Hey bro try doing with Dante from DC recommends doing… for your cardio set the treadmill to max incline and walk on the balls of the your feet. Try 2.0-3.0 mph… higher speed for more cardio, lower for a longer TUT for your calves.

I started with 20 minute sessions and have moved up to 1hr sessions (1 hour the balls of your feet is interesting) because I too want to bring my calves up…

11

My friends girlfriend walks on her toes naturally…she has HUGE calves.

12

Why not also train calves dc style?

This guy zraw seemed to have added some mass to his calves doing them that way.

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/pictures_pics_photo_body_rate_image_performance/lets_see_how_i_rate

I’ll contest that doing them this way have already helped me to. Trust me I have the worse calve genetics ever, you know that ultra high insertion point.

Trust me though if you get a good weight where you begin to tremble at rep 7 and push until rep 12.

You just do one set of 12 reps on seated or standing don’t matter. You just explode up, hold and squeeze hard as fuck at the top I count 1 mississipi 2 mississipi, then slowly lower the negative to the bottom position and you hold that stretch for a real good 15-20 seconds. Then repeat.

If you do this right like I said by rep 7 you will want to quit but somehow someway even if you have to bite your tongue and mutter a big mess of profanity just GET IT DONE!!

I have yet to try John Romans routine. I will when dc style stops working. Diamonds in the Rough

Utilize both of these and what you’re thinking of doing and I guarantee you’ll add some size or else you probably have the worse calve genetics in the world.

13

Think of it this way;

A lot / Most fat people have big calves.

Why? Strenuous use of calves in simple activities, and lots of food to fuel growth.

The solution? Do as much as you can with them whenever you can - which it sounds like you’re doing. If you’re really motivated to bring them up, I’d think about a set of ankle weights. Incredibly ghey and lame, but hey, it could work.

14

Throw a set of standing calf raises in between sets of all your other exercises.

Ex:
Curls
Calf raise
Curls
Calf raise… and so forth.

Every other day for a month.

15

all the asians around my area play a lot of basketball, and all have extremely big calves but most are scrawny, so im assuming its from jumping a lot and being on ur toes. Why not trying jump squats and really emphasise pushing from ur toes and also try wat u said. Or do any arnie and do them everyday:)

16

[quote]AngryVader wrote:
I know this girl that always walks on her toes and she has amazing calves.
[/quote]

Yeah, high heels help a lot with this.

17

Not that I have the calves to speak for, but I just got a pair of the Vibram five fingers. Went hiking in them with the intent of making my calves sore, jumping from rock to rock. The next day, the calves were more sore than they’ve ever been.

18

[quote]AndrewGpv03 wrote:
Hey bro try doing with Dante from DC recommends doing… for your cardio set the treadmill to max incline and walk on the balls of the your feet. Try 2.0-3.0 mph… higher speed for more cardio, lower for a longer TUT for your calves.

I started with 20 minute sessions and have moved up to 1hr sessions (1 hour the balls of your feet is interesting) because I too want to bring my calves up…[/quote]

Oh my, 1 hour sessions… If I lean well forward and focus on pushing with my toes, I’m starting to make pretty ugly grimaces at around 10-15 minutes…

19

why not try doing calves first thing in your routine?? depending what ur split is that is

20

[quote]Carlitosway wrote:
Why not also train calves dc style?

Trust me though if you get a good weight where you begin to tremble at rep 7 and push until rep 12.

You just do one set of 12 reps on seated or standing don’t matter. You just explode up, hold and squeeze hard as fuck at the top I count 1 mississipi 2 mississipi, then slowly lower the negative to the bottom position and you hold that stretch for a real good 15-20 seconds. Then repeat.

If you do this right like I said by rep 7 you will want to quit but somehow someway even if you have to bite your tongue and mutter a big mess of profanity just GET IT DONE!!
[/quote]

X2
I started using this method about a month ago(I hold it a bit longer at the top) and this is not for the meek! Each rep lasts about 30 seconds; 6 min. of teeth grinding, miserable discomfort that leaves knots of pain in my calves. From a neutral starting state I am in a total body sweat by the time the set is done!!