If you wanna hate life for 3 days try this

[genepool]

I am about ready to overdose on painkillers after this **** lol

its called 4 minute calves. It was in my old bag of tricks that I broke out again recently and have regretted doing it for the last 48 hrs.. kill me please

pick a weight you can do 10-12 times on your favorite calf exercise. I chose Donkey Calf raises.. cotrolled negatives.. I prefer 3-5 seconds..

do a set til failure.. wait 15 seconds.. next set til failure... 15 sec.. next set til failure.. continue in this fashion for 4 minutes.. 15 seconds is a real short time and you will hate life.. . but man does it hit you hard

[Big Arm Big Pay]

sounds like it!

[TheGunShowMane]

Ive got a better 1 for calves, chose your favourite exercise, do a set where you can do about 10 - 12 reps.
Do a set, then take about a 3 second break.
Do a set, then don't take a break, and do another set.
Take a 4 second break this time, then do another set, continue this routine until you have done 2 hours of calf exercises.

[genepool]

2 hrs???? lol F that

[genepool]

mine is a modified form of this.. this is where I took it from.. thanks

[markyg]

Originally Posted by TrainSmarter

COOKED CALVES--IN UNDER 4 MINUTES

How are your calves? Mine suck. Actually, by normal people's standards, they're pretty good. But by bodybuilding standards...well, let's just say that Dorian Yates wouldn't be intimidated by a toe-to-toe comparison.

So if my calves are only "so so", what makes me qualified to write an article on calve training? Doesn't it make more sense to hear from someone with extraordinary calves? Ironically, anyone with outstanding calve development is the last person to be giving advice on improving the lower leg. They're the ones who have it easy -- the lucky few born with lots of fast twitch fibers in the lower legs. That's because, more than any other muscle group, the size and shape of one's calves is determined by heredity. People with a genetic disposition for shapely muscular calves need only to walk and their calves will look good. Bastards.

For the rest of us mere mortals, it's different. Like most bodybuilders, my calves have always resisted growth--so much so that not too long ago they bore a striking resemblance to a pair of pool cues. It was pitiful! I've had to battle for every centimeter of growth but despite all the effort, nothing seemed to help. I tried everything. Then it hit me. It was so simple. (As most "discoveries" are.)

After years of trial and error, I finally found the secret to adding precious muscle tissue onto those stubborn soleus.

HEEL UP--HEEL DOWN--WHAT ELSE?

Let's face it, the calves are pretty limited in the way they can be trained. Everything is a toe raise of some sort. Add into the mix that they don't provide a satisfying pump, as is the case when working the chest or arms. They just burn. The key to killer calves isn't in the exercises, but in the method in which they're employed.There are two theories to calve training. Because the muscle group consists of mostly slow twitch (red) muscle fibers, the potential for growth is limited. Slow twitch muscles are designed for endurance, leaving the presumption that the calves should be trained with high reps. The opposite school of thought is: because the calves are used to performing thousands of reps each day (walking and running) they need to be "shocked" with low reps and heavy weight. "Light" work won't work since the thick ankle bone and Achilles tendon are capable of withstanding tremendous pressure, therefore it stands to reason that working the calves with a heavy load would be necessary. Both theories are valid. Both theories are flawed.

GET IT OVER WITH!

It's been my experience that calves respond best when worked quickly. That doesn't necessarily mean that the reps should be fast. Instead, the total reps should be condensed into as little time as possible.
That's the key.

It may be hard to believe that any workout session that lasts for only a few minutes can be very effective. Yet, in the case of calve training, it's not only possible--it's preferable.

Here's how it's done:
Pick only one calve exercise. (I prefer the seated calve raise.) Your goal will be to reach 75 reps.Use a weight that you would normally choose for a twenty rep set.

Complete the 20 reps and continue until you can't do another rep.
Rest just long enough for the burning to subside (no longer than 10 seconds) and continue with as many reps as possible, even if it's only 5 reps at a time.Proceed in this fashion until you reach the target goal of 75.

That's it! Total time? Under 4 minutes. Granted, it's a very painful four minutes, but four minutes nonetheless.

WARNING!
You may feel a tinge of guilt that the routine took so little time but you'll have a different point of view the next day when your calves are aching like they've never ached before! Do not be tempted to do more work! Wait and see. If you're still able to walk, you either didn't go heavy enough or you allowed too much time between "sets."

Once you're able to tolerate this routine, increase the number of reps to 100. Once that becomes too easy, (which I wouldn't count on happening in the near future) add more weight.

I found this routine to be, by far, the most effective method for packing some well earned muscle onto the calves. Even the hardest gainer can add size and shape to their lower leg as long as they can tolerate the torture required to "keep going" and complete the work out in as short a duration as possible. But make no mistake about it--when following this program it's going to feel as if someone is pouring acid on your calves! (And who says calve training can't be fun?)

Now you don't have any excuses. Four minutes is nothing! But a great pair of calves is a most envious "finished touch" to the complete physique. If this routine worked for me, (stick leg Nellie) it can work for anyone. Give this four minute workout a try for a month and see for yourself if it doesn't make a dramatic difference in the size and shape of your calves.

Even if your calves aren't your best bodypart, there's no reason they can't look good. All it takes is 4 minutes a week. And a high tolerance for pain.

Article by who? Kyokushin? Please god no!!

[markyg]

Ta!

[Big Arm Big Pay]

Originally Posted by megaboy123456

Ive got a better 1 for calves, chose your favourite exercise, do a set where you can do about 10 - 12 reps.
Do a set, then take about a 3 second break.
Do a set, then don't take a break, and do another set.
Take a 4 second break this time, then do another set, continue this routine until you have done 2 hours of calf exercises.

thats the dumbest **** ive ever heard

[Tyciol]

Odds are if you're able to continue it for 2 hours then it's something you were capable of doing much more than 10-12 reps of.

[shardsofglass]

Haven't tried this variation, but I will tomorrow. My calves barely respond at all to any sort of training unless I separate their workout as I do other muscle groups into about 3 diff. exercises (usually seated and standing raises along with the machine that resembles a hack squat). After the four minutes is up, did you do any more sets? I may answer my own question after tomorrow, let you know if I need a wheelchair as well.

[UtahRocks]

Originally Posted by Big Arm Big Pay

thats the dumbest **** ive ever heard

Funny, he used to be deep in red ("worst scum of the boards") and one day he was in solid green.

[ExtremistPullup]

Originally Posted by markyg

Article by who? Kyokushin? Please god no!!

no it would be a video article and he would make a thread about posting it in a week.

[buffgrk]

sounds good gene, im gonna try it!

[genepool]

been trying the four minute training to all my body this week just to test it... SUUUUUUCCCCKKKSSS.. just did back the other day.. feels like I got shot

[shardsofglass]

Just got back from doing this calf exercise with seated raises, didn't keep track of time just went for 75 reps (which turned out to be about four minutes). My rest between sets was just enough time so that I couldn't feel the burn annymore. I really started feelin it around 45 reps, but finished up with a total of 79.

I've never really felt a pump in my calves that stayed with me for a while as do other muscle groups, but after this killer set I did. I ALMOST didn't make it to the water fountain, in fact I think it took about four minutes just to walk over there.

I'll report back tomorrow.

[AlphaDog3]

wow dood... you are huge. I will try this for sure to get big like yoy.

[Hartenbower34]

I'm going to try it tomorrow. I'll let ya know how I feel.

[rockhuddy]

oh noes, my calves iz burnin

[shardsofglass]

Alright guys I'm reporting back after trying this workout with seated calves. Definitely felt an extreme burn during the workout and when I woke up this morning I knew exactly where I was hurtin. Isn't so bad walking around because I don't normally use that ROM to get from here to there. When I put a little pressure on my toes though...IT HURTS! Great workout Gene, I'm gonna keep this one for a while, reps.

[ironmaidn4life]

Originally Posted by jimjunkie

sounds good gene, im gonna try it!

Yeah, what he said....as long as I have someone to carry me out of the gym after that....(sigh)

[IronAbrams]

Sounds pretty brutal. I've been using Arnold's method of staggered sets for calves, burns good.

[bigredelts]

sounds like a good challenge, does the exercise matter to which calf muscle you want to work? or should you do the same exercise the whole time? i'm 6'5'' with long long legs, so i try to hit all the areas of my calfs to even them out and build them up

[TheGunShowMane]

Originally Posted by Big Arm Big Pay

thats the dumbest **** ive ever heard

^^^^

is the 'dumbest **** ive ever heard'

[jdmalm123]

Originally Posted by genepool

I am about ready to overdose on painkillers after this **** lol

its called 4 minute calves. It was in my old bag of tricks that I broke out again recently and have regretted doing it for the last 48 hrs.. kill me please

pick a weight you can do 10-12 times on your favorite calf exercise. I chose Donkey Calf raises.. cotrolled negatives.. I prefer 3-5 seconds..

do a set til failure.. wait 15 seconds.. next set til failure... 15 sec.. next set til failure.. continue in this fashion for 4 minutes.. 15 seconds is a real short time and you will hate life.. . but man does it hit you hard

I may as well just bring as box cutter to the gym and saw through my achilles tendons. LOL.

Man, I hate calves!
>turns head and weeps<

[genepool]

Originally Posted by bigredelts

sounds like a good challenge, does the exercise matter to which calf muscle you want to work? or should you do the same exercise the whole time? i'm 6'5'' with long long legs, so i try to hit all the areas of my calfs to even them out and build them up

for this particular program, you should do the entire 4 min on one machine.. or if you follow the original, all 75 reps on one machine. I prefer some form on straight leg calf raise, standing, donkey, over a seated calf raise. and trust me you will feel this over your entire calf

[genepool]

Originally Posted by shardsofglass

PAIN Update: I agree with gene I'm definitely gonna feel this one for a while maybe not three days but it will be close. Beginning to see some vascularity in my calves and I never do.

Overall, I recommend this workout to all who have trouble with gains in calves. Thanks again Genepool for posting an awesome exercise, will be using it from now on.

welcome bro. first day I wasnt bad.. second day I may as well have had plastic legs.. they were soooo stiff and painful I almost fell when I got out of bed.. took 3.5 days before I walk normally..

[shardsofglass]

PAIN Update: I agree with gene I'm definitely gonna feel this one for a while maybe not three days but it will be close. Beginning to see some vascularity in my calves and I never do.

Overall, I recommend this workout to all who have trouble with gains in calves. Thanks again Genepool for posting an awesome exercise, will be using it from now on.

[shardsofglass]

Wondering if anyones tried this with other basic movements such as curls and other extension types. Going to try it out on lying leg curls..bye bye hammies

[NUDITY]

Originally Posted by UtahRocks

Funny, he used to be deep in red ("worst scum of the boards") and one day he was in solid green.

and now his dumb ass is banned...

[spot_skater]

Thats a great article that MarkyG quoted from TrainSmarter. I've been doing that for the last two months (a variation of it, but basically the same thing) and have gotten great results.

I do it with the smith machine on a fat plate, and basically rest as long as it takes until the burning feeling goes away, or I load or deload weight, or get a drink of water if I'm using the same weight. The longest break I've taken has been about 40 seconds or so.

My heavy set rep ranges are in the 10-15 area, and my light and medium sets range from 15-25.

If any of you guys really want to blow out your calves I would definitely try it. You might get some funny looks, but in my opinion it does work.