Best calf workout?

[Falcon01]

Everyone post your favorite workout for the calves and what kinds of gains it has given you. That is my smallest muscle in my legs so i need some adive on them. Thanks

[eyeofthetiger]

Everyone post your favorite workout for the calves and what kinds of gains it has given you. That is my smallest muscle in my legs so i need some adive on them. Thanks

whats works for others might not work for you.

2 exercises that are great for calves:

donkey calf raises
standing calf raises

[sqeeze hard]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit10.htm

I haven't trained my calves like that because I still have an ankle injury, but it sounds great and, because a special thread has been made for this, a lot of guys on this forum said it's a good article.

[xenithon]

I like the 75-rep calve protocol

If you haven't heard of it: using something like the seated calf raise, pick a weight which you can JUST manage about 20 reps on. What you do is do those 20 or so reps and rack it. Then wait 10-15 seconds (remain seated obviously) and immediately continue to perform the exercise, getting as many reps out as you can, then rack it. Another 10-15 second break and hit it again etc. up until you get to a total of 75 reps. Rack it, stand up, fall down as your calves fail to function, wait a few minutes and leave

I like training calves twice a week, so once I do the standard 2-3 exercises, various rep ranges, and the other time I do the 75-rep set. It's just one set, takes about 4 minutes, and your calves will be fried!

Also do a search for some of bigpump23's posts - he is quite the calves expert!

[Clive Jones]

larry bird.

[Actionbrett]

how about a horizontal calf raise machine, any good?

[BernieD]

try this workout, I have done it myself. I hate to jinx myself , but I will guarantee results from this if you do it right:


Try this routine once a week. Do these exercises one after the other WITHOUT REST, 1 set each (try using a little lighter weight than usual since this is a circuit workout):

1) Lunge on tip toes, 10-12 reps (Do regular forward lunges with dumbbells, but ONLY let your toes touch the ground, not your entire foot)
2) Standing calf raise, 12-15 reps
3) Standing jumps (crouch down and jump up explosively, landing on your toes, this hits your calves)

Remember, do these 3 without stopping. Then rest for 90 seconds, and repeat these three exercises. Rest for 90 seconds after the 2nd time around, then do:

Standing calf raise, without weights for 2 minutes straight.

Then you're done. Trust me, your calves will be tiiired after this. And you'd only wanna do this workout for 3-4 weeks max, when you think that your calves are lagging behind. Mine grew visibly bigger in just 3 weeks

[ImPumpingIron]

I usually like to add supersets, drop sets, or running the rack (my favorite) to my normal calf workout to set my calves on fire.

[BigBro]

Well, it sounds weird but what has worked best for me is jump-roping. That is my cardio as well, but I don't let my heels touch the ground while I'm doing this. It works well for me. As far as mass I just do weighted calf raises.

[mighty_mike]

I usually load up the leg press with 900lbs and do 5x8 sets. Standing calf raise machine at my gym is limited to 400lbs, a few sets here. Don't have a seated calf machine at this gym, but I like those too. Gains are good, just need to drop the fat layer to get them shredded.

[maxiw]

Single foot calf raises off an elevated board, dumbbells at sides. Then add jumps using single calf only - no momentum from body or arms, and land on ball of foot - no heel.

[harrisjl]

I like the 75-rep calve protocol

If you haven't heard of it: using something like the seated calf raise, pick a weight which you can JUST manage about 20 reps on. What you do is do those 20 or so reps and rack it. Then wait 10-15 seconds (remain seated obviously) and immediately continue to perform the exercise, getting as many reps out as you can, then rack it. Another 10-15 second break and hit it again etc. up until you get to a total of 75 reps. Rack it, stand up, fall down as your calves fail to function, wait a few minutes and leave

I like training calves twice a week, so once I do the standard 2-3 exercises, various rep ranges, and the other time I do the 75-rep set. It's just one set, takes about 4 minutes, and your calves will be fried!

Also do a search for some of bigpump23's posts - he is quite the calves expert!

I do this a lot (standing calf raises on platform) but I do 100 reps... I generally try to rest/pause every 20 to 25 reps and use weight that will allow for that while still taxing the calf muscles really well. I will go heavy and push for 12 to 15 reps/3 sets on 2 other exercises when I am working calves. I typically use the inverted leg press and a donkey machine. For some reason my calves tend to cramp on me if I use the seated leg press. Higher reps seems to work better for me (DOMS seems to hit worse anyways). Calves and forearms are two muscle groups that can be worked more than once a week....

[Clive Jones]

'everytime I do my calf workout, im literally sore for 4-5 days. Speaking of which, I am sore still today and I did the workout on friday.

standing calf raises
set 1: 15 reps
set 2: 12
set 3: 8-12
set 4: to failure, always bump the weight up, also full ROM

seated donkey raises
full ROM, nice and slow, pause at bottom contraction for a couple seconds....
set 1: 12-15
set 2: 10-12
set 3: to failure
set 4: to failure

thats all I do and i can barely walk up and down stairs..etc

and I know soreness doesnt indicate anything but it does when you workout steadily for yrs and yrs and all of a sudden you get sore, it means intensity and a quality workout!

[SugarJunkie]

Ive had some good gains with this workout:

Pick one calf exercise (i prefer the standing calf 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 and continue with as many reps as possible, even if it's only 5 reps.
Continue in this fashion until you reach the target goal of 75.

[BuffMuffin]

Everyone post your favorite workout for the calves and what kinds of gains it has given you. That is my smallest muscle in my legs so i need some adive on them. Thanks

Personally, I like seated calf raises. It's a machine that basiclly is like driving a car. You push the pedals like driving a car. Love it!!! If that's not available then standing calf raises followed by a ten min highest incline on the running machine on a slow setting. Almost like mountain climbing, but it gives your calfs a great pump and set's them solid.