Getting bigger calves can be among the most elusive fitness goals, depending on your genetics. Overcome your calf deficiencies by modifying your workout based on principles that help maximize calf muscle growth. Stretch your calves after your workouts, because muscle tightness can hinder recovery and muscle growth. Neurophysiologist Chad Waterbury recommends standing on the edge of a step, and pushing your heel down to maximally stretching each calf muscle for 30 seconds.
Do Squats
Do squat exercises for bigger calves. According to electromyography analysis, variations of the squat may produce the most calf muscle activation. Your calves are particularly active during heavy squatting exercises, because they stabilize your knees and help you maintain balance. Strength and conditioning specialist Bret Contreras reports that parallel squats produce more calf muscle activation than exercises that isolate the calf muscle, such as calf raises.
Short Standing Sets
Perform heavy sets of standing calf exercises that exhaust your muscles within just four to six repetitions. The gastrocnemius, which forms the top of your calves, consists of mostly fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast-twich fibers respond primarily to intense bursts of contractile strength, such as short heavy weightlifting sets. Focus on straight-leg calf exercises, because your calves become progressively less active as your knee flexes.
Heavy Simultaneous Raises
Calf raises are the standard isolation exercise for building bigger calves. Variations of the calf raise apply different techniques, which may involve varying repetition ranges and working each calf individually or simultaneously. The ideal calf raise exercise for building bigger calves simultaneously works both of legs with heavy weight, according to EMG data collected by Bret Contreras. Heavy lever calf raises produced more calf muscle activity than single-leg calf raises and explosive raises with lighter resistance.
Fast Lifts
Include fast lifts that target your calf muscles to stimulate muscle growth. Exercises that maximize muscle motor unit activity stimulate the most growth by activating high-threshold motor units, which have the most growth potential. Neurophysiologist Chad Waterbury indicates that fast lifts, which involve short intense contractions, are ideal for maximizing motor unit activity. Fast lifts retrain your nervous system to activate high-threshold motor units. Waterbury recommends exercises, such as single leg hops and performing calf raises as fast as possible.
References
- T Nation: Diamond Calves and Old School Exercises; Christian Thibaudeau; Nov 2007
- T Nation: Cure for Cowardly Calves; Bret Contreras; Oct 2010
- T Nation: HFT 2.0: The Good, The Bad, and How to Build Bigger Calves; Chad Waterbury; Sept 2010
- T Nation; Inside the Muscles: Best Leg, Glute, and Calf Exercises; Bret Contreras; April 2010
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