Easy Workouts To Get Bigger Calves

Many bodybuilders and weightlifters struggle to build up their calf muscles, because of inconsistency and lack of intensity in their training. Getting bigger calves is never very easy, but making your calves a priority in your training and focusing on proper technique can help your calves become bigger and no longer a weak area in your physique.

Calves

The gastrocnemius and the soleus are the two main muscles that make up the lower leg. Both of these muscles work to extend the foot, but the gastrocnemius primarily consists of fast-twitch muscle fibers and the soleus of slow-twitch muscle fibers. Fast-twitch fibers respond best to heavy weight and lower repetitions, whereas slow-twitch muscles fibers respond better to lighter weight and higher reps. Using a variety of repetition ranges and exercises in your workouts is an easy way to stimulate your calves to grow. Train your calves two to four days a week, alternating between high- and low-repetition training days.

Low-Repetition Calf Workout

Begin your workout with three to five sets of standing calf raises on a machine, followed by calf raises on the leg press machine. Select a weight for each exercise in which muscle fatigue occurs between four to 10 repetitions. Stand with the balls of your feet on the calf block with your heels hanging over the edge, your toes facing forward andyour shoulders under the pads on the machine. Keeping your knees slightly bent, raise your heels as high as possible and pause for a moment before returning to starting position.

Perform leg press calf raises in a similar fashion as the standing calf raises, except position your toes on the bottom edge of the leg press plate. It is essential to complete each movement throughout its entire range of motion to stimulate every portion of the muscle.

High-Repetition Calf Workout

Perform three sets of 20 to 30 repetitions of seated calf raises to target the soleus. Sit at the machine with the balls of your feet on the lower portion of the footplate and your heels extending off the edge. Secure your lower thighs under the lever pad, and lift the lever up by pushing your heels up. Release the safety bar, and slowly lower your heels until your calves are fully stretched. Raise your heels until fully flexed to complete the movement and repeat. Finish your workout with four sets of body weight toe raises for 25 reps focusing on slow and controlled full range repetitions.

Aerobic Calf Workout

Include hill running in your weekly workout routine to help strengthen your calves and improve your aerobic endurance. Hill running recruits two to three times as many muscle fibers as flat running, which helps calves become more powerful, according to the Brian Mac Sports Coach website. Perform eight to 10 sets of short hill sprints with 30 to 60 second recovery intervals, or run uphill for five to 10 minutes followed by three to five minutes of flat running.