The calves are the glamor muscles of the legs. You can have performed hundreds of hours of agonizing squats and deadlifts for massive quads and hamstrings, but if they're hidden under your shorts and your calves are skinny, you'll still look like you've got chicken legs. The problem with the calves is that each one propels your entire body weight forward with every step, meaning they're dense and tough. In his "New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," Arnold Schwarzenegger describes how "with each different movement you make, the calf muscles bear your weight, raising you up on your toes, lowering you down onto your heels, helping you twist your feet in different directions." So to build your calves, you need to hit them hard, heavy, and strategically.
Standing Calf Raises
This exercise can be done with a dedicated machine, or with a Smith machine and a calf block. Stand under the bar or machine pads with the balls of your feet on the calf block. The key is to start the movement with your heels low--2 to 4 inches below the block--to feel a good stretch in your calves, then to raise up as high on the balls of your feet as you can, and contract very hard at the top for a moment before lowering again. There is argument over the ideal number of reps for the calves. Some people argue for the standard bodybuilding range of 8 to 12. Others say that because the calves are so dense and tough, a higher rep range of up to 20 should be used. Try different ranges and you'll get a feel for what works for you.
Seated Calf Raises
The seated calf raise is a requirement for full calf development. While the movement of the seated calf raise is very similar to the standing calf raise, the seated position actually targets your lower calf muscle, the soleus. Sit on the seat with the pads resting on your thighs. Remember to drop your heel 2 to 4 inches depending on your flexibility, and squeeze hard at the top, holding it for a moment. The rep range is the same as the standing calf raise, between 8 and 20.
Leg Press Calf Raises
The classic old-school calf exercise is the donkey raise. The problem is that the only way to add resistance to that exercise is to ask a couple of friends to sit on your back. Luckily, when you compare the form of the movement, you see that the leg press lets you work your calves in exactly the same way, but loaded with 45 lb plates instead of people. Because of the bend in your waist, you'll feel this exercise go deeper into your calf muscles than any other. Sit on the leg press machine, and instead of placing your feet squarely on the sled as usual, hold the sled with only your toes and the balls of your feet. Don't move at the knees or hips, only at the ankles, giving a slight pause at both the top and bottom of the movement. Do 15 to 20 reps per set.
Remember that you can perform any of these calf raises--standing, seated, or leg press--with your toes in to hit your inner calves, your toes out to hit your outer calves, or one leg at a time to address muscle imbalances.
Box Jumps
Box jumps are an excellent, almost full-body exercise. They provide real-world, explosive strength that will improve your performance in any sport. They train your central nervous system to contract a lot of muscle quickly. They can also put some serious definition in your calves. Stand in front of a box and jump onto it, then jump back down. In order to increase difficulty, just increase the height of the box you're jumping onto. But don't hold weights, in case you need your hands to catch yourself. Don't perform this exercise to exhaustion, as you'll be likely to trip. Choose a box of a height that will allow you to perform 10 solid reps.
Dumbbell Jump Squat
The dumbbell jump squat lets you build the explosive power of box jumps with added resistance. Squat down as you would for a standard squat, but explode up and end the movement with a jump. This is definitely one of the most fun exercises you'll perform on calf day. You can use a barbell, but dumbbells keep your center of gravity low, reducing your chances of falling.
References
- "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding"; Arnold Schwarzenegger; 1998
- "Encyclopedia Britannica": leg: muscles of human leg; posterior view
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