exercises for calves???

[susan-lynn]

Does anyone have any good exercises that will help define the muscles better in the calves?

It doesn't seem to matter how much I exercise, my calves don't seem to change shape. My upper leg (quads) have a nicely defined shape, but my calves seem so shapeless. In additon to 5-6 cardio sessions/week, I do about 60 calf raises on each leg twice a week to try to get some definition.

Any suggestions - or does genetics play a role?

 

[mogambo]

I have heard that genetics play a role here quite a bit. That's why calf implants are so popular with men. Some people have very large ones with little or no effort, some have skinny bird-legs no matter what they do.

 

[Stacy]

Hi. I'm sure like anything else genetics does play a role. I was wondering what sort of calf raises you do. If you're not already doing so, here are a few variations on the traditional calf raise that have helped me a bit....

....doing calf raises with a piece of wood under your toes like Cathe does in one of her leg videos, holding dumbells on your shoulders while doing calf raises to increase resistance, and placing your feet in various positions ie. doing a set of calf raises the "normal" way, doing another set with your heels together and your toes pointed out, and another set with your toes together and your heels separated/pointed outwards. This allows you to hit the calf muscles from a slightly different angle. I have read in one book a few years ago that these position changes dont do much, but I've personally found that not to be true.

My two cents,

Stacy

 

[Beets]

I assume you are using weights when doing calf raises? If not, you need to add resistance. If you can do 60 calf raises with whatever resistance you are using, then you are training the calf muscle for endurance rather than growth/strength. You need to increase the weight to a poundage that will fatique your calf muscles by the 10-12th rep. Again, if you are not already doing these, add single leg calf raises. Stand on a step or piece of wood, lift one foot off the floor and hold onto something else for balance. Hold a heavy dumbell in the other hand and perform calf raises. Then switch legs. Single leg calf raises are a lot harder than double leg because you have one calf muscle lifting your body weight plus the weight of the dumbell you are holding. Like the others said, there is also a large genetic component to calf muscle size/shape. Good luck!

 

[Marnie]

RUNNING!

There's nothing like running to shape your calves. The one part of me that has always been shapely are my calves because I've been running for a long time. Even before I started weight training, I had sculpted calves.

(Now if I can just get the rest of me to match...

marnie

 

[susan-lynn]

Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[fablousat49]

hi everyone
i do tink that genetics play a big role in this,
my mama had what some people would call bird legs
i thought my mama had very sexy legs, they were shaped really
pretty. my dad had big calf muscles and really small ancles
his calf muscle was high on his calf.
mine are like that and i have really small ancles
i can get my hand around them, everyone is always telling me how pretty my legs are i just tell them thank-you i inherited
them from my mama and my daddy lol.