How big are your calves?
- Thread starter Loopy Lou
- Start date
kathryn
Cathlete
When I measured them last year, they were 14 1/2".
Unless there's extra fat over the muscle, IMO, there's not much you can do to reduce the size of calves. I think they are very much determined by heredity (which explains why some body builders get calf implants: they just can't get them to grow proportionate to the rest of them).
I once saw a girl who looked like she had a softball as a calf: very high and round, with hardly anything on the lower half of the calf.
Unless there's extra fat over the muscle, IMO, there's not much you can do to reduce the size of calves. I think they are very much determined by heredity (which explains why some body builders get calf implants: they just can't get them to grow proportionate to the rest of them).
I once saw a girl who looked like she had a softball as a calf: very high and round, with hardly anything on the lower half of the calf.
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Hi
I have large calves too. I'm 5'7" and my calves are also 15".
I don't mind so much. I like to think of them as "shapely"
I have large calves too. I'm 5'7" and my calves are also 15".
I don't mind so much. I like to think of them as "shapely"
I am shorter than you and I am truly afraid to measure mine. They have been huge since I was in grade school.
Here is a fun story about them.....
A couple of years ago I started working to define them. I am a mountain/rock climber and I was just sick of them hanging around taking up space and not helping me. I was getting pretty cut all over. Anyway, I was out instructing a rock climbing class. I was in a valley with a bunch of rock helping students and a guy came over to me and said, "I was just looking at your calves. They are just HUGE." Needless to say, I was shocked. I was wearing somewhat fitted black pants, but they were not tights. Then he asked me "Would you mind rolling up your pants, I would really like to see them." I was again, totally shocked. When I pulled up my pants he told me that he used to be a professional bodybuilder and he said that those were some pretty darned good calves and thanked me for showing them. Turned out to be a really nice guy and quite a rock climber.
I had a boyfriend who used to tease me about them and say that for the size of my calves I should have a 35" vertical jump capacity!
Melissa
Here is a fun story about them.....
A couple of years ago I started working to define them. I am a mountain/rock climber and I was just sick of them hanging around taking up space and not helping me. I was getting pretty cut all over. Anyway, I was out instructing a rock climbing class. I was in a valley with a bunch of rock helping students and a guy came over to me and said, "I was just looking at your calves. They are just HUGE." Needless to say, I was shocked. I was wearing somewhat fitted black pants, but they were not tights. Then he asked me "Would you mind rolling up your pants, I would really like to see them." I was again, totally shocked. When I pulled up my pants he told me that he used to be a professional bodybuilder and he said that those were some pretty darned good calves and thanked me for showing them. Turned out to be a really nice guy and quite a rock climber.
I had a boyfriend who used to tease me about them and say that for the size of my calves I should have a 35" vertical jump capacity!
Melissa
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
Kathryn is referring to me! Check out my softballs! Actually, I think running (strangely enough) has helped lean out my calves. They use to bother me but my DH loves them and I have grown to as well!
It is mostly genetics...BTW. I never work my calves in isolation.
It is mostly genetics...BTW. I never work my calves in isolation.
kathryn
Cathlete
>Kathryn is referring to me! Check out my softballs!
Nope, not even close to what I saw. Your calves actually look somewhat like mine (though I think I have more of a "canckle" going at times!).
The "Softball" calves I saw were almost literally like someone had implanted a huge, round softball in the place of calf muscle. I've never seen calves like that before or since.
Nope, not even close to what I saw. Your calves actually look somewhat like mine (though I think I have more of a "canckle" going at times!).
The "Softball" calves I saw were almost literally like someone had implanted a huge, round softball in the place of calf muscle. I've never seen calves like that before or since.
honeybunch1
Cathlete
Mine are big, too, one is 14" around, and the other is about 1" bigger because of varicose veins. I don't think there's much you can do about it 'cause I've sure tried. Just make sure you don't wear straight leg pants, and get lower cut boots. I don't mind big calves - they're not as bad as fat thighs, which I've finally got under control.
Just Do It!
Just Do It!
I've got really tiny calves (for my size), and I don't think it has much to do with weight. I'm 5'10.5" with a large frame, but my calves are just a hair over 14". When I weighed 130 pounds more than I do now, they were minutely bigger, but I still had skinny calves. When I weighed 60 pounds less than I weigh now, they were minutely smaller. I guess you get what you get. They work fine, so that's all I really care about at this point.
Shari
Shari
jillybean
Cathlete
16". I posted once on the ASK CATHE forum about reducing the size of my calves (should I give up step, calf training, etc?) and Cathe responded with something that changed my way of thinking. She said that she, personally, would never sacrifice the power of the calf muscle in order to achieve a smaller size. My calves may be huge, but the allow me to jump higher, run faster, step for longer, etc. I'm beginning to like them.
gidget1978
Cathlete
This is a good topic b/c it is one of those situations where you want what you can't have.Who wouldn't a slim long leg? The people who have them.And who wouldn't want a muscular thick leg...the people who have them.
I have large claves 15" and i have come to love them b/c I know I can't change them.Some of my friends who have skinny legs, they call themselves chicken legs and have tried everything to make them bigger.
Like jillybean said, just think about what your legs can do for you and what they have done for you.Not there size.
Lori
I have large claves 15" and i have come to love them b/c I know I can't change them.Some of my friends who have skinny legs, they call themselves chicken legs and have tried everything to make them bigger.
Like jillybean said, just think about what your legs can do for you and what they have done for you.Not there size.
Lori
JeanneMarie
Cathlete
I think it's all about proportion! I would think that the longer your leg, the larger the calf could be, as well as a larger thigh would translate into a larger calf. I'm not sure actual measurements mean anything unless you take into account the whole leg!
Having said that, mine seem to be on the smaller side according to my height. I am 5'7" tall, and my body type is long and slender. My calves measure 13 inches around. I've never had any problems with boots being too tight.
Having said that, mine seem to be on the smaller side according to my height. I am 5'7" tall, and my body type is long and slender. My calves measure 13 inches around. I've never had any problems with boots being too tight.