Large Calves

S

Smokie

New Member
Hi Cathe,

I have really big calves and was wondering if I should skip the calf exercises in your (or anyother) videos?
Admittedly there is a slight layer of fat, but underneath that it feels pretty muscular.
I do NOT want my calves to get any bigger. (Ideally I would like to reduce them in size). Also, should I limit the power/jumping moves?

Any helpful suggestions are much appreciated.


Anna
 
I am not Cathe but calves are extremely hard to build up to extreme muscularity. I personally wouldn't skip anything although perhaps Cathe might have other ideas on this. If you do cardio workouts intensely enough you should be able to eventually trim the layer of fat you mentioned. Although it's important to remember that spot reducing a certain area, like calves, is a myth. You need to reduce your overall bodyfat and the fat on your calves will follow the rest of your body.
Just my thoughts. Cathe please correct me if anything I said is incorrect.
Trevor
 
Hello Anna, someone else who feels my pain!! I have never once had anyone mention big calves, and I know what a problem it can be. I cannot wear tall boots of any kind, and I even needed my ski boots specially fit and they still pinch. I have always linked them to my cheerleader days, and all the bouncing up and down on your toes.

I also agree that they are muscular, and not fat. Probably the leanest part of my body actually. Years ago I worked with a guy who was a body builder and he would grab my legs in wonder. He had no idea how I had these calves that he would slave for hours trying to get. Sorry to ramble, but this just seems so unique to me! Do you have similar experiences?

Anyway, having said all that, I will say that one of my favorite parts of PLB is the calf raises. My thinking is that I am going to have these legs no matter what. They have never gotten smaller, but I have never noticed them getting bigger with exercise. I would much prefer them to be defined, and if there is even the slightest bit of fat in that area, I want it gone. I don't want little stove pipes poking out from skirts or capri pants, I want muscle.....no matter how big they are :) I would not be afraid to do any of the exercises, personally. I know of no way to make them smaller, and mine have never gone that direction. If anyone can suggest something, I am open to it. I will say that being flexible is important. I stretch a lot, and hope that my muscles are as long as they can be.

Bottom line, I think it is the build we are born with, and you can only alter it so much. Love yourself and know that there are bodybuilders out there who would kill for what you have naturally;-)
 
I read something interesting about large calves. I don't know if its true, but it did come from a very good source. Anyway... the larger the calves the less likey it is to be able to build a big upper body (for a guy) or the larger the calves the smaller the breast tissue (for a woman!)...now being a guy i don't know if its true for women, but for me, i have very large calves and my upper body is a nightmare to build up. Check out www.t-mag.com where the information came from...you may have to do a search.
 
Some of us have "talked" about big calves here before. I'm another member of the "big calf" club. At one point, when my thighs were leaner, my calves and thighs were about the same size! Year ago, I even had some "boys" yell from a passing car "Where'd you get those calves" (not in appreciation). I also have to go up a size in nylons and tights because my calves take up a lot of the "length" room (otherwise, nylons that are meant for my height and weight end up sagging below my crotch by about 2 ").

From my experience, I would suggest doing calf exercises with no additional weight. I do them as no-weight, hi rep. When Cathe and crew take a break on PLB (or is it ME?) I just keep on pumping, for a total of 100 lifts with no weight.

Just for giggles: how big ARE everyone's calves? I measured mine (at least the right one) and it is 14.5 inches around at the hugest point (as a reference, I am 5 '6" and wear a size 8 or 10.)
 
Hi! I'm pretty new to his forum, but I belong to this "club". My calves have always been large, but I've seen a significant reduction since I started working out last year (from 16 inches to currently just under 14.25"). I'm so glad this topic came up because after doing PLB for the second time this week (and having some severely sore calves from the 1st workout), I've been wondering if they'll get larger. I still have a lot of fat in that area, so I'm not TOO worried about it, but I'm still glad to see every response so far in this thread.

And, by-the-way, I just found some boots this weekend! I was so excited because this is the first pair of boots I've owned since I was a child. They just barely fit my calves, but I can zip them without working hard at it, LOL!
 
My calves are only 13.75, but I'm 4'11", 125#, and have size 4.5 feet, so I have the same problem trying to find boots that fit. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that I've been jumping around on a dance team for 20 years.

I like the way my calves look just as they are now. I wouldn't want them any bigger or more defined, but I wouldn't want to lose what I have now.

I also do the calve raises with no weights, or I'll sub in calf stretches instead for all or part. I have very tight calf muscles and any extra stretching there helps!

Sueter
 
Woo-Hoo! More big calf women! I measure 15.5 inches, but there is no jiggle, so I can deal with it just fine. I am also only 5'3".

I just thought of something. Didn't women long ago cinch themselves into corsets that had waists smaller than our calves? Yikes!
 
Do Tell!! I have yet to find a pair of boots that I can zip up! Even the ones with elastic goring will stretch out and not make it. I have only been able to wear short boots, and even those can look funny because where my calf starts is right at the top of the boot, so I look stuffed in if I'm not careful. They have to be just the right size.
 
>Do Tell!! I have yet to find a pair of boots that I can zip
>up! Even the ones with elastic goring will stretch out and
>not make it. I have only been able to wear short boots, and
>even those can look funny because where my calf starts is
>right at the top of the boot, so I look stuffed in if I'm not
>careful. They have to be just the right size.

I found them at a discount shoe store called DSW. I spotted them because sitting on the shelf they looked bigger in the calf (not necessarily an attractive look by the way, LOL). I believe they are Naturalizers, but I'll have to go home and check for sure. I still get catalogs from a "larger woman" mail order place, and I saw boots in there for larger calves (fitting up to 17" calves I believe). I'll have to check the exact name.
 
Let's see just for giggles my calves are 15.5 inches for one and 16 in. for the other. So I guess I am part of the big calf club also. I am tall at 5 ft 7 and wear a size 12 clothes and a 9 in shoes. I have the hardest time getting mine to go down they so want to up in measurement. I guess it is from years of wearing high heel shoes and always living in a 2 story house. BTW, my mother used to say that my calves were too muscular and muscular calves weren't attractive on a female(I was a teenager at the time).:D I always liked them and thought my legs were one on my better features:7 .

Interesting topic and fun to read:) :D
 
Just another observation about calf size. It definitely is pretty much determined by genetics. There are body builders who get calf implants because they can't build calves that are proportionate to their other muscles. Have you ever seen Gilad or the guy who hawks fitness equipement sometimes on HSN (NOT Tony Little)? They have developed upper bodies, but proportionately tiny calves, especially the HSN guy. He looks almost like a cartoon!
 
I think I qualify for the big calves club too!! Mine measure just under 15 inches. The only time I am not thrilled about my large calf muscles is when I find cute boots that will not zip up over my calf.

Otherwise, I like having these big calves!! Although I want to lose 10-15 lbs. I am 5'9" and weigh 153 lbs -- I do occasionally receive compliments on my legs. I think it's cuz of the calf muscles -- I believe it is from years of Cardio / wt. training/ and walking miles each week.

I will continue to work these muscles whenever Cathe works them in her workouts.

Linda ;-)
 
This post caused me to go pull out my tape measure to see how big my calves are. I have 15.5" calves, I'm 5'6 and wear a size 8/10 (though I'm trying to lose 15-20 lbs at the moment). I weigh about 164 right now (though I'd never admit that to anyone in person, most people guess my weight at 145)so I know your frustration about buying boots that fit. The ones I do have are so tight around my calves. I read somewhere that you can buy boots from plus size stores that fit larger calves. I do have to disagree with the article that stated that women with larger calves have smaller breast tissue. I've always been pretty big chested. :7
 
Count me in, I just whiped out my tape and mine are 14.5inches.I am 5'4" tall.
I really think genetics as alot to do with the size of everything we have.Chances are we inherited our chest, why can't we inherite our legs? Which I would like to thank my mother for.Not much in the chest area but alot in the legs.
I read one time that fat in the calves were distributed through out the muscle and not just on the outside.So, if you want to slim them down you need to work them.I have been to afraid to try this method.
My legs never use to be this big, even when I worked out years ago.THen I gained 15 pounds and stated working out again and they have been big ever since.Odd:eek:
They don't bother me anymore.There was a point in time when I wished for them to be slimmer, but now I am actually concentrating on something that doesn't look near as nice,.....love handles and a belly pop!:7
Lori
 
Well, here I've gone all my life without realizing I had large calves. 14.25 inches @ 5'10" Funny, I always thought they were kind of skinny. (Of course, I never realized I had a big nose, either, until DH pointed it out--bless his little heart x( ). Well, large or small, I've worked hard for these calves, and I'm proud of 'em. They work just great! :)

Shari
 
Dani I could have wriiten your post!

You have described my legs/calves! no ski boots feel good and forget knee high boots. I am not over weight at all. I wear a size 4-6. Many people comment onthe size my legs calves included. In fact I cannot play a round of golf with out at least on comment!I do Cathe workouts exclusively, but I have to say it is genetics for the most part.

(My dad is the same. At 82 he is still almost as muscular as he was when young. When my daughter saw a picture of him as a "newly-wed" she said he was Buff!)

any way after growing up being called thunder thighs and haveing the calves to match, I find I love this part of my unique make up. It is part of who we are. Love your self for who you are.
 
RE: Dani I could have wriiten your post!

I forgot to say that I skip the calf exercises only when I am crunched for time. I don't they make me any bigger.
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Judy
 
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