Are You Training Your Calves Properly ?

Many bodybuilders I see in the gym only do one calf exercise for their calves. Usually, it's either the Standing Calf Raise or the Seated Calf Raise. Sometimes, I'll see somebody using the Donkey Calf Raise Machine. While all of these exercises are excellent exercises for training the calves, I find that some bodybuilders don't know how to use each of these exercises to train their calves properly.





So, you ask: "What is the proper way to use these machines to train my calves? What's wrong with using one calf exercise?" 

To answer that question, I need to first discuss the two different calf muscles and how they function. The Calf Muscle Group is made up of two muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius and the soleus share the same tendon attachment at the heel. This tendon is called the Achilles tendon. The attachment at the other end of the gastrocnemius and soleus is a different arrangement.

The soleus lies under the gastrocnemius and is attached below the knee joint to the upper part of the tibia and fibula (the two bones in your lower leg). The soleus, although not as visible, is actually the larger of the two muscles and about 60% of the total mass of the calf muscle group.

The main function of the soleus is to flex your foot (raise your heel) when your leg is bent. Therefore, to train the soleus effectively, you must do calf training with the legs bent.

The gastrocnemius is the heart shaped muscle at the upper calf area and lies on top of the soleus. The gastrocnemius attaches to the femur (the bone in your thigh) just above the back of the knee. The gastrocnemius is most effective in raising your heal when the leg is straight.

From this description of the gastrocnemius and soleus, it should be clear that, for effective calf development, it is essential that you train the gastrocnemius with a straight leg calf movement such as the Standing Calf Raise, Donkey Calf Raise or Toe Press (Calf Press) on the Leg Press and the soleus with the Seated Calf Raise which is a bent leg calf movement. In other words, for total calf development, you must incorporate one straight-leg calf movement and one bent-leg calf movement. To do less will reduce your potential calf development in half.

If you're going to the gym to earnestly train your calves, then make sure that your efforts and energy are productive. Be sure that you're doing "the right stuff". Don't spin your wheels! To learn more about how to train your calves properly for maximum growth, click here for a free report on calf training.

Jeffry Robinson is a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer specializing in muscle building, fat loss and fitness consulting. With over 40 years of bodybuilding experience and his in-depth knowledge of physiology, anatomy and muscle building principles, he has developed new and revolutionary information products for bodybuilders.

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