In my small home gym, I have three dedicated machines for calf training: a standing calf raise unit that goes up to 600 pounds, a seated calf raise machine, and a step platform equipped with a handle for one-leg calf raises. These are the sort of machines that you see in large commercial gyms, but usually not in a smaller home-based setup. So why do I have them in mine? Simple, my calves suck, and I need all the artillery I can get my hands, or in this case, feet on!
After years of hard work using all kinds of techniques - including drop sets, negative-accentuated training, explosive movements, extended sets, burns, supersets, trisets and giant sets, escalating density training, tempo manipulation, plyometrics, unilateral training, you name it - the gains have been minimal. Adding size to these calves has been a struggle! That was until I made a very interesting discovery...
My daughters are competitive dancers, and I get to watch them compete a few times a year. Dancers have nice, aesthetic physiques. They're in great shape. Most bodybuilders, however, would consider them a bit "small" for their liking. That's fine, but dancers have some serious calves, and I bet you that they can compete with any bodybuilder at any time in that regard. In fact, bodybuilders can learn quite a bit from dancers on how to train calves. I know I did!
What's the dancer's secret for well-developed calves? It's simple, they are constantly on their toes. It's basically repetition after repetition of bodyweight calf raises (a position referred to as relevé in ballet) done on a daily basis. After awhile it becomes rather effortless for them, and they end up with these monster calves as a result. I bet the same thing would happen to you if you gave it a shot!
And that's exactly what I decided to do by working up to 100 reps of bodyweight calf raises everyday for a month, and boy was I impressed with the results. If you're not convinced that this type of bodyweight training will do anything for muscle size, try performing 100 reps of chin-ups or dips everyday for a month and let me know what happens. My colleague Chad Waterbury, a guy who knows a thing or two about hypertrophy, has written about this concept in the past, and believe me, it works!
Remember, success leaves clues. If you want to build a nice set of arms and shoulders, train like a gymnast. For glutes and hamstrings, train like a sprinter. For calves, well, train like a ballet dancer! I know what you're thinking, but before you smash your fist through the computer, hear me out...
The calves consist of many muscles, but the two primary workhorses that most bodybuilders are concerned with are the gastrocnemius and the soleus. We all know by now that the gastrocnemius receives more stimulation with the knees extended (standing calf raise) and the soleus with the knees bent (seated calf raise). We also know that the soleus has a greater slow-twitch (ST) muscle fiber makeup - up to 88%, one of the highest ST compositions in the human body - and thus, higher reps should be performed. But are the reps generally high enough in training for this "endurance" muscle, and even when the knees are extended during a calf raise does it mean that the soleus is not receiving any stimulation? The answer is "no" on both accounts.
A decent amount of volume at a decent intensity can result in a decent amount of hypertrophy. Lifting a substantial load, like pretty much your entire bodyweight, for a high number of reps will definitely put on muscle. That applies to any body part, not just your calves. I'm sure if you did wrist curls with the equivalent of your bodyweight everyday for a month, your forearms would blow up.
Since you're not using huge loads, this form of training can be accomplished daily, and it's the frequency that will coax your body to adapt quickly. You will be sore initially, but it won't be that bad. Even though you may be used to much higher forces from a regular assault of barbell jumps (the acceleration end of the force equation) and heavy standing calf raises (the mass end of the force equation), this is a novel stimulus that can induce some novel soreness along with some novel results.
Not only is the intensity, volume and frequency different than what you normally do for calves, but the range is likely different as well. We have always been told to perform a full range of motion when training calves; in fact, many experts advocate emphasis on the stretched position. For someone who has difficulty performing a full squat, this is very good advice. If you automatically lean forward and/or your heels raise when you squat, then you need to stretch those calves out. But what if you are one of those guys that can full squat no problem with a nice upright trunk - your knees can easily pass your toes with your heels flat on the ground. Doing some partial training (i.e., emphasizing the top, contracted position) may be exactly what the doctor ordered for those calves!
You can easily put an inch on your calves in one month with this method. However, you must be consistent everyday. Get into a routine. I suggest that you pick one time of the day that you can perform this and stick to it. Remember, it does not take anything to do. Literally, nothing is required - no machines, no shoes, nothing, just a bit of effort. Popping these off on an area rug or carpet is nice but not mandatory.
Here's how it works. Start with 50 reps of heel raises and work up to 100 reps with just bodyweight alone. Do that everyday without fail for a month. You'll be amazed at the growth and definition that you will acquire, and as a bonus, balance and coordination improve as well. Actually, you can consider this as a form of prehabilitation for your ankles, particularly useful if you play any recreational sport and/or are plagued with constant ankle sprains.
I know it seems simple, but proper form is very important. Situate your feet about shoulder-width apart and slightly toed out. Concentrate on raising the heels straight up as if they are puppet strings being pulled up by God himself. Make sure to contract hard at the top - think of a double biceps pose, except you are squeezing the hell out of your calves (another religious connotation!) Do not hold on to a wall or machine for support. I don't want you to deload in any manner, and I want those small stabilizers to grow as well. Just keep your arms at your sides or your hands on your hips while you do this. It might seem like a joke at the beginning, but trust me, after awhile your calves will be on fire!
You must be in bare feet (no shoes.) Make sure to raise the heels as high as possible, and distribute your weight evenly over all your toes. Hold the top, contracted position for a full 2 seconds. It must be a definite stop at the top, and you want to feel a peak contraction in the calves. Then, you control the lowering - do not just drop like a bomb! If you do not do these two steps properly, the rep does not count! It's that simple. They must be quality repetitions in order for you truly reap the benefit of this type of training. The prime movers will get hit, but so will all those little stabilizers, and in the long run, it will make a BIG difference in the overall growth of your calves.
You will need to invest up to 10 minutes a day for a good month to truly reap the benefits of this method. Consider that each controlled repetition should take 6 seconds (i.e., 2 seconds up, 2 seconds at the top, 2 seconds down, and no pause at the bottom) and you are performing up to 100 reps per day. Well, there's 10 minutes.
Once you've gone through a full month of this, throw on an additional 10 or 20 pounds using a weighted vest and go at it again. (Some guys will need to do this sooner if they find it easy after a couple of weeks.) Keep building up until you reach a level of development that you are satisfied with, and then you can maintain with 2-3 sessions a week. Even just one session a week will do the trick if you return to machine work for your calves, which you will likely welcome to break up the mental and physical monotony.
I had gone about the war on my calves in the wrong fashion. Instead of more weapons, I actually needed less! All these machines really aren't necessary. Heck, you don't even need shoes. Just a bit of time, patience and lactate tolerance, and you can transform those young, immature and disproportional calves into some massive full-grown cows that are up to par with your other body parts.
John Paul Catanzaro, B.Sc., C.K., C.E.P., is a Certified
Kinesiologist and Certified Exercise Physiologist with a Specialized
Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He
owns and operates a private gym in Richmond Hill, Ontario providing
training and nutritional consulting services.
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