How To Build Beautiful Calve Muscles
Building Beautiful Calve Muscles
Many people find it extremely difficult to develop their calve muscles and this is primarily due to the fact that daily walking has toughened these muscles to the point where it takes exceptionally intense training to force them to grow. Before we get started, let’s take a look at their anatomy for better understanding on how to get the results we are looking for.
Calve Muscles Anatomy
There are two primary muscle groups involved in the lower back of the legs - the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles. The soleus is a wide, flat muscle that lies beneath the heart shaped gastrocnemius. Both muscles contract to extend the feet and toes, but the soleus can only fully contract when the leg is bent to at least a 30 degree angle. Then there is the tibialis anterior muscle, which runs up the front of your shin and contracts to pull your foot and toes upward.
Calf muscles are dense and can withstand more frequent training, and in order to achieve results, you should perform the below exercises three to four times per week, working your way up to three sets of fifteen to twenty repetitions. I recommend that all beginners perform these exercises in its basic form by keeping your toes pointed straight ahead. As you progress, and can add the various positions to your routine by turning your toes in and out to get a better, overall workout to the calve development. Keep in mind that in addition to these exercises, any running or bicycling will not only provide aerobic benefits, but will greatly enhancement the developing of your calves too. Just look at any avid cyclist or runner… they are known to have beautiful calves!
Standing Calf Raises
Start- Place your shoulders securely under the pads of the standing calf machine. Next, situate the balls of your feet firmly on the platform while ensuring that the back of your feet are all the way off the edge of the platform. Your feet should be about six to eight inches apart with your toes pointing straight ahead.
Exercise- Lift up on your toes as high as you can, flexing the calves and holding the contraction for a pause, and then slowly lowering back down into a deep stretch at the very bottom of the movement. Pause at the bottom, and then return to start position. Repeat the movement until you have completed all the repetitions for your set.
Caution- Make sure to hold in your stomach muscles while at the same time, keeping your back from arching. Stay stable throughout the movement. Make sure your calves are doing all the work here by avoiding assistance with the use of shoulders/hands. Be sure to keep your knees from bending.
Tips- Remember to inhale at the bottom, and exhale at the top. The key to great form is getting the full range of motion and flexing at the top, and lowing deep at the bottom. Be sure to pause in order to contract the muscles. You may also point your toes out to work the inner calves, and point your toes in to work the outer calves. Remember to add more weight to the machine as you progress since calves require heavier loads to force them to respond. You can also preform these one leg at a time for better concentration, and in preventing one calve from becoming stronger over the other.
Dumbbell Calf Raises
Start- In the standing position and keeping your body straight, hold dumbbells at your side, with your feet about five or six inches apart to maintain balance.
Exercise- Slowly rise up on the balls of your feet as high as you can, pause at the top, and slowly raise back down to start position. Repeat the movement until you have completed all the repetitions for your set.
Caution- Maintain your balance throughout the movement. If you prefer you can do one leg at a time while holding on to a support. Do not bend your knees.
Tips- Remember to inhale at the bottom, and exhale at the top. You can also perform these on a step or high enough platform to get a really deep stretch on the calves at the bottom of the movement. This is a more advanced movement, but well worth it. Additionally, you can perform these using a barbell instead of dumbbells.
Seated Calf Press
Start- The focus here is on the soleus muscles, since your legs are being bent in order to preform this movement. Place the balls of your feet on the platform and secure your knees under the pads. Keeping your toes pointed straight, remove the stopper and fully extend your calves by letting your heels come down as far as you can.
Exercise- Using only your calves, drive the weight by coming up on your toes until your calves are fully flexed. Pause briefly at the top and then lower your heels back down as far as possible. Repeat the movement until you have reached muscular failure for that set, and then put the stopper back in place.
Caution- Pay attention not to pull on the handles with your hands in an attempt to assist the movement. You want to make sure the calves are doing all the work here. Avoid rocking your body and using momentum to lift the weight. The key is to get full range of motion. This is a very important exercise you need to master for the soleus.
Tips- You may want to use a spotter during this exercise since it is best to reach muscular failure for each set. A spotter can help you place the stopper back in place as soon as you reach failure. You can also position your toes out to work the inner calves, and point your toes in to work the outer calves. Be sure to inhale on the way down, and exhale on the way up. You should always add more weight to the machine as you progress.
Leg Press Calf Raises
Start- Getting situated in the leg press machine, firmly place both feet on the large plate about six to eight inches apart. Slide down one foot at a time until both the balls of your feet are firmly placed at the bottom of the plate; ensure that both the back of your feet are all the way off the edge of the plate and you are in a deep stretch at the bottom. Remove the lever out of the catcher.
Exercise- Begin to lift the plate upward from the balls of your feet all the way up until your calve muscles are fully contracted; hold for a pause, and then return to start position. Repeat the movement until you have completed all the repetitions for your set. Immediately replace the lever back in the catcher.
Caution- Be sure to avoid bending your knees. You only want the calves to be doing the exercise. Be sure to use full range of motion here as this is vital. Ensure that your calves are fully flexed at the top of the movement, then pausing, and that you get a deep stretch at the bottom of the movement.
Tips- You may want to use a spotter during this exercise especially if you are attempting to reach muscular failure. A spotter can assist you while you are placing the lever back in the catcher. You can also position your toes out to work the inner calves, and point your toes in to work the outer calves. Be sure to inhale on the way down, and exhale on the way up. You should always add more weight to the machine as you progress. You can also perform these one leg at a time for better concentration, and in preventing from one leg becoming stronger over the other.
Donkey Calf Raises
Start- These can be performed by bending over at your torso while someone else is sitting on your lower back for added weight. You may also perform these on a donkey calf machine at a gym.
Exercise- Simply lift up from the balls of your feet as high as you can, contracting the muscles, and then returning back down to start position. Repeat the movement until you have completed all the repetitions for your set.
Caution- If you have any lower back problems, you should replace this exercise by simply doing these on a donkey calf machine at a gym where you will be upright instead. Remember never to bend at the knees while performing calve exercises, but never “lock out the knees” in any exercise either.
Tips- To get a more advanced workout, you can choose to perform these on a block or platform to allow a deep stretch at the bottom of the movement.
-written by Angela Doss
Tags: calve anatomy, calve exercises, calve muscles, cycling, exercise workouts, fitness, gym training, lower leg workout, running