Calf Bodybuilding
Do you need effective weight training to finally make your calves fatter? You will find here enough to prepare your session, with many exercises for bodybuilding for the calves, but also performance tips. And yes, developing muscular calves is not easy, because these often recalcitrant muscles and underdeveloped compared to the thighs, are also one of the most neglected muscle groups in general training. Arnold himself, who did not care to work those muscles, had to put himself seriously to forge well muscled calves.
So yes, people with long calves will have more ease developing these muscles compared to those with high insertions, but that's no reason to give up. It is not impossible to make them take shapes and volume, even when you do not have genetics.
Exercises for the calves
- Smith Machine Stands
- Calves with thigh press
- Calves sitting at the press
- Calves standing on one leg
- Calves standing at the Smith Machine
The elevation of standing calves is a weight training exercise that develops the entire calf, especially the twins because of the standing position. The deep muscles of the leg, like the soleus, are also used.
If you can only choose a calf exercise for your program, standing extensions will be a good choice. For many athletes, developing good calves is not easy, because these muscles constantly stressed, sometimes refuse to grow. In addition, calf training and development is rarely a priority in training.
If your calves are struggling to take off, you will have to work hard and work with great intensity.
Muscles solicited
The main muscles solicited by the extensions of the standing feet are the gastrocnemius or "twins" and secondarily the soleus muscles. The twins are the two muscles that are seen very well at the top and back of the leg; they are the ones who give the curve to the calves. Below and deeper are the soleus, flat and thick muscles that give the whole thickness, especially at the ankles.
- Calves with thigh press
One can very well muscle his calves with the press with thigh, a machine normally used to develop the thighs. The leg extension on the thigh press is a good weight training for the calves, especially for twins who can contract more forcefully in this stretched position.
This exercise is substantially equivalent to donkey and can replace it because few gyms have a press with weight resting on the pelvis. So unless you have a conciliatory partner, the thigh press will do the trick.
This exercise is a good choice if you suffer from the back and can use very heavy loads safely.
Muscles solicited
As for the standing calves, this exercise is complete and mainly solicits the twins and secondarily the soleus muscles. In this position, stretched back thigh, the twins are also stretched and they can contract with great intensity. With the knees stretched, we will especially involve the twins. In case of flexion during the movement, the soleus will intervene.
- Calves sitting at the press
Calves sitting with the press will allow you to work more intensely the soleus compared to the twins, that is to say the inner part of the calves. Indeed, sitting prevents the twins, the two balls located at the top of the leg, from acting at full power.
The seated calf extension is the only exercise performed with the knees bent. We advise you to combine it with a stretched leg exercise such as standing calves, thigh press or donkey, and place it at the end of the training session.
This exercise gives thickness to all the calves, especially at the ankles, and locates its aches in the calves. It allows to work the calves safely without load on the bust.
Muscles solicited
This exercise of weighting solicits the whole of the calves, twins and soleus, but with the knees bent and a slow rhythm of work, one will postpone a large part of the effort on the soleus.
- Calves standing on one leg
How to build your legs and calves without equipment? Nothing is easier with the calves standing on one leg, a simple exercise that can be done anywhere, including at home.
The calves on one leg with the weight of the body are formidable all the more that the work in unilateral (one leg at the time) really allows to concentrate on the muscle and to go up a notch the intensity. Indeed, the work in unilateral is more than effective because the muscles can develop more strength.
Standing leg calves require only a shim, step, or any other stable support. We can also use some weights to weigh ourselves down.
Muscles solicited
As for the standing calves, the version on one leg works mainly the twin muscles and secondarily the soleus of the calves.
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