Calves muscles - need to really hit them

Hi all,

Can you list down what your training method is for your calves?

Im really struggling to make any progress on mine - everything else is coming on nicely. Im aware they are some of the hardest muscles to get bigger, bit I dont think mine have hardly got any bigger since I started training!

Don't look, don't ask questions, don't train em lol

Having not trained my calfs in years I am not a great expert on them. But when I did I just keopt it simple; one standing, one sitting, good range of reps for 5 or so sets per lift.

Yeah, can see what your saying Ian!

Thing is though, mine look really scrawny compared to the rest of me. I really do need to get them even just a little bigger.

We dont have a standing calve raise machine at our gym, best thing I can do which hits them the most at the moment is the leg press (obv legs extended and just working calve muscles)

My gym got a standing calf machine, since using that i have gained some good strength and some size (not much though)
 
Deadlifts hit calves, but for isolation the best way if you haven't got a calf machine would be to use the smith machine like a squat.  Get a block on the floor or something and raise up on that.  Slow and controlled, pause at the top, not all this super fast pumping motion i see people doing.  I do 3 sets of 6 to 10 depending on the weight.

I'd follow Jb's advice for single legged raise with a step/block and a dumbbell

Excellent advice, will give that a try.

Cheers guys.

This is going to sound funny but calves respond to volume so things like skipping instead of cycling for cardio can have an incredible effect if they are under developed.

It's easy to think, given what you see and are told that the only way to work them is using machines and/or isolation work.