genetics vs calves?

I have read a comment that u cant complain its genetics when u do 3 sets of calves at the end of your training session....
I used to be that guy but have since really started training calves hard, most weeks two sessions, one heavier and one high rep session. But it still seems like there is no progress. I have sore muscles a lot of the time so think I am on the limit of overtraining. but this is difficult on calves, slightly less training and it will feel like u didnt work them at all.

anyhow, is there someone here that have beat calves? That had moderate calves, and could change that?

I kind of refuse to believe that I should make peace with it cause of my genetics

Believe it or not, I don't train calves at all. I don't have to. They get enough exercise from the other leg workouts. I am blessed with natural big calves. Lucky me I guess

Weird question... Do you have high claves? Or Long Calves?
There are different ways of training the above options.

Honestly, I cant answer.
I wanted to say long as I have slim ancles, but I do have a ball when I flex my calve. Maybe I am an inbetweener then.

If your calves are high calves... you should be doing calves with a straight leg (dont bend your knees when doing standing calve raises), lots of seated calve raises, and straight leg calve's on the leg press machine.

If you have long calves, do the same exercises, but with SLIGHTLY bent knees...

Try 4 sets of 2 of the exercises with reps between 15 and 20.

This is just something i heard and read up on.

I know jackrabbit had a calve routine that he said would convert any calves! Try search the forum for that post.

Something that has been working for me is called "running the rack"... Standing calve raises, start on the weight where you can do like 8-10 reps... do your 8-10 reps (failure), then straight away move the peg up one weight, and then do your reps till you reach failure, and keep moving the peg up. When you start this, you may need to move the peg up 2 places at a time. Do 3 sets of this exercise, and i will be surprised if you can walk the next day.
Remember to stretch your calves before the exercise and again after the exercises.

I remember JR's method, am doing sort of like that, the locking or not locking is news to me though.
And while I like a new challenge and will do that dropsets of yours sometime...its not answering my question...I do not struggle to hit them hard, At the moment they are already sore.

Have someone beat crap calves? who have been the guy with a good upper body, and realised he needs to save his calves, I see a lot of them in the gym, have someone managed to change this?

Even with cyclists, u get the guys with monster calves and then the guys with skinny calves. Did the bigger guy feed his better, or is it just a case of you can't beat genes?

Shot for the tips Mr_SA, summer's on its way and I need to prepare my stilts for shorts season

Today we had our usual calf buster oke in the gym again. Probably 10 20Kg plates on Seated calves. You can imagine the toothpicks he has for calves. Barely moves the weight up and down.
If you are this guy or it resembles you you wont grow.
Seated calf my heel almost touches the floor. If i bounce slightly it does. The top is on your toes.
So also for standing valves. FULL range.
Look up that Cybergenics routine i posted somewhere and at least try that for a while before you just write it off to genetics.

I think genetics do have part in good calves, if u look at dorian yates he used to be a skinny fuck that had a bop. And if u have seen the vid that Jack posted u will see the size of his calves, frikkin massive. Its possible oh most def if u got shit calves but u really have to break them for at least 10years haha and IGF/MGF it up quite a bit.

My 2c

Guys, I do kill my calves, do work them hard and varies the method a lot, and I have made a lot of progress. I go heavy once a week and light, super long motion the second time I train them in a week. I remember JR's routine and do something very similar a lot of the time. I train my calves to the limit most of the time. Did some extra walking on the beach the one weekend and it was over trained...out for two weeks. They are on the limit.
But the overall bottom half of my leg keeps looking small.

MCJ reinforced what I am asking, each one have his strong point, MCJ's calves build easy. I would like to know if someone settled into gymming, have, after training for a while and realising his weak point, have turned it around? Someone on the forum?

Sorry for being anal

m0lt3n wrote: Guys, I do kill my calves, do work them hard and varies the method a lot, and I have made a lot of progress. I go heavy once a week and light, super long motion the second time I train them in a week. I remember JR's routine and do something very similar a lot of the time. I train my calves to the limit most of the time. Did some extra walking on the beach the one weekend and it was over trained...out for two weeks. They are on the limit.
But the overall bottom half of my leg keeps looking small.

MCJ reinforced what I am asking, each one have his strong point, MCJ's calves build easy. I would like to know if someone settled into gymming, have, after training for a while and realising his weak point, have turned it around? Someone on the forum?

Sorry for being anal

Yes........Calves

Thanks JR, so it has been done. Does seem like its a rarety though. I am making the conclusion here from the lack of replys that it takes some serious hard work and persistance to overcome genetics. And then your chances are still slim at best.

Give me a few years and I will be another success!!!! :evil: :evil:

Thats the thing - i have a 1996 flex here with photos of Lee priest as a young boy and him at that time. His legs are huge and so also his calves. But on the kiddie photo his calves are non-existent. At what time do you think he stopped complaining about genetics?
Maybe you just havent found the trigger yet? Let someone record your routine. Stand back, watch yourself and make a list of things you want to improve.

jackrabbit1 wrote: TLet someone record your routine. Stand back, watch yourself and make a list of things you want to improve.

Very good idea!!!

shape, fibre length and muscle insertion points of your calves will come down to genetics
(basically, how they look)
you can still add mass, it just may not be as noticable