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Thread: Calf raises

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    I think there is a good body of evidence that the achilles tendon is as responsible for the rebound effect/elastic deformation storage/force turnaround as the gastroc/soleus complex, and in some animals more so than humans. Some calf training may be helpful for a sprinter. I am not a sprint coach.
    In my experience, some higher-rep, lower-weight standing and seated calf raises seem to help some with running-injury prevention. I think it might mainly be because of the increased blood flow, and therefore better recovery, ala the Starr Rehab method, as well as the stretch and isometric hold that can accompany them (depending on how you do them).

    That could just be helping the smaller ankle stabilizing muscles (peroneus longus, tibialis posterior, etc.) more than anything, like you'd use high-rep presses for the smaller muscles around the shoulder joint. It's gotta be better than silly PT band/isolation work at the very least.

  2. #12
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    I've gained 100lbs and still have very small calves. They must have gotten bigger, but at 14.5-15" they can't have gotten that much bigger. My thighs are 27-28" for comparison.

    That said, I do no calf work. I just can't bring myself to do it.

  3. #13
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    I think everbody's overthinking it. People do calf work becuase they want big calves.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    It is widely recognized in bodybuilding circles that calves are genetic. Sorry.
    Certainly. But while a guy with 12" calves will never have 16" calves, he may be able to go up to 13," or even just 12.5." Even if he can't, try convincing him of that.

    There's one problem people miss. While your thighs, pecs, shoulders, and whatever else can be almost totally untrained, your calves can't. Unless you spend the majority of your time in a Hoverround, you've trained you calves just by living and walking around. They're already closer to their genetic limit than the rest of your body, which is why what Rip says is true.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kazzin View Post
    I've gained 100lbs and still have very small calves. They must have gotten bigger, but at 14.5-15" they can't have gotten that much bigger. My thighs are 27-28" for comparison.

    That said, I do no calf work. I just can't bring myself to do it.
    And yet, you can bring yourself to measure them.

  5. #15
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    +1 for genetics. I have always had large,fairly muscular calves, even when I was fat and lazy. No calf raises, much less running, jumping or sprinting. Now that I squat, they are pretty much huge. It's funny to be a girl and have better baby cows than 85% of the guys at the gym.

    Thanks a lot, Rip. I blame you that I will never ever be able to wear fashionable skinny jeans or cute knee high boots. (I do look pretty killer in a pair of heels though.)

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by JMoore View Post
    (I do look pretty killer in a pair of heels though.)
    You know what happens next, right?

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by JMoore View Post
    +1 for genetics. I have always had large,fairly muscular calves, even when I was fat and lazy. No calf raises, much less running, jumping or sprinting. Now that I squat, they are pretty much huge. It's funny to be a girl and have better baby cows than 85% of the guys at the gym.

    Thanks a lot, Rip. I blame you that I will never ever be able to wear fashionable skinny jeans or cute knee high boots. (I do look pretty killer in a pair of heels though.)
    pics in heels or didn't happen

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by raivyne View Post
    I am going to jump on the genetics train for this. I always had very well developed calves in my younger days, and I certainly did not do calf raises to get them. What I did do, was a lot of sprinting and jumping. I was one of 3 girls on the basketball team who could touch rubber on the backboard. Not bad for a short chick. Though, with a proper weight training program, or any weight training program, I could have gone farther in sports. Oh well.
    Quote Originally Posted by JMoore View Post
    +1 for genetics. I have always had large,fairly muscular calves, even when I was fat and lazy. No calf raises, much less running, jumping or sprinting. Now that I squat, they are pretty much huge. It's funny to be a girl and have better baby cows than 85% of the guys at the gym.

    Thanks a lot, Rip. I blame you that I will never ever be able to wear fashionable skinny jeans or cute knee high boots. (I do look pretty killer in a pair of heels though.)
    Looks like Missouri is a hotbed of properly calved women. You're right Rip, I should get out of NYC...

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by MarkFera View Post
    And yet, you can bring yourself to measure them.
    I have a leg length asymmetry of ~3/4". This has led to all sorts of muscle imbalances, one of which was pointed out to me recently is that one of my calves is smaller than the other. I was curious.

  10. #20
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    starting strength coach development program
    Okay...this is getting weird ya perverts.

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