Pump up calves at home. How to quickly pump up calves at home

Moderately inflated calves are beautiful. Women's legs, who know what sport is, look very sexy and have a pleasant outline, and men's ones are in harmony with the embossed body. To get a satisfactory result, you need to master basic knowledge about calf training and implement them.

Is it possible to pump up the calves of the legs at home

The answer is positive. IN gym it will be faster, and you will be under the supervision of a coach, but with proper theoretical preparation, you can handle it yourself. To get started, go brief digression in anatomy. The calves are the superficial gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle underlying it. The latter gives 75% of attractive volume and shows maximum power when the knee joint is bent. The calf muscles (25% of the volume) tense when a person is standing.

This knowledge allows us to accurately answer the question of how to effectively pump up the calves of the legs: it is necessary to focus mainly on the internal soleus-like tissues, which become larger due to the constant flexion-extension of the legs. However, about calf muscles should not be forgotten either. Basic rules for successful training:

• Do exercises for the lower leg no more than twice a week, taking into account the main load. If you are actively pumping the thigh muscles, reduce the physical impact on the calves.
• Do not do cardio after strength training shins. So all your efforts will be useless. It is better to do aerobics at the beginning of classes, then the calves will warm up properly.
• How to pump up the calf muscles? Do no more than 10-15 reps per set. Increase the load - add working weight.
• Increase the number of approaches and reduce the rest between them.

Effective calf exercises for girls

There are no obvious features of calf training for women - they can safely practice the implementation of male programs. How to pump up calves for a girl? Do the following exercises:

1. Rise on toes. Lift your heels off the floor (or better, use a small stand) and raise them to the maximum height. Slowly lower your feet down. The number of approaches is 3-4.
2. How to pump up calves at home even faster? Do the first exercise with weights - pick up water bottles or small dumbbells.
3. A more complicated version of lifting on toes is to perform the task on each leg alternately.
4. Rise high on your toes and walk around the room with small steps. Don't bend your knees.
5. Walk up the stairs for 15-30 minutes. Preferably through a step and with weights.
6. Jumping in place or with a rope. How to pump up the calves with this exercise? You should stop when you feel a burning sensation in your lower leg.
7. Jumping up from a sitting position. Do 3-4 sets of 8 times.
8. Squats with a load. Transfer the emphasis to your socks.
9. Squats on one leg. Holding on to the support, lower yourself down. Control the position of the body - do not wag and bend over to the sides to help yourself.
10. Lifting socks from a sitting position. Sit on a chair, place a load on your knees. Raise your toes as high as possible at a slow pace.

How to pump up calves for a man

The right technique will help you achieve excellent results. At home, men perform the above complex, but it will not replace quality training on simulators with a good weight load. How to quickly pump up the calves of the legs? The general split scheme should include a complex for the legs. Let's say you train legs on Mondays and Thursdays, and at the end of the session (not at the beginning) you spend time on the calves. Between this, it is necessary to work different groups muscles to ensure good physical form, look in reality and in the photo is irresistible.

Exercise options in the gym (performed on simulators):

• Rise on socks. Pause for five seconds at the top.
• Live socks. It is necessary to push the moving platform up with your feet. Your body is in a lying or semi-lying position.
• Lifting on socks while sitting, in the simulator, bending your knees (three different exercises). You will understand how to pump up the calves in these ways when you see the simulator. Only the position of the body and the nature of the load of muscle tissue change.

Many girls focus on the buttocks in training and at the same time forget about the calf muscle. However, it is he who is able to give the legs additional harmony and make them even more attractive. This article will tell you how to pump up the calves of a girl's legs.

Anatomy of the calf muscle

To achieve the desired result in fitness, you must have a certain set of knowledge in various areas, such as anatomy. Knowing the anatomy of all muscle groups, you will be able to pick up correct exercises that will bring great results.

The gastrocnemius muscle is located on the posterior surface of the lower leg, and its superficial layers consist of bundles of tendons. You must remember that caviar has two sections - external and internal. The first one has big sizes, and the second is located symmetrically under the outer one.

Both departments of the gastrocnemius muscle limit the popliteal cavity, and below are attached to the middle of the lower leg, smoothly turning into the Achilles tendon. This muscle performs two functions - it stabilizes the body during movement, and also ensures the movement of the foot back and forth. In addition to the calf muscle itself, this group should also include the soleus and long peroneal muscles.

How to pump up the calves of a girl in the gym?

Knowing the anatomy of this muscle, you need to draw up the right training plan. Let's say right away that the basic principles of bodybuilding apply to any muscle, regardless of its size and location on the body - training should be regular, and the load should gradually increase.

In order for the processes of hypertrophy to be activated in the body, it is necessary to force the muscles to work actively, which will create sufficient stress. At the same time, we must not forget about the importance of rest, because muscles do not grow during training, but after it is completed. With regard to calves, it is enough to pump them once or twice a week.

The muscles of the legs have high endurance and each of your new activities should be somewhat harder in comparison with the previous one. This can be achieved by increasing the number of sets and repetitions, as well as increasing the working weight of sports equipment. You should also remember that in addition to training, you need to move more in Everyday life. We recommend abandoning the elevator if there is one in the house and walking more. This will help you achieve your goals.

Now we will move on to considering those movements that will help you answer the question of how to pump up the calves of a girl's legs. If you are a beginner phyton, then at first work only with own weight body. In the future, you will need weights.

Standing calf raises

The exercise can be performed on a step platform or on the ground. Legs should be at hip level. To eliminate the negative load on the joints, slightly bend your knees. In those situations when you work on a step platform, in the lower end position, the trajectory of the heel movement should fall below its level.

This allows you to maximize the involvement of the target muscle. In scientific terms, at the upper end point of the amplitude of movement, the muscles are maximally stretched, and at the lower end point, they contract accordingly. It is very important to perform the movement without a pause so that the muscle is in work throughout the set. Perform the movement until you feel a slight burning sensation in your calves, but at least ten repetitions. After that, rest for 30 to 45 minutes and do two or three more sets.

We also draw your attention to the fact that there are two more options for this movement, the difference between which lies in the location of the foot. If you need to actively work the outer calf, then the socks should be turned inward at 45 degrees. The inner section is actively working if you turn the socks at the same angle outward.

Rises on socks in a sitting position

This exercise should be in your training program on a par with the previous one. The technique of its implementation is similar, and the differences are that you do not stand, but sit. Wherein knee joints should be bent at right angles. You need to perform the movement in three or four sets.

How to stretch the calf muscles for a girl?

Very often, beginner athletes do not pay enough attention to muscle stretching. Thus, they make a mistake and slow down their progress. Now we will consider the most effective movements for stretching the calves.

1. Alternate stretching with emphasis. Rest your hands on the wall, while bending one leg at the knee joint. Set the second back and set it back as far as possible. The toe of the working leg (which is set aside) should look straight ahead. Press the heel of your back foot into the ground until the target muscle is stretched to its maximum. Hold this position for 10 or 20 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.
2. Jackknife. Take a seated position with your legs stretched out in front of you. Tilt your body forward, trying to put it on your feet. In this case, it is necessary to hold the feet or lower leg with your hands. Without bending your knees, begin to pull your heels towards you. In this position, you need to be about 60 seconds.
3. Dog face down. This is one of the yoga positions that allows you to perfectly stretch the calf muscles, as well as rear surface hips. Take a position on all fours, then lift the tailbone as high as possible so that the legs are completely straightened, and press the heels into the ground. The position must be held for 40 seconds.

How to pump up calves at home?

It should immediately be noted that the exercises described above can be performed at home. The halls have special simulators which are used by athletes. For progression at home, you can use leg weights or dumbbells. Remember that the muscles of the legs are pumped for quite a long time and you need to be patient.

In addition, I would like to give a few more useful tips able to help everyone who wants to know how to pump up the calves of a girl's legs:

• Before the main part of the workout, be sure to spend 5-10 minutes warming up to avoid injury.
• Movements should be performed with maximum amplitude.
• It is very important to progress the load so that the body does not get used to it.
• First, you can do a cardio session, and then move on to strength training.
• After each session, be sure to perform stretching exercises for working muscles.

Remember that even simple walks can bring huge benefits and accelerate your progress. It can also be used to solve this problem and jogging. You need to run for a long time, but at a low pace. And now let's talk about a few more effective exercises.

1. Springs. Take a standing position with your feet level shoulder joints. From this position, begin to slowly rise on your toes. Stick to a slow pace and try to climb as high as possible. After reaching the uppermost position of the trajectory, at a similar pace, lower yourself down, but do not lower your heels to the ground.
2. Very simple but extremely effective exercise, which can be used by everyone who wants to know how to pump up the calves of a girl's legs. It is necessary to move in small steps and make sure that the knee joints are straightened, as well as the spinal column.
3. Jumping with weights. As additional load You can use dumbbells or leg weights. First you have to do a crouch, and then make a quick jump out of this position. Do three sets of 15 reps each.
4. Walking on the step platform. This great way not only pump the calf muscles, but also get rid of body fat. You already understood that in this case you need a step platform. First, put one foot in its middle, and then the second. In the same sequence, return to the starting position.
5. Squats. I would like to immediately warn beginner fitonies that this movement may turn out to be difficult for you. However, as you progress, you will be able to start doing it. Try to complete 10 repetitions, and then add one more daily. The legs are located at the level of the shoulder joints, and the spinal column is straightened. From this position, rise on your toes, and then do squats.
6. Rope. This is a great projectile for all girls who are going to train at home. Every day you should work with a rope for 10 minutes. This projectile contributes not only to pumping the muscles of the legs, but also produces an aerobic load on the body.
7. Chair exercise. To do sit-up calf raises at home, you will need a chair. Sit on its edge and keep the spinal column in a straightened position. When performing the movement, make sure that the heels do not fall completely to the ground. If you are using dumbbells as weights, place them on your knees.

We also recommend that in the uppermost position of the trajectory, pause for five counts. This will allow you to immediately feel how the calf muscles tighten. However, it is necessary to observe the measure in everything, because overload will slow down progress.

How to pump up calves at home, see below:

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In 95% of people, the calf muscles are lagging muscle group. In order to correct the imbalance, increase the strength, volume and shape of the calf muscles, they should be given special attention. The harmonious development of the muscles of the lower leg, in addition to the aesthetic beauty of the proportions of your body, will also give functional strength to all the bottom of the body.

A guide to calf muscle gain

A detailed guide for girls on pumping up calves is written in a separate one, and today we will talk about how to pump up calves for a man.

Calf Anatomy

In general, the word “calves” is understood by many as the muscles of the lower leg. So that you do not have any misunderstanding, let's briefly go over the anatomy of these muscles.

calf muscles- form a diamond-shaped appearance, the same "calves". They have two bundles of muscles passing into a single Achilles tendon. They contract when you lift your heels with your legs fully extended.

soleus muscle- forms 2/3 of the volume of the leg muscles. Did not know?! The gray cardinal, which should be given increased attention. It is located deep under the calf. With proper development, it begins to push the calf outward, increasing in volume the entire back of the leg. Contracts when you lift your heels with your knees bent.

There are a number of other small muscles, helping to maintain balance and position of the feet, but you should not pay special attention to them - one way or another they will participate in the main exercises for calves.

Calf muscle training rules - how to make a man's calves grow

Rule number 1. Full range of contraction/stretch

First of all, to ensure the fullness of the amplitude, make sure that there is always some kind of elevation under the toe. Do not perform calf exercises while standing on a flat surface - you will simply lose useful amplitude.

The greater the amplitude, the more work the muscles will do, the more prerequisites for muscle growth.

Full range is:

• Lowering to the lowest point until the muscles of the lower leg are fully stretched. IMPORTANT do not go down to the end and do not pause for rest at the bottom. Hanging on the tendons, you lose muscle tension, which means that work for them becomes easier and there are no prerequisites for growth. Find the golden mean.
• Limit contraction at the top. Try to rise on your toes as high as possible and a little higher. A man can make his calves work precisely by achieving a powerful contraction at the top point.

The second rule should help you in mastering this principle.

Rule number 2. Slow and smooth exercise

When doing calf exercises, focus on a slow pace of execution with time for the lifting and lowering phases. This will give you better control over the movement. You don’t need to jump on bars or simulators by “hammering” your lower leg muscles with a partial amplitude - this way you won’t be able to pump up your calves.

Having achieved the maximum lift on your toes (and a little more), delay this moment for a while. Do not attach much importance to the time of such a pause at the top point, it just has to be - half a second / second is enough.

Record the peak contraction in each repetition of each exercise. In this way, you will force your calves to work to their fullest, stimulating them with a load at the moment when they are fully contracted.

Rule number 4. Correct rep range

Given the practical experience of many athletes, the most successful rep range for the calf muscles is a number from 10 to 15. Why not more? Crossing over 15 repetitions, you start working on slow muscle fibers. These fibers are responsible for endurance. They are poorly hypertrophied, not giving volumes and relief to your calves.

In addition, the number of slow fibers in the calves in most people far exceeds the number of fast ones. muscle fibers. Because the calf muscles are not designed to perform heavy lifts on toes, but are used in walking and constantly, then they need endurance - this is just achieved by a large number of SMFs (slow muscle fibers).

This principle is especially true for natural athletes, for whom a high-repetitive training regimen practically does not work (to achieve MMB hypertrophy is not an easy task). Pick a reasonable heavy weight that you can do 10 to 15 reps with flawlessly following the above rules.

Rule number 5. Large volume load on the calves

When wondering how to pump up calves, a man has to look for working methods that will make his calves budge. One of these is a large amount of training load.

Your calf workout should include at least 6-8 failure sets. The number of exercises can be one (recommended only for beginners at first - 1.2 months), two or more. IN EVERYONE approach, try to approach failure in its completion.

What you train, you grow. The way you train, the way you grow.

What is a denial of right understanding? This is when you can't complete the next rep in perfect form on your own. Those. a failure approach is 10-15 repetitions, of which the last 2-3 are very hard, but you perform them cleanly and beautifully (without jerking, cheating).

Calves love voluminous training - it takes a long time for them to reach).

Rule number 6. Try to set aside separate time for training calves

There can be three options here:

• before squats at the beginning,
• any other day in an upper body workout,
• separate time, completely devoted to the muscles of the lower leg.

Keeping all five of the aforementioned rules is very difficult when doing calves at the end of a leg workout (difficult, but not impossible). Firstly, basic and isolating exercises on the lower body tire the calf muscles, and secondly, at the end of the workout, the central nervous system, if you want, there is not that enthusiasm to train the calves well, qualitatively and volumetrically.

More often this is expressed in the fact that people simply do not refine. The load on the calves is weak - there are few incentives for growth!

To peck your calves on full program try taking them out at a separate time (not leg workout) and compare the results.

How to quickly pump up the calves - training program

The calf exercises themselves are not as important as following the six principles outlined above. I will say this, even with one exercise you can pump your calves, moving their growth off the ground, but subject to all the rules.

In your workout, use only the most effective movements that force the calf muscles to work in full amplitude. You can single out a separate exercise for training the soleus muscle - this will only go to the plus.

The most effective calf exercises are:

• (calf muscles),
• sit-ups (soleus muscle),
• toe press (calf muscles again, performed in the leg press machine),
• “donkey” calf raises (we train the calf muscles with a partner),
• calf raises while standing on one leg (again, an exercise aiming at the calf).

Combine the exercises that you like best - they all work. Once again, exercises alone will not help you pump up your calves if you do not follow the principles of training the calf muscles.

Example of a workout program:

• Warm up
• Standing calf raises
• Rises on socks sitting 1-2 warm-ups 4 workers x 10-15 reps
• Hitch

Or another one:

• Warm up
• Toe press 1-2 warm-ups 4 workers x 10-15 reps
• Single leg calf raises 4 working 10-15 reps per leg
• "Donkey" calf raises 1 warm-up 4 working 10-15 reps
• Hitch

Perform each approach in a failure style (see above). The rest pause between sets should not be more than 1 minute. Despite the fact that the calves can simply burn with fire from the load, they very quickly restore their performance.

Read other blog articles.

The problem of a modern person is that he devotes little time to physical activity, and therefore the question of how to pump up the calves of the legs at home arises more and more often. Girls dream of wearing short skirts and tight dresses, but body imperfections in the form of cellulite and subcutaneous fat look unattractive. Measured, but at the same time active physical exercise- the main assistant in the fight against figure imperfections.

On the body of every girl there are certain problem areas, and first of all, these are the legs. subcutaneous fat likes to be put off on the inside and outside hips, forming terrible ears that upset girls and women of any age. The main nightmare of girls is cellulite, because folds and sagging skin do not color, and men are not very attracted.

Among the main reasons due to which the muscles of the legs become flabby, and the skin sags and becomes unattractive, there are:

1. Significant weight loss. When a person loses weight quickly, the skin simply does not have time to acquire new dimensions.
2. Age. Women over 30 experience loss of skin elasticity much more often;
3. Irrational nutrition. The human body does not receive the necessary vitamins and minerals in the required amount, and at the same time, under the layer of the epidermis, it makes a reserve in the form of body fat.
4. Improper skin care. All kinds of scrubs and wraps, produced both in the salon and at home, are by no means a whim, but a necessity.
5. Lack of physical activity. The main problem of a modern person is a dislike for walking, why go to work on foot and waste energy if you can quickly get there by car?
6. Bad heredity.
7. Violation of metabolic processes in the body.

Many experts argue that the cause of flabbiness of the skin of the legs should be sought in violations of the functioning of the endocrine system. Problems with hormones are diagnosed in every 3 girls who have passed the tests.

Important! It is worth remembering that against the background of endocrine disorders, physical activity will be ineffective, and that is why it is important to undergo treatment.

What is a warm-up, and why is it needed?

Before you begin to perform exercises for weight loss of the calves of the legs, you need to do a 10-minute warm-up. Many girls neglect her not only because of the frantic modern pace of life, but also because they simply do not know what good she is.

A warm-up is needed because the human body needs preparation in order to perform subsequent exercises more efficiently and correctly. In addition, unheated muscles are quite easy to injure. Lungs warm-up exercises help prepare the body for more serious stress and prevent injuries, recharge with energy.

The warm-up is a kind of preparation stage, but at the same time it is an integral part of the lesson. It helps to increase the amplitude of stretching, heart rate, and develop flexibility.

The warm-up cycle is divided into several stages:

• sipping;
• slow stretching of the muscles;
• running on the spot (the main task of which is to increase the heart rate and increase the body temperature of the athlete).

The warm-up complex makes a person sweat a little. Experienced athletes never neglect the warm-up, because they know that it is very important. Such preparation helps to quickly join the training process, improve your performance and, thereby, save time on the implementation of the main complex.

Before starting a workout, the body must be prepared psychologically and physically. It is worth remembering that the complex that allows you to warm up will take no more than 10 minutes, and the main exercises look something like this:

• making rotations of the head along and counterclockwise;
• elementary inclinations of the body;
• rotation of the hands and feet;
• rubbing the palms to feel warm;
• swing your arms to the sides;
• torso twists;
• swing legs and arms in a prone and standing position.

The warm-up complex should not include strength exercises- this is mistake. During the warm-up, the body should not experience stress.

How to build legs - effective sets of exercises for calves

It’s not difficult to quickly pump up calves on your legs, but for this you need to work. You need to perform exercises for pumping up calves at a comfortable pace, it is extremely important to combine the weight and dynamism of the exercises performed.

How can a girl quickly pump up her calves at home? It is the speed of obtaining the desired result that is what girls are primarily interested in. It is worth noting the following right away - there will be no stunning results in a week from the start of training, but the relief of the muscles will become noticeable.

For reference! To perform the most effective exercises, special equipment in the form of simulators and sports facilities is not required.

The list of the most popular, simple, but nevertheless effective exercises is as follows:

1. Spring. To perform the exercise, you should stand with a flat back and slowly rise on your toes, try to stretch as high as possible, then slowly lower yourself. You need to repeat the exercise 100 times. It is important not to touch the heel with the floor surface.
2. Walking on toes. It is an effective, but at the same time, a simple exercise that allows you to pump up the relief of the inner surface of the calves. Your knees and back should be straight while walking.
3. Walking up the stairs. For beginners, this should be measured walking, and advanced ones should be replaced by running, while the leg should be in tension.
4. Jumping with a load. As a load, dumbbells weighing no more than 1 kg are suitable, you can also use liter bottles filled with sand. The load should be taken in both hands and sit down, try to jump as high as possible. Beginners can land on the entire surface of the foot, and as you become more experienced, you should try to practice landing on the toe. You should perform 3 sets of 15-20 exercises in each.
5. Walking on a walking platform. To perform the exercise, you need to put your foot on the center of the platform, then quickly change it to the second one. The number of repetitions is 40, that is, 20 for each leg. The exercise is performed at a fairly fast pace, and therefore it is not surprising if an inflated press and the loss of extra pounds become a pleasant addition.
6. Standing up in starting position sitting and standing. In order to pump up the soleus muscle, it is enough to sit on a chair and put some load on your knees. You need to slowly lift your feet off the floor until you feel tension in the shin area. To perform the exercise in a standing position, you need a thick book. You need to put a sock on its edge and try to rise up, while not lifting your heel from the floor. Hold in this position for 2-3 seconds, and then return to the starting position.
7. For those who want to have a pumped up ankle, the heel lift exercise will help. To complete it, you will also need a dense book, on which you need to become a heel, socks should look down and be in contact with the floor. From this position, you need to rise as slowly as possible and try to reach up. By doing this exercise no need to make sharp jerks, the amplitude should be slow. Perform 40 times for each leg.
8. Squatting with a load. A simple, but at the same time quite effective exercise, beginners can perform it without weighting.

For some people, exercise is easy, for others it is difficult. In any case, it should be remembered that discomfort in the muscles may appear, but if unbearable pain occurs, it is better to stop exercising.

Do you have frail calves and blame it on genetics? With a targeted calf training program, you'll be able to look at this muscle group in a new way. Discover the exercises that will help you pump up your calves!

We all either love or hate the G-word: Genetics. If genetics has gifted us in certain areas of the body, we believe that we are just lucky. But if we are faced with difficulties and difficult tasks, then we begin to curse her and practically abandon the idea of ​​pumping up a symmetrical and proportional body, which we dream about every day.

Why are we great at pumping some muscles and not at all pumping others?

Most often it is about caviar. In all my years of training, I've only met a handful of lifters who were happy with their calf size. Most coaches just don't know what else to do to build muscle in the calves, and reduce all exercises for this group to a few sets at the end of the workout.

I hope that this article will help a little to those who still dream of impressive calves. You may not be able to pump huge bowling ball-like muscles, but I sincerely believe that almost anyone can add significant volume. muscle mass on the calves and improve overall body proportions. You like to wear shorts in summer... don't you?

Build muscle in a weak spot - very difficult task. You will need focus, discipline, determination and attention to detail. To work on a weak point (regardless of what part of the body) you will need to change the frequency, volume and technique of the exercises.

A few sets of calf raises at the end of a super-intense hamstring and quad workout won't solve the problem. You need to radically revise your training program and your attitude to business. Your success largely depends on the belief that you can achieve your goal. Without it, you are unlikely to succeed.

Treat the program and techniques presented in this article like an intense series of bench presses or squats. Full range of motion, stretching and squeezing muscles, and special attention to rest periods will help you achieve the results you need. Be patient, persevere and let's get started!

Multiple sets of calf raises at the end of a super-intense hamstring and quad workout won't solve the problem.

A bit of anatomy

The calf muscles include three main muscle groups. Let's take a look at each group and its function.

gastrocnemius: This muscle with two heads (medial and lateral) originates behind the knee on the femur and is attached to the heel by the Achilles tendon. The heads are responsible for the famous diamond shape of the muscle that every trainer dreams of, and are most involved when exercises are performed with straight knees.

soleus: This muscle is located under the gastrocnemius at the back of the lower leg. It is most involved when the knees are bent.

Anterior tibial: the muscle that is paid the least attention to is located in front of the lower leg and is responsible for dorsiflexion of the foot (extends the foot and raises its edge). The importance of the tibialis anterior is that it is partly responsible for balance in terms of strength, muscle mass, and injury prevention.

Pumping up huge calves!

Now that you know about the anatomy and mechanisms of movement, let's figure out how to get impressive calves. The presented movements and exercises are designed to get the maximum result every time you visit the gym. Remember to always use correct technique and don't raise too much big weight so as not to risk your safety.

Standing calf raises

Calf raises are a time-tested exercise for building overall muscle mass in the calves, especially in the calf area. To perform it, fix your shoulders under the pillows of the simulator and stand on the balls of your feet on the block below, spreading your legs approximately shoulder-width apart.

The legs should be completely straight except for a slight bend at the knees to take the load off the joint. During the exercise, the knees should remain half-bent.

Slowly move down, lowering your heels towards the floor. When you have reached full range of motion and feel a deep stretch in your calf muscles, reverse the movement, lift yourself up on the balls of your feet and squeeze the muscles as much as possible.

Important: As you rise onto the balls of your feet, don't tense your toes—let your feet do all the work. In addition, do not sway at the bottom point and do not make such movements during the entire exercise. Many athletes perform this exercise in this way and get almost no results from the effort expended. The result will be only if you perform the exercise at a calm, even pace.

Advice: If your gym does not have a normal machine for performing calf raises with various weights, you can use other options. Try crunches on the Smith machine. Place a footrest under the loaded bar and perform the exercise as above. No stand? Use loose pancakes or step.

Rises on socks in a sitting position

Another great exercise in any calf training program is sitting calf raises, which develop the soleus muscle. Thanks to this exercise, you can add width to the calf (when viewed from the front) and thickness (when viewed from the side).

Fix the knees (not the hips) with the pillows of the simulator and place the feet on the platform at the bottom shoulder width apart. As in the standing version of the exercise, use the full range of motion - you should feel the muscles stretch and squeeze the calves hard at the top point. Don't swing your legs!

Advice: If your gym doesn't have a seated calf raise machine, try organizing one yourself. To do this, you can use either the Smith machine or a loaded barbell. For convenience, wrap the bar with a soft pad or place a thick, folded towel over your thighs during this exercise.

Place a stand, step, or plates under the balls of your feet and lock your knees under the bar. If using a Smith machine, lift the bar and remove it from the rack (it's also a good idea to install safety pins just in case).
When using free weights, ask your partner to place a loaded barbell across your hips and keep your hands on it for balance and safety. Do the exercise as above.

Calf raises on the leg press machine

Another great exercise for general muscle building - calf raises on the machine to perform leg presses. They are usually performed on a 45-degree leg press machine and are a great way out when necessary simulators busy or absent.

The secret that distinguishes this option from the others discussed above is to keep the angle in the buds as close to 90 degrees as possible. At correct execution your calf muscles will stretch incredibly.

Sit on the simulator, put your feet shoulder-width apart and bend them at the knees a little - just like when doing this exercise in a standing position. Lower the weight to stretch your muscles, then slowly lift it up for an intense contraction.

Important: Many athletes load a lot of weight and do not complete the movement (the biggest mistake in training calves). Make sure the weight is enough, but not too much when you can only lift the slab half way. Full stretch and full contraction is the only way to make the exercise effective.

In many ways, they resemble the previous version. You may have seen a video of this exercise performed by Arnold or Franco during the golden era of bodybuilding.

You will need one or two brave friends to complete this exercise. Simply stand on the balls of your feet (as you would for simple standing raises), bend into hip joints and put your hands on the bench or crossbar of the Smith machine. Your partner should climb on your back in order to add stress. Perform with straight legs, full stretch and full muscle contraction.

Raises on socks "donkey"

One leg calf raises

One of better ways One-leg calf raises are rightfully considered to build muscle mass on the calves, which are used, however, very rarely. Very few people perform these exercises, but if you do decide, you will significantly strengthen and pump up your lower legs.

Why? Because many athletes do not reach their full potential due to a mismatch in strength and muscle development in the lower legs. Once this moment is eliminated, you can move on and begin to evenly build muscle mass on the calves.

These exercises can be done with dumbbells or without a dumbbell in hand (if you are a beginner, we recommend starting without a dumbbell to practice the movements). Find a kickstand and place one foot on it as you would for standard lifts while standing (straight leg, slightly bent at the knee, straight back).

If you use a dumbbell, hold it on the side of your working leg, grab onto an upright stance for stability, and perform the exercise with strict technique (fully stretch your muscles and lift up on the ball of your foot for a full contraction).

Advice: If you find yourself doing more reps on one leg than on the other (which is very common), do a few extra reps with strength on your weak leg. Help yourself a little with a hand without a dumbbell, pulling up a little on the rack you are holding on to. The muscle will work very intensively, and soon you will notice that the mass builds up evenly.

Heel lifts

An exercise that everyone constantly forgets (or ignores) is heel raises. Primarily used by runners, it will not only add muscle mass to the front of the calf, but it will also help to strengthen that area by balancing both sides.

This, in turn, will improve your technique and reduce the risk of injury to all the muscles in your lower leg, resulting in a more harmonious and proportionate body.

Just put your heels on the stand and lower your feet down to stretch your muscles. Rise on your heels and bend your feet up, pointing your toes at the ceiling. You don't need weights for this exercise because you may find that this is your new weak spot. Try not to sway back and forth - strictly follow the technique and feel how the muscles work!

Training plans

Do one of the following programs 1-2 times a week with at least 4 rest days between workouts for maximum results. You can alternate exercises and choose the ones that suit you best.

Note: Perform 1 or 2 warm-up sets of 15-20 reps on the first exercise. Rest only 45-60 seconds between sets (use a watch if necessary). Change your calf exercise programs twice a week.