Having trouble getting your calf muscles to grow? We’ve heard so many complaints about how a calf raise workouts just don’t get you the results you need. Every excuse in the book has been made form poor genetics to bad programming – the truth is if you want your calves to grow you need to try this scientifically proven calf raises workout. 

 

Look, I completely understand the struggle with trying to get your calves to grow. Personally, I have been involved in strength and speed based sports my entire life – calf strength is essential. 

 

I have spent countless hours working through a variety of training methods to find the best calf raise workout and found the most effective methods that will be shared in this article. 

 

Trying to build stronger, more powerful calf muscles – checkout the best calf raise workout below. 

 

The Best Calf Raises Workout

For those of you who are not overly concerned with the science and theory behind achieving the best calf raise workout copy down the chart below and get training. 

 

NOTE: Those of you who are keeners and want to know why this program will yield the best possible results while minimizing injury, read below and acquire in-depth power and knowledge. 

 

Workout #1 – Base Strength

EXERCISE	REPS	SETS	TEMPO	RBS*
Standing Calf Raise	12	3	4111	2m
Seated Calf Raise (toes in)	8	4	3111	2m
Single-Leg Eccentrics	6	4	4000	2m

RBS* Rest between sets. Displayed in seconds (s) or minutes (m). 

 

Workout #2 – Power-Based

EXERCISE	REPS	SETS	TEMPO	RBS*
Standing Calf Raise + Skipping	8+30s	3	4111	2m
Toe Walks	16	4	1111	2m
Calf Raise Jumps	6	4	1X00	2m

 

Why Single-Leg Eccentrics?

Eccentric loading is one of the most effective ways to elicit a complete contraction of the muscle without putting an excessive amount of stress on the joint or muscle through repeated isotonic movements. 

 

You can use eccentric training methods for a variety of muscle systems but using it for a calf raises workout is one of the most effective due to the large muscle belly and the high onset of injury in the Achilles tendon – especially with runners. 

 

The focus here should be to always have tension on the muscle and allow for a complete range of motion. In this way, you are developing the muscle though a complete contraction through basic principles of time-under-tension. 

 

Why Seated and Standing Calf Raises?

The main calf muscle (gastrocnemius) crosses the knee joint. That is, the origin is actually above the back of the knee. This means that in a seated position, where the knee is flexed, the calf muscle will be less available to actually move the resistance of the weight. Using both seated and standing calf raises allows us to train the calves with very basic variability. 

 

TRAINER NOTES: Using both seated and standing calf raises is similar to those that use both hammer curls and preacher curls to train the biceps. By putting the calves in a different position we are allowing certain variability into the training and allowing the muscle to develop much more effectively. 

 

Progressing Your Calf Raise Workout

Although the calf raises workout above is good you will need to progress upon it. Any workout requires some change and some variability for it to be successful in the long haul. Here are a couple of methods you can use to progress with your calf raises workout:

 

1. Volume Training Levels up Your Calf Raise Workout

Increasing the total number of complete contractions (reps) during a workout is very effective for building mass. Keep in mind, excessive loading of the calves can lead to injury. Only use volume training once a week and be sure to keep records of the weight you lifted and the reps you completed for progressive overload later down the road. 

 

Keep it simple and throw in a 10×10 (10 reps x 10 sets, standing calf raise) workout every 3 weeks. 

 

2. Intensity Can Boost Your Calf Raise Workout Results

The term intensity refers to the amount of stress you put on the muscle for a particular set. For example, a high-intensity set could be calf raises with a superset into skipping (great for muscular endurance and power endurance) but it could also be heavy standing calf raises. 

 

Both methods will help to increase the size and stimulation of the muscle tissue. The key idea here is that you continue to create variability in your calf raises workout. 

 

Building A Complete Power and Strength Workout

Chances are you are reading this calf raises workout because you are looking to build strength and power. Maybe you’re an athlete that is looking to jump higher or a runner who is trying to deal with stress injuries and needs to increase the calf muscle strength – whatever the reason you have earnyourstrength.com can help you achieve your goal. 

 

Our calf raises workout is one step on your journey to success as an athlete. The workouts above (especially when combined with versatility) will allow you to progressively build strength, size, and power in the calf muscles. With that said, we know there are true lifters out there that are always looking for more – athletes who want to perform at the top of their game. 

 

Like this article? Leave a comment and let us know if this calf raises workout helped you build size and strength. Enjoy the gains. 

 

RESOURCES:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24855138