How to build calf muscles

+25 votes
asked Sep 2, 2018 in Health & Wellness by EileenWashbu (260 points)
edited Nov 27, 2018 by Kris
I’ve always been a scrawny guy and got picked on a lot in school because of it. So I started going to the gym and working out to build some muscle mass. I feel like my legs aren’t getting any buffer even though the rest of my body is, and it looks weird. Anyone knows how to build calf muscles?

4 Answers

+14 votes
answered Feb 21, 2019 by JuliusOrosco (410 points)
edited Apr 16, 2019
We walk around all day long and use our calf muscles constantly, but most of us have little to no calf definition. This means that it take a lot of working out and a lot of stress and tension to build calf muscles. So if you’re doing light leg exercises that aren’t doing significantly more than normal every day exertions on your legs, you’re never going to build calf muscles. It might seem like you’re doing a lot in comparison to what you’re doing for the rest of your body, but you have to be aware of what your body does normally in order to improve it. You get exercise by doing normal activities, so at the gym you should be doing way more than this to build muscle.
+10 votes
answered Sep 25, 2018 by RosDAlberti (420 points)
edited Mar 4, 2019
Variety is the key to a good workout because you don’t want your body to get too comfortable with what you’re doing. This is how you really help muscle growth. So to build calf muscles you should try doing sets of different exercises that target this area, like pyramids and drop sets. If you stop feeling the burn from an exercise then you should probably try to incorporate more things or switch up your routine for a while.
+1 vote
answered Jun 3, 2019 by ChristalBeam (200 points)
edited Jul 3, 2019
Doing calf raises really helps build calf muscles, and there are two ways you can do this. Switch between standing calf raises and seated calf raises by doing sets. Both of these exercises work best if you add some weight to put extra stress on your calves. Another helpful calf raise is the donkey calf raise, so try alternating and mixing up these different methods.
commented Sep 3, 2015 by MadelineBess (150 points)
Donkey calf raise? Oh, I didn’t hear about this before, will definitely try it out. Thanks for providing your way on how to build calf muscles.
0 votes
answered Feb 26, 2019 by GenTuttle (270 points)
edited Jun 22, 2019
Cardio done right can really help you build calf muscles, despite what a lot of people say. Running versus jogging will force your calves to support your weight and help build them up. If you feel like you aren’t getting enough of a workout from this or can’t run fast enough to make a difference, try using ankle weights to add stress. Another cardio exercise you can do is jumping rope. This method, in particular, really helps tone and shape your calves and is excellent for burning fat. I actually jump rope a lot as a regular part of my workout, and I can feel the burn! My legs feel like they are on fire afterwards, which is a good sign that it’s working.
commented Sep 15, 2015 by OmarComer73 (160 points)
Jumping rope? That’s a great idea for how to build calf muscles.
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