Feel like you've been going to the gym for ages but your calves simply refuse to grow? Then you've come to the right place. Many gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts find that growing their calves can be an intimidating task - particularly when you just don't get the results you need. Without the right knowledge or guidance, it can feel like a never-ending battle to build strong, toned calves. The good news is that there are some simple tips and tricks you can implement to grow your calves fast. In this feature of the Education Vault, we're going to quickly share 5 simple yet effective techniques that will help you get calves like Big Ramy in no time!
What are Calf muscles?
Before you can start building massive calves, you need to understand the basics of how they function and what their role is. Calf muscles are a vital part of the human body. Not only do they provide us with basic balance and stability, but they also help us perform everyday activities such as walking and running. Above all, it's important to understand the anatomy of the calf muscle. The calf is made up of two primary muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is a two-headed muscle that runs from the back of the knee to the heel and is responsible for the powerful movements of your lower leg. The soleus, on the other hand, is a single-headed muscle that runs from the knee to the Achilles tendon and is responsible for stabilizing the ankle joint.
Calf Anatomy (Source: Foot Pain Explored)
Now you know what you're working with, you can start focusing on what really matters - how to make the suckers bigger! The following strategies will help you maximise the growth of your calf muscles. Don't worry, we'll dive into what each one means after.
- Eat a protein rich diet.
- Train your calves first.
- Exercise with intensity.
- Cardio (but not too much!)
- Stretch.
Eating a Protein Rich Diet
If you're doing this already, you can skip past this part, but for those who aren't monitoring what they're eating, this should become your number one priority. Yes, that means before even thinking about building stronger calves, you should be nailing your food intake. Protein is a macronutrient that helps your muscles recover, repair, and grow. Eating a diet rich in protein will subsequently help you build your calf muscles faster. Make sure to include plenty of lean meats, dairy products, eggs and nuts in your diet. As a general rule of thumb, you should aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight everyday. If you can't reach your daily target with foods, and only if you can't reach it with foods, you should consider supplementing with protein shakes and the likes.
Training your Calves First
Now that your nutrition is dialled in, let's talk about when you train your calves. So, let me guess, you hit one calf exercise at the end of your routine to finish off your leg session? If you answered yes, this MUST change. It's simple really, you and your muscles are most fatigued at the end of a session - so if your hitting calves at the end of your leg day, the muscle simply won't be able to perform at its peak. Not to worry though, as you might've already guessed, all you need to do to fix this is put your calf exercises at the start of your session. Notice also that I said 'exerciseS', plural. That takes us onto the next point...
Exercise with Intensity
You should treat your calves like any other muscle when training. This means exercising them with just as much intensity as you would train your other muscle groups. So, take your current training style and directly apply the same methodology to your calves. You might end up doing 3 sets of 6-8 reps, or perhaps you're a top-set back-off set type of person, either way remember the fundamentals. Train your calves with intensity and push them to true failure. Get your form right and don't forget that performing exercises at a slow and controlled tempo will help to maximise time under tension, leading to greater growth.
Cardio (but not too much!)
Cardio is a fantastic way to burn fat and build muscle and as we mentioned earlier, your calves are vital for balance and stability when manoeuvring. Consequently, when you're performing any leg driven cardiovascular exercises, your calf muscles will be engaged. If you incorporate cardio into your routine by running, biking or incline steps, it will help you build strength and endurance in your calf muscles. Just remember not to over do it, if you burn your calves out too frequently, it could have adverse effects and result in diminishing returns. This 2022 study "When does training volume reach the point of diminishing returns?", by Greg Nuckols, might help you determine how much or how little training volume to incorporate into your routine.
Stretch
Stretching is an essential part of any workout routine. For many of us, and I'll admit that I'm also guilty, stretching is the last thing on our minds when we're striving to achieve that dream physique. That said, it very much deserves a spot in the top 5 tips for easily growing your calves. On the whole, stretching can help improve your range of motion (ROM) and flexibility, which will help you perform calf exercises with greater intensity. It's also a key factor for safe and efficient recovery.
Concluding Remarks
There we have it, these are the five easiest ways to grow your calves. Try incorporating the techniques into your routine and you will be sure to see results in no time. Good luck!
If you're interested in learning more training techniques and receiving the best supplement deals for gaining muscle directly to your inbox, make sure to sign up to our Newsletter. Alternatively, if you have any additional questions related to getting bigger calves, please don't hesitate to get in touch with one of partnered athletes or directly contact the Tailor Wheyed team here.
By: Tegan Wright | Copy Writer
