Training my calves

[Brat]

Okay...I've been searching the forum and found that I have the exact opposite of many people on here...My calves can't get smaller!! They're about 16-17" right now, and I'd like to get them down to like, 13-14" to be proportional to my biceps...How do I get them SMALLER!? Higher reps? Lower weight?? I swear I tried that and put muscle on!! I haven't been training them because every time they even look at a weight, they grow! It's probably the one part of my body that I'm least satisfied with...Can someone help??

 

[RJ]

Okay...I've been searching the forum and found that I have the exact opposite of many people on here...My calves can't get smaller!! They're about 16-17" right now, and I'd like to get them down to like, 13-14" to be proportional to my biceps...How do I get them SMALLER!? Higher reps? Lower weight?? I swear I tried that and put muscle on!! I haven't been training them because every time they even look at a weight, they grow! It's probably the one part of my body that I'm least satisfied with...Can someone help??

before I looked, i thought you were a guy and thought, why wouldn't you just make your arms bigger. lol

first off, Semper Fi to a fellow Marine. Second, unfortunately what you have is genetically gifted calves (even though that is not how you look at them). This may not be great advice, but have you thought about not working them at all? Also, what is your diet like and how lean are you? If you were to lean down, they may drop some size. Unfortuantely I only know of one drug that eats through muscle and fat (which I am not suggesting AT ALL!), and it doesn't just work in certain spots.

What are your goals sweetie. That may help.

 

[Brat]

Genetically gifted...lol

I used to tease this guy at the gym...he was prepping for a contest but has these teeny ass calves...in one month I put 1/4" and I bragged to him...I thought his carb-depleted ass was gonna beat me up!!

I thought leaning out would help decrease the calf size, but when I recently dropped some weight, my calves were still the same freakin' size! Every other part of me lost inches except them...I'm still far away (or so it seems) from where I want to be...I'm a clean eater, vegetarian, pretty much stick to whole foods and a coupla protein shakes a day...

I don't think I've touched a calf machine in months...I run a lot, and thought that would help...but noooo...stupid muscles =) I mean, there are other body parts that could use some improvement on me (abs!), but they piss me off as much as my calves...I'll flex 'em and get all giddy cuz they're defined, but then I remember that they're huge! *sigh*

 

[RJ]

I used to tease this guy at the gym...he was prepping for a contest but has these teeny ass calves...in one month I put 1/4" and I bragged to him...I thought his carb-depleted ass was gonna beat me up!!

I thought leaning out would help decrease the calf size, but when I recently dropped some weight, my calves were still the same freakin' size! Every other part of me lost inches except them...I'm still far away (or so it seems) from where I want to be...I'm a clean eater, vegetarian, pretty much stick to whole foods and a coupla protein shakes a day...

I don't think I've touched a calf machine in months...I run a lot, and thought that would help...but noooo...stupid muscles =) I mean, there are other body parts that could use some improvement on me (abs!), but they piss me off as much as my calves...I'll flex 'em and get all giddy cuz they're defined, but then I remember that they're huge! *sigh*

Well, although I have no body parts that are like that.. lol, I have to see you should just be glad you have calves. Are they in proportion with your upper legs... and how about your butt (that sounded bad, sorry). Couse that can make them look even better with a nice set of calves too.

I don't know girl, not much you can do like I said, but if you do see them decrease a bit (which is unlikely), just try and get em ripped up and just accept the fact that you have nice well built calves... not just huge calves!!

Either that or cut some out and send them my way, I could use some more calf size. lol

 

[Brat]

If ya cut my body in half, my lower body is all in proportional...but on a whole, I have a relatively lean upper body with a bulky lower body...the female curse...I've found that my upper body can lean out quick, and my lower body can gain muscle/strength quick (I easily went from a 135 squat to a 225 squat within a week or so...that was crazy to me!)...I've kinda switched my focus now, trying to overtrain my legs in hopes that they'll lean out (suggested by my boss) and train my upper body heavier...Stupid? Maybe I'll just try bulkin' my arms up so I don't look so unproportional, but at the same time, I gotta get my weight down to enlist...People think that's stupid ("I'd rather have someone built like you fighting for my country than some twig!!")...but gotta do whatcha gotta do, eh?

Trust me, if I could donate my calves, I would!! =) Think they have tissue donation for calves?? Hehe...I watch these stupid MTV shows about plastic surgery and saw this guy get calf implants...I felt bad for him...hehe

 

[RJ]

If ya cut my body in half, my lower body is all in proportional...but on a whole, I have a relatively lean upper body with a bulky lower body...the female curse...I've found that my upper body can lean out quick, and my lower body can gain muscle/strength quick (I easily went from a 135 squat to a 225 squat within a week or so...that was crazy to me!)...I've kinda switched my focus now, trying to overtrain my legs in hopes that they'll lean out (suggested by my boss) and train my upper body heavier...Stupid? Maybe I'll just try bulkin' my arms up so I don't look so unproportional, but at the same time, I gotta get my weight down to enlist...People think that's stupid ("I'd rather have someone built like you fighting for my country than some twig!!")...but gotta do whatcha gotta do, eh?

Trust me, if I could donate my calves, I would!! =) Think they have tissue donation for calves?? Hehe...I watch these stupid MTV shows about plastic surgery and saw this guy get calf implants...I felt bad for him...hehe

I saw that show too, what a jackass!!!

Anyway, I would sugest neglecting any part of your body. Muscle stimualtion derives from an all over body workout. If you limit your training, you will l imit your goals in the gym. Make sense?

I would suggest light weight/highger reps on your lower body, try more iso exercise, and maybe some sprint work!! This will enhance the leanness in the bulkier areas while you still train medium/heavy up top. Also, try and do some drop sets with your delt work to round out or 'cap' the delts as well. This will give the illusion of a smaller waist and a more hourglass shape. Don't worry about unproportionality (is that a word?), just keep on trucking and stay lean. Work on targeting certain areas and you should see some great change.

You may want to check out some stuff in the women's forum as weel as the gals on board know their shit and can give you some advice that they have had personal experiance with.

 

[Brat]

Yeah...I visit all the forums pretty much daily...I'm such a nerd when it comes to this stuff...I just don't ever hear a lot of females bitchin about their calves...

When I train my lower body, I stick to higher reps/lower weights...Always do supersets of extensions/curls...Plus some kinda squat (either hack or smith), lunges, and my favorite - 90 rep leg press (always fun...just gotta remember to get up slowly from the machine after this...li'l dizzy!)...I also do one set of three triple drop sets on the shoulder press...a trainer taught me that for endurance...I love my shoulders...heh...Working on my lats, too...I dunno why, but I find a defined back sexy as hell...*shrugs*

Thanks for your help, by the way...appreciate it =)

 

[RJ]

No problem at all.

So, are you in or are you enlisting soon?

 

[Brat]

I have 115 days left before I'm done with college, but I'm planning on enlisting in March for the DEP program...I'm so freakin' excited...lol...

Sorry for the delay in response...work...blah

 

[RJ]

I have 115 days left before I'm done with college, but I'm planning on enlisting in March for the DEP program...I'm so freakin' excited...lol...

Sorry for the delay in response...work...blah

Awesome!! Best thing I ever did in my life was join the Corps.

Well, good luck sweetie and kick some ass!!

 

[Brat]

I don't know any other way to do things than kickin' ass =)

When your own 80 y/o grandma tells you to join the Marines because you're too hardcore for any other branch, you tend to listen...hehe....