Be sure to work a variety of angles into your exercises. Each angle will work your calves slightly differently and help you to build them in better proportion. Try pointing your toes straight forward, out to the sides, or inward toward the middle. Pointing your toes in different angles will also help you to hit different parts of your calves.
Probably the biggest mistake made in calf training is to not train them with enough weight. Like we mentioned earlier, each time you take a step forward you are really pressing the weight of your entire body. Since your calves are so used to this constant stress, you’ll need to use very heavy weights to train them properly. But since each step doesn’t stress your calves through the entire range of motion, you’ll need to make up for weak areas in your training.
You can accomplish this by focusing on the top and bottom portions of your calf raises. Your calves are probably much stronger at the mid-range of motion, so you’ll need to be sure to hold at the peak of each raise and feel the burn. You’ll also want to let your heels sink as far down as possible at the bottom so that you can work the full range of motion.
This will also help you to get a good stretch in the middle of your exercise. In fact, many body builders have found that this stretching can really help to improve overall calf size. Be sure and get in a good stretch before, during, and between your calf exercises.
One good way to get a stretch is to stand with your toes on a ledge, maybe on stairs or on another raised surface in the gym. Stand on one foot with your heel hanging off the edge, and balance your body with your hands. Slowly lower your heel down as far as possible and feel a good stretch.
Alternatively, you can stand a few feet away from a wall and take a step forward with one foot. Place both hands against the wall and lean forward as far as possible while keeping your back heel flat on the ground. You should feel a nice stretch in your calves this way.
A few tips might also help you when training your calves… You might find that you get a better shock by training your calf muscles with varying reps from time to time. For example, on one day you may work your calves with a heavy weight and as little as 6-10 reps. The next time in the gym, you might surprise your calves by hitting them with as many as 15-20 reps on each set. If your calves don’t see the shock coming, they are less likely to build up a resistance to your exercises.
Also, try resisting as you slowly lower the weight on each of your exercises. This forces your calves to work in a slightly different way than they have to work when only pressing upward. As you tire out near the end of your workout, strip the weight down each time you fail and try to crank out a few more reps. Repeat this process until your calves scream for mercy.
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