Three Tiered Assault for Great Calf Development

by Troy " Awwsum" Pearsall

The best calves that I have ever seen in bodybuilding belonged not to Mike Mentzer, or Chris Dickerson but to Shawn Ray. Shawn Ray was not genetically predisposed to great calves, he was predisposed to hard work. The high calf and long soleus of Shaw Ray would be called (by quitters) racially disadvantaged calves, but when he stood on stage next to anyone his calves were never a weak point.  

When I started bodybuilding, black men were not expected to grow great calves. Robby Robinson would have had the perfect physique had his calf development not been sub par.  

I entered the Mid-Atlantic back in 1992  my calves measured 17”. In preparing for the contest my bodyweight went from 210lbs to 192lbs ( I start contest training 24 weeks out) and my calves went from 15” to 17”. This was the first time in my life that I ever had such a development burst and I needed to know why.  If I could paten this I would be rich!
 

Scientific study never impressed me, for the most part I felt their results were the dependent on who financed their project.  However antidotal study seems to answer many questions on the level that was important to me. I never needed to know how protein worked in the body to build muscle, just that if I took “X” amount, at a given body weight, I would get a desired result.  

So I did some study of those individuals that had great calves and “claimed” to have been born with bad calves. I paid no attention to race, or ethnic origin, because of my sudden size increase I felt the solution had to effect everyone equality

Keep your hat on because what I’m about to say may just shock you! “ Donkey Calf Raises” that’s it not secret not great discipline.   

Not many bodybuilders today do donkey calf raises because this movement  brings to question their Machismo.  “I don’t want no man climbing on may back that’s nasty” However when you can put your ego, and homophobia aside and just do the work, you will grow!.

There was a book I read a while back called “Critical Mass” I’m not sure who wrote it but the book subscribes to the theory  of  “Point of Flexion” that if you work a muscle from all angles than the muscle will grow.  I followed what was in the book and got some pretty impressive results so I know it works.

Remember I am antidotal, but I’m still analytical in my  assessments. So the first thing that came to my mind was why is it that there are three positions, flexed, mid-range, and contracted, but for claves and hamstrings there are only two movements?   

The other thing that  I noticed was most people in the gym with poor calves did only two exercises for calves standing calf raises and seated. Both of those list in the book as being needed for explosive growth.  Look a 250lb man with 16 inch calve is not pretty.

Now of those that did have great, or at least above average calves they did donkeys. You know the group of crazies that benched 450lbs squatted 600lbs and had  huge backs so littered with pimples that some busted from lying on the bench when the were doing heavy sets. You know the guys  all the other gym members tried to stay away from.  If you don’t know who I’m talking about its because you were one of those guys. These guys did donkey calf raises almost every night before they went home. They piled on one, two, even three of there workout buddies  and the cute girl that worked behind the counter every night to grunt out at least three set of donkeys every single night. 

What I have here is a routine designed to develop your claves in about a month, remember that you must follow the rules below for this to work!  

Before you can do the routine here are some rules you need to take into consideration first.

• Make sure the number of triceps sets is equal to or less than the calves. What this rule is doing is trying to teach that your calves are as important as any of the more showy muscles.
   
• Rep range stays the same even when the weight increases
   
• As soon as you can complete the rep requirement add weight ( this is about every two weeks or so) less in the beginning longer as you get better. However, if you are using the same weight after 2 months than you have not put enough efforts to see results. Suggestion cut down rest between sets or increase weight and keep workout time the same.
   
• Every 6 weeks change the order of the exercise, Treat your calf work as a workout by itself. I take up to 30 min rest after calves before doing  the rest of my workout, or do them ( my calves) on a day with forearms and traps.

Change the order every 7th week.

Here is the routine
                       

            PS: don't use the donkey calf machine you see at health spas. If you must use a machine use a leg press machine and do lying toe raises, the goal is  that your body be in a “L” shape while doing the exercise.  Please don’t get me wrong the leg press machine is not a substitute for the “jump on my back” donkey calf work so don’t be tempted  replace donkeys with a leg press machine.

God Bless

Troy "awwsum" Pearsall

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