How to pump up caviar

What determines the volume of calves

The shape and thickness of the calves is determined by the triceps muscle of the lower leg. She, in turn, is split 1.

2. on the gastrocnemius (38%) and soleus (62%) muscles.

How to build calves: Triceps calf muscle

The calf muscle lies superficially and is well felt under the skin, has two heads and is responsible for flexion of the foot and knee.

The flounder is located deeper and lower, bends only one joint - the ankle, but is responsible for 60% of the strength of this movement.

The muscles of the calves tense when you stand: they fix the lower leg and prevent the body from falling forward. They also work all the time while walking and any other movements in which you need to bend the ankle joint.

Since calves have to strain constantly, they are extremely hardy - and it is this feature of them that can interfere with pumping.

Is it really difficult to pump up caviar

The triceps of the lower leg consists mainly of white muscle fibers of the first type, which contract slowly, but can withstand prolonged loads.

To increase the volume of your calves, first of all, you need to properly tire them, and this is not so easy with such hardy muscles. One study found that the lower leg triceps were damaged less than all other muscles except the quadriceps, and recovered faster.

Thus, you will have to work hard to properly load the calves and provide them with the necessary stimulus to grow.

What exercises to use to build calves

In the gym there are special trainers for pumping the triceps of the lower leg, but you can easily tire the muscles without them. Below we list effective movements, some of which can be performed without any burden.

Standing Calf Raise

This movement can be performed in a special simulator, in Smith, with a regular barbell on your shoulders, as well as with any other weight in your hands: dumbbells, kettlebells or barbell pancakes. Choose what suits you.

First, find a small, stable elevation, such as barbell pancakes, stand, skirting boards, or a step platform. This will help you increase the range of motion of the joint and build better muscle.

Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of the dais and your heels in the air. Place your feet hip-width apart or narrower, pointing your toes straight ahead. This position pumps all the muscle heads equally well.

If you want to load a little more on the inside of the lower leg, turn the socks to the sides by 45 °, if you work on the size of the outside, wrap them inward. But keep in mind that the difference will be small.

Take the weights on your shoulders or in your arms, fully straighten your knees and block them. To slightly increase the load on the muscles and eliminate the buildup, additionally strain the front of the thigh.

Lower your heels below the level of your support as far as the stretch is, and then gently press the pads into the support and rise to your toes. At the extreme point, squeeze your calves with all your might and hold the tension for two seconds.

Then, just as smoothly lower your heels to the edge of your range of motion. Make sure that during the lift, the feet rise evenly and do not lean to the sides: this can be dangerous for the ligaments of the joint.

Rise on one leg

This one-sided exercise will help you pump your calves well even without additional weights, as well as remove imbalances in the development of the limbs.

According to a study, lifting the heel on one leg loads the triceps calf muscle by 112% of the maximum voluntary contraction - the level to which a person can contract the muscle himself without any impact.

All technical points coincide with a two-legged lift: perform a movement on an elevation to lower the heel as low as possible, do it smoothly and squeeze the calves at the top point for two seconds.

Seated Calf Raise

When you bend your leg at the knee, some of the strength of the calf muscle is spent on this action, so that its participation in the work of the ankle is reduced.

Thus, the seated toe raises put more stress on the soleus muscle.

The exercise can be performed in a special simulator or with weights on your knees. Sit on a bench, place your toes on a raised platform and place the selected weight on your knees. Get up on your toes and come back, dropping your heel as low as possible.

Try to eliminate any buildup. Try to keep your body straight so you don't use your hands.

Leg Press Calf Raises

This pumping option may be more convenient than the previous ones, since you do not need to take additional burden.

Sit on the horizontal leg press machine, place your feet so that your toes are on the edge of the platform and your heels are free. Straighten your legs fully and lock your knees. Raise your heels and lower them back, observing all the technical points described above.

You can also do the exercise in another leg press machine. In this case, you will move your toes on the platform, and not push off from it.

Jumping on one leg

This movement is suitable for those who train without weights. In an experiment with different exercises for pumping calves, jumping on one leg provided the best level of activation - 129% of the maximum voluntary contraction.

But keep in mind that you need to warm up well before jumping, as sudden movements can lead to injury. Before training, do a joint warm-up: twist your legs at the knee and ankle joints and actively stretch the muscles of the lower legs.

When jumping on one leg, do not lower the heel to the floor and try to bend the knee and hip as little as possible, working mainly with the muscles of the lower leg and foot. Start with a one-legged set in place.

Then try side-to-side jumping.

The next option is jumping forward and backward.

Do 15–20 jumps of each type with each leg.

How to choose weight, sets and reps

It is believed that since the triceps muscle of the leg consists of hardy fibers of the first type, they need to be pumped with a large number of repetitions. In one experiment, they decided to check whether caviar really grows better from multiple repetitions, and found out that this is not the case.

In the study, 26 untrained young men were divided into two groups. Some performed 4 sets of 6-10 repetitions of toe raises while standing and sitting, others - 4 sets of 20-30 times.

Both groups worked to muscle failure. That is, in each approach, they were hammered so that they could not perform any more repetitions. After 8 weeks, the scientists saw that in both groups, the calf muscles grew approximately the same.

It doesn't really matter if you do 20-30 reps or 6-10 reps. The main thing is that each approach is performed to muscle failure or very close to that.

Choose one thing, or alternate between long and short sets so that it doesn't get boring. If you are working without weights, you may need at least 30 smooth reps with tension at the top point to get a good calf hammer.

As for the number of sets, start with 2-3 to gradually get used to the load and not damage the muscles too much in the first sessions. As you get used to it, you can increase the number of sets to 4-5.

How often to pump caviar

Since the triceps calf muscle recovers quickly, you can train it more often than other groups - 3-4 times a week.

Focus on your feelings: if your calves hurt a lot after class, give them a day of rest. If there is no soreness, you can load them again in the next lesson.

As for the place in the program, you can pump the muscles of the lower leg at the very end of the workout. Since they are quite hardy, other leg exercises will provide preliminary fatigue, and lifting on toes will "finish off" them.

One-legged jumps are an exception. It is better to perform this movement after a good warm-up in the first part of the workout, otherwise tired muscles may not withstand the load and you will get injured.