Strenghtening and building the calves

[Ronin]

What are the best exercises for calf development?

I am currently doing standing calf raises, I am upto the limit on the machine, 500lbs, now what?????

[lechuza]

try barbell heel raises. stand with your feet wider that shoulder width apart--like for squats except your just raising your heels of the ground. it's a lot different than doing them on a machine that isolates the calves.

[Chudo]

Do one calf at a time. Be sure to use good form for both or you'll begin to look lopsided.

[Ronin]

one at a time? with dumbells right?

[lechuza]

Maybe Chud meant that you could do one calf at a time on the machine?

[Nihilanthic]

make sure you do the bent knee ones.

Don't let your soleus get too weak and your gastrocs too strong.

and, of course, work out your quads/hams, and the muscle that opposes the calves *moves the foot the other way, forgot the name of it* for the sake of your ankles.

[Ronin]

Not sure if I can, because of the balance issue, but I can try.

[Nid]

Gotta seated calf raise apparatus? It emphasizes the soleus a bit more than the gastroc.

[Ronin]

I have a seated calf machine, but I have never felt it was as "good" as the standing raises, to get anytype of descent workout I would have to load it with so much weight that the pad would hurt my knees.

[Berserk411]

Seated calf raises until failure. Put a towel on your knees pansy boy.