More Calf Raises Mean Bigger Calves (Mostly)
Bigger Calves from Doing Higher Resistance Training Volume?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Practical Takeaways
If you're new to calf training, aim for 12 weekly sets to maximize growth in the lateral gastrocnemius and soleus, or stick to 9 sets for a time-efficient alternative that yields similar results.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Practical Takeaways
If you're new to calf training, aim for 12 weekly sets to maximize growth in the lateral gastrocnemius and soleus, or stick to 9 sets for a time-efficient alternative that yields similar results.
Publication
Journal
International Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2023
Authors
Witalo Kassiano, Bruna Costa, Gabriel Kunevaliki, Felipe Lisboa, Ian Tricoli, Jarlisson Francsuel, Luis Lima, Natã Stavinski, Edilson S. Cyrino
Related Content
Claims (4)
Doing more sets of calf exercises each week generally builds bigger calf muscles, but after a certain point, adding even more sets gives you less and less extra muscle growth.
Doing 12 calf raises a week for six weeks builds more lower leg muscle than doing just 6 a week for women who haven't trained before. This shows that doing more sets directly leads to bigger muscle growth in that area.
Doing more calf exercises per week (going from 6 to 12 sets) doesn't actually make your calf muscles grow bigger. In a short 6-week program, women who did fewer sets saw the same muscle growth as those who did more, meaning calves might not need as much training to grow.
If you're a young woman who hasn't trained before, doing 9 sets of calf exercises per week builds just as much muscle as doing 6 or 12 sets over six weeks. This means you can save time on your workouts without getting less growth.