re: Calf mass advice

As a person who was genetically gifted massive calves and big forearms I always get quite a bit of "How do I get my calves bigger?" types of questions(forearms too). Obviously I know that I didn't have to do anything, I was just born this way, but dudes see me and think I have the answer, I do not, but the frequency of the question made me do some research and I always read the same thing over and over, which is that calves just don't grow like other muscles do when trained.

Forearms, I believe, do grow if you train them, but I always recommend against direct forearm work. You get the forearm work from lifting and getting bigger in general. You use your grip when you lift and play sports and that's all the work you need, just use your hands and test your grip a lot.

For calves, I think walking and cycling are your best bet. I have done a lot of both and I did a bunch of both while I was a kid so maybe that helped grow my already beefy calves. I also have big teardrop vastus medialis muscles, and I distinctly remember those burning like hell any time I cycled. Cycling up hills was great leg work.

But MWP is right, how many explosive, fast, highly athletic people do you see with monster calves? I don't see any. In fact, people with big buffalo legs like me are usually, as you would guess, a little "heavy legged" when it comes to speed and power. I think I always did decent with speed and power, but endurance....forget it, running long distances with big heavy legs is like swimming in wet jeans, just dragging weight around.

I understand the desire, I've heard many a chicken legged athlete/lifter lament how embarrassed they are of their skinny calves, despite their athleticism, and I just don't get it. To me, if you're strong, agile, explosive, and can athletically perform the way you want to, who cares? Would ripped, vascular calves be okay, even if they aren't "big", I would think so, but I've never understood bodybuilding.