Working With Chicken Legs

I have always struggle with skinny legs. I’ve mentioned it before and I won’t stop because contrary to the popular belief that most people have that many like me just skip leg day, this is not the case. But there are many old beliefs that we often take as the right way to do things, and this is normally wrong. I’ve have looked at Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopedia To Bodybuilding, and I’ve studied many work outs by many different body types of bodybuilders. When I do what they do, I see the results that they have seen.

            The common myth, often taught to me by guys who naturally have decent sized legs and therefore they see minimal results from what they do, but let me be clear, small results on a good foundation can go a long way, this myth is if you want to build muscle you load up the weight as much as possible and do 3-5 reps. This goes against every good bodybuilder you can name. Especially for calves.

            I am finally getting the results that I have wanted by training the calves for a good 30-40 minutes, 2-3 times a week. This is a ton! But it works. I do standing calf raises, 4 sets of 25. Then 2 sets maxing out at 10, then dropping the weight 20 pounds for another 10 reps. I go slow and make sure to contract the calf fully, then slowly letting the weight down. I do a similar work out with sitting calf raises. 4 sets of 20 reps, again slow, and contracting the muscle fully, and letting the weight down slow. 2 more sets of 10, maxing out, then dropping 20 pounds for 10 more reps. Standing calf raises are for the main, upper calf muscle called gastrocnemius, and sitting calf raises are for the lower calf muscle the soleus. Both a critical.

            I have never seen results before, and now that I am lifting like a bodybuilder, I am finally growing one of the hardest muscles to build. I’m so tired of the old myths, always be skeptical. Look for people who have true results and who you want to look like, then do what they do. If they have “big” thighs or calves, that are built and shredded and show hard work not genetics, then don’t listen.