Ankle/Lower leg exercises

projectK

I have only recently started lifting weights but have seen some remarkable results in a relatively short period of time (though this will probably plateau for a bit after the initial shock to the system!!! ) The only area i am having difficulty in bulking up is my ankles/lower legs. I have tried weighted calf lifts/seated calf lifts but was just wondering is there any other exercise that would help...

without access to a local gym i am restricted with only barbell/dumbells etc...

Ouijaboard

Nothing much you can do about ankle size, thats your genetically determined bone structure. You probably have thin ankles and thin wrists (similar to me) and a high calf muscle which makes it very difficult but not impossible to put 'bulk' into the lower legs.

Calves are used to carrying your whole body all day and need very heavy weight and a mixture of high reps and low reps to stimulate growth. What is really needed is access to a standing calf machine where you can lift extremely heavy weights to make maximum gains but for now since you only have access to barbells and dumbbells the best thing to do is standing single leg calf raises holding a dumbbell.
You at least get the benefit of using your bodyweight for added resistance and focuses one one leg at a time. It will give you some size but gets awkward as the dumbbell weight increases.

Best method of doing this is start with left leg and do as many reps as you can to start, when you feel the burn take only 10secs rest before going again(just enough for burn to go away ) when you finally reach 100 then switch to the right leg and do the same for that, it may take 8-10 sets on each leg to reach 100reps total on each.....be prepared not to be able to walk for a few days
when it starts to get too easy and you can do it in 5-6sets add weight to the dumbbell.
Depending on your bodyweight you should be able to get upto bodyweight + 60lb dumbbell or so for each leg so if you weigh 200lbs then its the equivalent of 520lb barbell on your back doing two-legged calf raises.

Elfentoe

thanks cougar1 - did you find much of a gain following your guidelines? as i said i have been doin calf lifts but never up to 100 reps -alway 3 sets of 10/15 with a 10kg dumbell will be interested to see if that makes a significant difference...

Ouijaboard

Hi Elfentoe, yeah made some good gains, put on about 1/2 inch on each stubborn calf in about 3 months, they really improved once I got access to a standing calf machine and high weight but the method above was the only other method that gave me any gains having messed about with various set/rep ranges before that. I still do them a few times a month.

I think the trick to the above method (not mine btw) is to stay on one leg to complete the whole 100reps before moving to the next leg, that way one leg is not allowed to rest in the usual manner where each set is alternated, and only take enough rest for the pain to go away before going again i.e. 10-15 secs max. You'll start off with about 20reps then get 15 and so on but by the time you get to the 80's you'll be down to 3 reps, 2 reps etc in order to get the 100. Do it at least twice a week preferably 3 times, the calves seem to be able to handle plenty of pain.

It really shocks the calves. Do it while standing on a block or something for maximum stretch, hold for a second at the top and a second at the bottom of the rep. Also add resistance in anyway you can, when a dumbbell becomes too awkward to hold then improvise and use a dipping belt and/or a backpack to take some weight. Keep adding resistance, let us know how it goes.