How to reduce calf muscle size???

bigpinkelephant

Hi all,
I have noticed my calves are quite chunky recently. It's not fat though, it's muscle!!! Is there any way to make my calf muscles smaller?
I drink about 2 pints of full fat milk a day, should probably reduce this as I know protein is used for growth.

shels08

You cant just pick and choose what body parts you want to make smaller,unfortunately .If you want them smaller,then realistically you're gonna have to lose weight.

Anyway,why do you want to make them smaller??

paddymorrison

I would die for bigger calves! Mine are tiny no matter how many calf raises I do. What leg exercises do you do? If you don't work them directly, I can't see why they would grow though.

bigpinkelephant

It is not fat, it is muscle, so losing weight won't help.
My calves are too round, I would love really slender legs. I would rather have chicken legs than muscley legs!!!

amazingemmet

Isn't this the trolling thing where you post you have massive calves on a fitness board, then everyone comes along saying they'd love huge calves then the next post is a picture of some 13in huge calves. Haha original

bigpinkelephant

amazingemmet wrote: »

Isn't this the trolling thing where you post you have massive calves on a fitness board, then everyone comes along saying they'd love huge calves then the next post is a picture of some 13in huge calves. Haha original

Eh, no.

Greenmachine

Sorry elephant. I don't know if you are a guy or a girl. Let me te´ll you if you are a guy: most guys wish they had bigger calves. One ide would be to avoid working them directly. Get those other muscle working and your calve will look smaller in comparision.

brianthebard

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

It is not fat, it is muscle, so losing weight won't help.
My calves are too round, I would love really slender legs. I would rather have chicken legs than muscley legs!!!

Usually muscly calves look like they not slabs of muscle, not round, which to me suggests fat. What are you doing to incur such terrible bovine muscularity? And how can you be so sure its not actually fat and muscle combined that is making them so big?

StormWarrior

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

It is not fat, it is muscle, so losing weight won't help.
My calves are too round, I would love really slender legs. I would rather have chicken legs than muscley legs!!!

I agree, I also have too much leg muscle. I would love chicken legs! I am a girl though. Maybe if you waste away your overall muscles by quitting weights and doing loads of cardio on an empty stomach, your leg muscles will reduce?

Al_Fernz

I have yet to meet a fat person that didn't have good calves and forearms.

Just because it doesn't jiggle doesn't mean its not fat.

OP -what are your stats and do you do any direct calf training?

brianthebard

Al_Fernz wrote: »

I have yet to meet a fat person that didn't have good calves and forearms.

Just because it doesn't jiggle doesn't mean its not fat.

OP -what are your stats and do you do any direct calf training?

Lolz well put. Height, weight and diameter of calves pls OP!

StormWarrior wrote: »

I agree, I also have too much leg muscle. I would love chicken legs! I am a girl though. Maybe if you waste away your overall muscles by quitting weights and doing loads of cardio on an empty stomach, your leg muscles will reduce?

Thats just wrong on so many levels. Your body's muscle will waste away as you get older anyways, why speed up the process? Why quit weight training? And fwiw, guys don't like chicken legs on girls, just on chickens.

StormWarrior

Well I would rather please myself than try to live up to bloke's expectations. But I don't think I could ever have chicken legs anyway.

brianthebard

Well I've no idea why you would want to potentially harm your body and lose muscle, unless it was for someone elses benefit.

StormWarrior

I'm not saying I do the above. I'm just saying if the OP is desperate to reduce calf muscle that is the only way I can think of.

bigpinkelephant

I am a girl, and the only exercise I do is walking and dancing.
I don't have a fitness regime as such.
I am pretty certain it is muscle making my legs bigger, as I used to be stick thin, and even then my calves were always wide and round.

StormWarrior

Maybe build up the rest of your body with weights to make yourself appear more proportionate? I can't think of anything else.

bigpinkelephant

StormWarrior wrote: »

Maybe build up the rest of your body with weights to make yourself appear more proportionate? I can't think of anything else.

Jesus no!!! I'm a girl, I don't want to be muscley!!!!!

StormWarrior

Well then you'll have to learn to love your calves the way they are!

Davei141

Whats your age height and weight?

bigpinkelephant

I am 22, 5'9" and 10 stone. Size 12.

Al_Fernz

It doesn't matter if this tissue is muscle or fat - there is still no way to spot reduce it OP.

If you want to reduce size in this area you will need to lose weight overall. Those the breaks...

Canis Lupus

Unless you start using a wheelchair permanently then you can't do anything about your calves.

I would have thought it unusual for a girl to have massive calves and not exercise. The only time I usually see girls with big calves is when they weigh the same as a young bovine with the same name although not always.

rubadub

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Jesus no!!! I'm a girl, I don't want to be muscley!!!!!

I doubt they are as big as you think, has anybody ever commented on them?

And you seem to already have a very negative view/fear of being "too muscley". Most lads I know would prefer a woman with a little muscle, like a fitness model or athlete, than a stick thin model suffering from muscle atrophy.

Degsy

My ex was a ballet teacher and she's big calves too from dancing.Shapeley i think is a good word.
Anyway,if you want to reduce the size of your calves,stay off the balls of your feet when you're dancing and walking.Its the action of your feet that work your calves.

RoosterIllusion

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I am a girl, and the only exercise I do is walking and dancing.
I don't have a fitness regime as such.
I am pretty certain it is muscle making my legs bigger, as I used to be stick thin, and even then my calves were always wide and round.

Genetic predisposition to have large calves then.

Try doing exercises with a high number of repetitions such as 5 sets of 20 calf raises. This is assuming your calf exercises comprise of a lower number of repetitions per set than what I suggested.

bigpinkelephant

RoosterIllusion wrote: »

Genetic predisposition to have large calves then.

Try doing exercises with a high number of repetitions such as 5 sets of 20 calf raises. This is assuming your calf exercises comprise of a lower number of repetitions per set than what I suggested.

I don't have a fitness regime and surely exercising them more would make them bigger?

rubadub- Yes I have had 2 comments on them, one from a rude stranger and one from my boyfriend's horrible brother.

amazingemmet

What style of dance do you do? Any dancer I know who does alot of demi-pointe work as well as more leaping styles always has big calves.

As a general rule of thumb if you want to reduce leg size in general take up long distance running

bigpinkelephant

amazingemmet wrote: »

What style of dance do you do? Any dancer I know who does alot of demi-pointe work as well as more leaping styles always has big calves.

As a general rule of thumb if you want to reduce leg size in general take up long distance running

Hi, I don't do any particular style of dance, I just dance like you would in a nightclub or whatever. I generally dance for maybe half an hour 4-5 times a week I would guess. I stick on the iPod and away I go! It doesn't feel like exercise and I do be pretty warm after! I have done this since I was maybe 12. Maybe I am giving my calves a big workout without realising?

If I was to get those FitFlops would that help shrink my calves? Or maybe if I wore high heels more, which would put my weight more on my toes?

RoosterIllusion

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

If I was to get those FitFlops would that help shrink my calves? Or maybe if I wore high heels more, which would put my weight more on my toes?

I think Degsy is spot on. If you think about the motions you go through on a cross trainer while exercising you can seehow your calf gets a work out. While on a cross trainer if you keep your foot flatly glued to the footpad and don't let your heel rise up then your calves get a thorough workout. This is not so if you let your heel rise up (like walking does). So when your dancing or whatever next time concentrate on how your feet are on the floor and perhaps you will see how your calves are getting worked out. After a few sessions of consciously trying to not work out your calves you will drill it into your head and it should turn into a subconscious thing.

I was assuming you exercised them:

RoosterIllusion wrote: »

This is assuming your calf exercises comprise of a lower number of repetitions per set than what I suggested.

There is a woman in my local gym, in fantastic shape, she has thighs that would crush my ribcage in one go. It looks like a genetic predisposition. Man she has sexy legs though.

bigpinkelephant

RoosterIllusion wrote: »

I think Degsy is spot on. If you think about the motions you go through on a cross trainer while exercising you can seehow your calf gets a work out. While on a cross trainer if you keep your foot flatly glued to the footpad and don't let your heel rise up then your calves get a thorough workout. This is not so if you let your heel rise up (like walking does). So when your dancing or whatever next time concentrate on how your feet are on the floor and perhaps you will see how your calves are getting worked out. After a few sessions of consciously trying to not work out your calves you will drill it into your head and it should turn into a subconscious thing.

OK so maybe wearing high heels will help me?

Hanley

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

OK so maybe wearing high heels will help me?

If anything they'd make your calves appear even bigger. Because of the position of your foot your calves are pretty much contracted in the position that gives them their largest physical appearance (think of how a guy closes their arm to make their biceps look bigger, that's the equivalent going up on your toes/wearing heels for your cavles).

More so than probably any other muscle group, big calves are a genetic thing, so blame your parents!!




P.S - My first post back from holidays and it's about high heels, calves and genetics. How random!

littlefriend

[quote=Hanley;57103254
P.S - My first post back from holidays and it's about high heels, calves and genetics. How random![/quote]

There is a nice lipotrim one hanging around waiting for you too

Greenmachine

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I am a girl, and the only exercise I do is walking and dancing.
I don't have a fitness regime as such.
I am pretty certain it is muscle making my legs bigger, as I used to be stick thin, and even then my calves were always wide and round.

Muscle weighs more that fat. Have you put on any weight. Not getting personal. Just wondering if they are really the only thing that seems to have grown.

bigpinkelephant

Greenmachine wrote: »

Muscle weighs more that fat. Have you put on any weight. Not getting personal. Just wondering if they are really the only thing that seems to have grown.

Yeah I have put on some weight. I have begun a new diet and fitness regime today so hopefully the calves will get smaller.

entropi

WHY you would want to reduce them?? is beyond comprehension to me really, unless it IS fat, then i can understand why. For my thin upper body (male), my legs stand out for me, although my thighs are 21" my calves are 15" and for a thin guy i've been asked "how the hell i got them so big?" and been complimented on them by many people. I know most guys would love a good set of calves, and alot of women see big calves as a positive trait in a man, i like the whistles i get from women btw

If you really DO wanna get rid of the fat, concentrate on running distances over a few miles and do some leg work to reduce the size and tighten them up.

brianthebard

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Yeah I have put on some weight. I have begun a new diet and fitness regime today so hopefully the calves will get smaller.

OP you still haven't told us what your calves measurements are at their thickest point.

bigpinkelephant

Master of Nothing wrote: »

I know most guys would love a good set of calves, and alot of women see big calves as a positive trait in a man.

yeah but I'm a girl...

They are 16 inches at the widest point...

brianthebard

hmm, thats not excessively big by any means, but I suppose I understand you wouldn't want them any bigger. I don't really see a problem though, unless they are out of proportion with your upper legs, in which case it would be better to build up your thighs than to shrink your calves.

bigpinkelephant

here is a photo of them...

rainglow

Umm, they're not big in the slightest. Plus if you reduced your calf size then your thighs would look bigger by comparison, and then there'd be a "how to reduce thigh muscle size" thread

brianthebard

Lolz agree with rainglow, they look fine.

bigpinkelephant

but they are... look how my leg juts in under my knee and then sticks out again for my calf..:(

In Asia, they do surgery where they remove entire muscles from the calf to make the leg thinner... now THAT is extreme..

brianthebard

You mean the normal curve of the calf muscle that everyone has??? I'm sure there is some variation, but again I'm pretty sure thats normal.

Al_Fernz

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

here is a photo of them...

TBH I'd be more worried about your room being on a slant if I was you.

Hanley

Al_Fernz wrote: »

TBH I'd be more worried about your room being on a slant if I was you.

Serious chance of ending up with one leg longer than the other like that tbh..... that's what I'd be worrying about!!

Your calves certainly don't look 16 inches!

bigpinkelephant

I have been reading some websites and it says if I do some high-rep, low-inpact exercise (e.g. walking/jogging), and then don't eat any protein for a few hours afterwards, to repair itself without the protein my body will have to take from its muscle. Is this healthy? It doesn't really sound it.

I am a milkaholic and love hard boiled whole eggs as well so keeping away from protein is hard for me.

colly10

If you really want to get rid of muscle then reduce protein and run. Looking at your calfs though, I don't think they're big (it's psycological)

bigpinkelephant

colly10 wrote: »

If you really want to get rid of muscle then reduce protein and run. Looking at your calfs though, I don't think they're big (it's psycological)

I had always sort of thought they were a little big but when other people commented on it it drove me nuts...

The thing is, Britney Spears' legs are exactly the same (albeit shorter and darker than mine) and she never seems to have any problems getting her legs out, even on TV in front of millions, while I am there in the local pub constantly worrying that mine look too big...

entropi

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

I had always sort of thought they were a little big but when other people commented on it it drove me nuts...

The thing is, Britney Spears' legs are exactly the same (albeit shorter and darker than mine) and she never seems to have any problems getting her legs out, even on TV in front of millions, while I am there in the local pub constantly worrying that mine look too big...

That is more than likely the cause of your query, thoughts of things that arent as they really are

You posted up a pic of your own calves thinking they were muscular and too big, i seen it and decided to show you what 15" calves should look like if they look too big below:

Relaxed both legs in first pic and tensed during exercise in the second.

I really think you have nothing to worry about, but if you still feel that way take up running for a few months and you will notice a difference, they should look a bit smaller and less bulkier.

conceited

bigpinkelephant wrote: »

Hi all,
I have noticed my calves are quite chunky recently. It's not fat though, it's muscle!!! Is there any way to make my calf muscles smaller?
I drink about 2 pints of full fat milk a day, should probably reduce this as I know protein is used for growth.

Go running long distances,while eating bucket loads of protein and hardly no carbs.That should make them shrink.

Hanley

conceited wrote: »

Go running long distances,while eating bucket loads of protein and hardly no carbs.That should make them shrink.

Hardly.... think of how much weight you need to add ANY weight to your calves. Now think of how much weight you'd have to lose from your whole body to reverse the effect!!

And if someone is genetically predispoed to having large calves, the drop will need to be even more severe.