Try This For Bigger Calves by Jerry Brainum 2/26

 

 

Bodybuilding competition involves a significant genetic component. That means specific genetic, inherited characteristics must be present to ensure success in bodybuilding. Examples of such genetic factors include the most obvious: increased muscle-building capacity or more rapid muscle gains; ideal bone structure, such as broader shoulders and a smaller waist and hips; and smaller, less numerous fat cells to ensure the ability to achieve extreme muscular definition. While these genetic gifts make it easier to become a successful elite bodybuilder, there are always exceptions to the rule. Some men have reached the upper echelon of bodybuilding competition despite lacking many genetic attributes. An example is Larry Scott, who won the first two Mr.Olympia contests in 1965 and 1966. Scott had a wide waist and narrow shoulders, and although he had good calf development, his thigh development was barely passable. The genetic gifts Scott did have, however, were enough to propel him to the heights of bodybuilding achievement, culminating in his winning the highest award in professional bodybuilding, the Mr. Olympia title, not once but twice. Scott's genetic gifts consisted of excellent arm and shoulder development. Scott's muscle development in these areas was not just good; they were the best in the entire world of bodybuilding. 

Another celebrated bodybuilder who maximized his genetic gifts was Frank Zane. Zane had small bones and a structure that didn't permit him to carry as much muscle as his bodybuilding contemporaries. So, being a mathematician, Zane analyzed what he needed to do to defeat men much bigger than he was. Zane's route was to maximize the genetic gifts he had of a small waist and hips and a propensity to get in extremely hard condition to the extent that he produced the illusion of being as big as the men he competed against. This philosophy adopted by Zane resulted in three consecutive Mr. Olympia victories in 1977, 1978, and 1979, and, in doing so, Zane beat men with far more muscular mass than he did.

Of all the muscles in the body, one muscle stands out as being the most difficult to develop: the calves. Bodybuilding dogma holds that when it comes to calf development, you either have it or you don't. Simply put, unless you are born with large calves, no amount of training or even drugs will change the situation. I've met many champion bodybuilders over the years who showed great calf development, which played an integral role in their success in bodybuilding contests. Among these was Chris Dickerson, the first black man to win the Mr.America contest in 1970 and the oldest man to win the Mr.Olympia  (43 when he won) in 1982. I first met Chris when he started his bodybuilding competition career in 1964. I met him at a gym in Manhattan, and the . . .