Your calf muscles are different from your other muscles. The calf muscles are dense, highly fatigue resistant and must be trained in a specific manner to achieve results. The calf muscles also recover very quickly after each set and workout. They are hard to overtrain. The calf muscles can be capable of handling high intensity functions such as 100-meter sprinting, high jumping, long jumping, while also being capable of handling high endurance activities such as walking, jogging, running and racing a 26-mile marathon. Of course, genetics play a role in whether you’re more suited for high intensity or high endurance activities. However, your calf muscles are quite versatile and very durable.

Because of the special characteristics of the calf muscles, a higher level of training intensity must be employed to induce muscular size and strength. To do that, you must work through the “pain zone” to muscular failure and growth. This is one of the most important principles to understand and employ in calf training.

When you train the calves hard, especially at higher repetitions, you’ll achieve a lactic acid burn. The “lactic acid burn” is the buildup of the byproduct of Glycolysis (the energy process used during muscle contraction). The lactic acid buildup stimulates Testosterone and Human Growth Hormone in the blood during and after training. Therefore, the lactic acid burn is a good thing and you must train in a manner to achieve a “lactic acid burn”.

There’s no question that the lactic acid burn hurts like hell! This is the “pain zone”. For some it becomes the “pain barrier” and they stop exercising to stop the pain. If you want to build your calves, then you must work through the pain zone and keep forcing out the reps until you cannot lift the weight anymore. This is called “total muscular failure”. Reaching “total muscular failure” stresses the muscle fibers and causes them to grow. You must push through the “pain zone” to achieve muscular growth.

Stopping when you get to the “pain zone” is not “total muscular failure”. Going to “total muscular failure” is necessary for you to achieve maximum calf growth. Don’t be afraid to train through the “pain zone” to “total muscular failure” and maximum muscle growth.

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