• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
BarBend

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Top Athletes
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • Competition Results
    • Latest Research
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini Massage Guns
      • Individual Recovery Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Whey Protein Powders
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainers
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
        • Best Fat Burners for Men
        • Best Fat Burners for Women
        • Best Non-Stim Fat Burners
      • More Supplements
        • Best Supplements for Muscle Growth
        • Best Supplements for CrossFit
        • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
        • Best Supplements for Bodybuilding
        • Best Supplements for Men
        • Best Supplement Stacks
      • Individual Supplements Reviews
    • Equipment
      • Cardio
        • Best Treadmills
        • Best Rowing Machines
        • Best Exercise Bikes
        • Best Ellipticals
        • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Strength
        • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
        • Best Dumbbells
        • Best Kettlebells
        • Best Barbells
        • Best Squat Racks
        • Best Free Weights
        • Best Weight Benches
        • Best Resistance Bands
        • Best Slam Balls
        • Best Weighted Vests
        • Best Leg Extension Machines
        • Best Cable Machines
        • Best Power Racks
        • Best Pull Up Bars
      • Best Home Gyms
        • Best Smart Home Gyms
        • Best Gym Equipment Under $100
        • Best Home Gym Essentials
        • Best Home Gym Flooring
      • Individual Equipment Reviews
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Apparel
        • Best Weightlifting Shoes
        • Best Cross Training Shoes
        • Best Gym Bags
        • Best Gym Shorts
      • Training
        • Best Weightlifting Belts
        • Best Knee Sleeves
        • Best Lifting Straps
        • Best Grip Strengtheners
        • Best Wrist Wraps
        • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Individual Fitness Product Reviews
    • Certifications
      • Best Sports Nutrition Certifications
      • Best Personal Trainer Certifications
      • Best Nutrition Certifications
      • Individual Certifications Reviews
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
      • Individual Program Reviews
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Nutrition Tips
      • Daily Protein Needs
      • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
      • Foods With Creatine
      • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Bent-Over Row
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Crunches
      • Farmer’s Carry
    • Best Exercises
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Back Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Glute Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Hamstring Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Calf Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
      • Triceps Exercises
    • Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • German Volume Training
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • The Cube Method
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Build Your Own Program
    • Fat Loss
      • How to Burn Fat
      • Spot Fat Reduction
      • How to Train on a Cut
      • Body Conditioning
      • Workouts
        • Kettlebell Circuits
        • Dumbbell Complexes
        • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Muscle Gain
      • Muscle Hypertrophy Explained
      • How to Build Muscle
      • How to Maintain Muscle
      • What Researchers Say About Muscle Gain
        • Workouts
          • 20-Minute Workouts
          • Kettlebell Circuits
          • CrossFit Workouts for Muscle
          • Bodybuilding Workouts
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
Op-Ed

How to Grow Stubborn Calves and Forearms

Two coaches give their best tips for these notoriously stubborn body parts.

Written by Shane McLean
Last updated on July 25th, 2023

Most lifters, unless they’re genetically gifted, have a stubborn muscle group that refuses to grow. No matter what you do and what you throw at it, it still looks the same.

It’s almost enough to make you shed tears into your protein shake.

For me, and for countless other athletes, it’s forearms and calves. So, if you have a hard time building these muscles, this is right your alley.

Editor’s note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions and opinions have been sourced exclusively by the author.

What Makes Muscles Hard to Grow?

There’s a couple of reasons why muscles, particularly the forearm and calf muscles are harder to grow.

Reason 1: The muscle is slow twitch dominant

Let’s take the calves for an example. The largest muscle in the calf is the gastrocnemius, and underneath it is the soleus muscle. The soleus has a muscle fiber composition that can be up to 90% slow-twitch dominant. However, the gastrocnemius is a fast-twitch dominant muscle, so it can be easily fatigued compared to the soleus.

This means you need to attack your calf training differently depending on which calf muscle you’re targeting.

The forearms have many small muscles with varying fiber types. However, most forearm muscles are slow twitch dominant, much like the soleus muscle.

Slow twitch muscle fibers are difficult to grow because they rely on a rich supply of oxygenated blood called myoglobin.

This important protein contains iron and stores oxygen, which is necessary for our muscles to carry out cellular respiration. Because of this, they generate less power and strength than fast-twitch fibers but are slower to fatigue, meaning they can sustain activity for longer.  

[Related: Learn more about the differences between fast and slow twitch muscle fibers]

Image credit: OpenStax, Licensed under Creative Commons 4.0

Reason 2: Muscle origins and insertions 

The origin of a muscle is the attachment site which doesn’t move during contraction.  The insertion is the attachment site that does move during muscle contraction. The insertion is usually distal and the origin is proximal, relative to the insertion.

For example, the gastrocnemius muscle originates underneath the kneecap on the femur and it inserts underneath the heel via the Achilles tendon.  

Generally speaking, the longer the insertion (tendon) and a shorter muscle belly makes it more difficult to grow muscle, while a shorter insertion and longer muscle belly makes it easier to grow muscle.

Furthermore, long or short insertion points affect how big or small your muscles look. So, if you’re blessed with short insertion points, please take advantage of it.

However, don’t let your genetics get you down. You can still grow muscle on your calves and forearms with smart training and targeted exercises.

Growing Stubborn Calves

https://youtu.be/sz1d2aouqK0?t=16

“For developing the calves, you need to focus on achieving a strong stretch at the bottom of every rep, taking enough time to dissipate the stretch reflex — 4 seconds at the bottom — then a controlled but powerful movement up, 2 second contraction at the top, then a controlled negative,” says Nick Nilsson, an Illinois-based personal trainer.

 This is tempo training using a 4412 tempo. The first number is the eccentric (lowering) portion. The second is the bottom position, the third is the concentric portion of the movement, and the fourth is the top position.

“Since the calves are tough to develop, they need to be trained with higher frequency, even as often as every day,” he adds. “Utilizing exercises such as the Donkey Calf Raise is extremely beneficial. If you don’t have a Donkey Calf Raise machine, you can use a power rack and a barbell to mimic the movement very effectively.”

Set one safety rack (in the squat rack) at stomach height and the other a notch lower and lay a barbell across them. Put a pad on the lower end of the barbell for your lower back.

Put weight plates at both ends. The higher rack is the anchor point and the lower  rack is the weights you’ll be lifting. Use a stepper or weight plates for the balls of your feet.

Put the balls of your feet on the elevated surface and the barbell along length of your spine with the pad on you lower back. Straighten the legs, and it’s a calf raise from there. 

“I recommend resisted loaded stretching for calves also,” says Nilsson. “Do this as a finisher on a regular standing calf raise exercise.”

After finishing your set, come down into the bottom stretch position then come up just slightly and hold. Then exert almost enough tension to move the load but not enough to actually move it.”

Programming Suggestions

Prioritize your calf training when developing them. Put them early in your training when you have the most energy.

You can pair them with another leg exercise on lower body days or do straight sets of them on upper body days.

For example,

  • 1A. Deadlift/squat
  • 1B.  Donkey calf raise (4412 tempo) 10-15 reps

Or

  • 1A. Standing calf raise (4412 tempo) 10-15 reps 3-4 sets (On the last rep on every set hold the full stretch position for 20-30 seconds.
  • 1B. Donkey calf raise (4412 tempo) 10-15 reps 3-4 sets

[Related: The BarBend guide to calf exercises]

big forearms
Improviso/Shutterstock

Growing Stubborn Forearms

“Nothing makes an upper body pop like muscular forearms,” says Travis Pollen, a personal trainer and PhD candidate in Rehabilitation Sciences. “Yet forearms are a notoriously stubborn body part to grow. The simple fact of the matter is that most people don’t devote the necessary time to concentrated forearm training.”

However, nobody’s going to the gym for “forearm day.”

Well, nobody except rock climbers. For climbers, every day is forearm day, ad their Popeye forearms are the proof in the pudding. (1) Over a few months, one day a week of climbing both added mass to Pollen’s forearms and strengthened his grip, which even carried over to PRs on my big lifts. If your forearms are lagging, rock climbing is a no-brainer of a solution.

If climbing isn’t an option, flip the script.

“Conventional wisdom says you should avoid having too many grip-intensive exercises in one training session,” he notes. “However, if bulging forearms are your goal, then simply ignore this. One day a week, string a bunch of grip-intensive exercises together in a circuit on purpose.”

For example,

  • 1A. Romanian deadlifts
  • 1B. Chin ups
  • 1C. Walking lunges
  • 1D. Bottoms-up kettlebell press
  • 1E. Farmer’s carries
  • 1F. Hanging leg raises

Note: Sets and reps are dependent on you and your grip strength.

Repeat that workout or variations thereof until your forearms are no longer your weak link.

[Related: 4 grip strengthening exercises borrowed from rock climbers]

Wrapping up

If you’re not genetically blessed, you can still grow muscle on stubborn body parts.

By breaking a few ‘rules’ combined with priority training and higher frequency, you will get those stubborn muscles to pop without having to resort to popping cans of spinach.

Featured image via Jasminko Ibrakovic/Shutterstock

Reference

1. Eur J Sport Sci. 2017 Oct;17(9):1177-1183. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2017.1353135. Epub 2017 Jul 28. Differences in forearm strength, endurance, and hemodynamic kinetics between male boulderers and lead rock climbers.

About Shane McLean

Shane McLean is a Certified Personal Trainer who’s worked with a wide variety of clients, from the general population client all the way to ex-Navy seals and college athletes.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

Best Cyber Monday Fitness Deals (2023)

Russel Orhii (83KG) Raw Squats 22 kilograms Over IPF World Record For a Double

Jesus Olivares (+120KG) Raw Deadlifts 5 Kilograms Over His IPF World Record

Erholove Izobodo-John (84KG) Pulls Heaviest Raw British Deadlift In History of 260 Kilograms

Kate Sweatman (+84KG) Squats Single-Ply UK Record of 270 Kilograms

Latest Reviews

Redwood Outdoors Yukon Cold Plunge Tub Review

Redwood Outdoor Thermowood Garden Sauna Review

Future App Review

Bells of Steel Hydra Rack Review

Assault Runner Elite Treadmill

Assault Runner Elite Treadmill Review

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2023 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap