Arnold's Calf Secret That Bodybuilders Miss

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout transformed his biggest weakness into his signature strength by training them six days per week with extreme volume. The seven-time Mr. Olympia started with nonexistent calves in the 1960s, but the secret to his success was treating them like any major muscle group.

How Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout Started From Embarrassment

Arnold began his competitive bodybuilding career in the early 1960s with virtually nonexistent calves. At 19, he entered his first international competition and learned the hard way. Chet Yorton handed him his first major defeat. Yorton had developed a sterling pair of diamond-shaped calves atop a chiseled physique.

Arnold always hesitated to wear shorts to the gym. He was ashamed of his weaker legs. He was often teased in his childhood by his peers for the same. The hypercompetitive Schwarzenegger didn’t like to lose and decided his calves would never hold him back again.

He cut all his training sweatpants at the knees to constantly remind him they needed attention during every gym session. His goal was to evoke mockery and derision from training partners. By purposefully inviting stinging, nasty comments about his underdeveloped calves, he became insanely motivated to bring them up and close the gap with competitors like Chet Yorton who dominated calf-focused judging criteria in bodybuilding competitions.

The Six-Day Training Frequency Behind Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout

He looked to his childhood inspiration, Reg Park, for guidance. Park’s advice was go heavy and hard. Don’t think of calf training as something tacked onto a workout. Train them like any other bodypart.

Arnold got right to work, hitting his calves with 500-pound standing calf raises, donkey raises, and seated calf raises six days per week. Arnold said the calves, like the abs, should be worked every day. This was a tip he got from Reg Park.

He did donkey calf raises, standing calf raises, seated calf raises, and leg press calf raises for 10-20 reps. He performed up to 60 weekly sets. A year later, he had added two inches to his calves. Rumors that he got calf implants started to float around.

When he won the 1973 Mr. Olympia, Arnold’s calves measured an awesome 20 inches in diameter.

The Donkey Raise Method In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout

Arnold popularized donkey calf raises as his go-to exercise. He had one or more training partners sit on his back while he performed them. He had two guys sit on his back. Sometimes he asked one to hold a heavy dumbbell for added resistance.

Standing on a wood block, he started by lowering his heels down until almost touching the floor. He used a block about three and a half inches thick to allow full stretch. He forced himself up as high as possible on his toes. That down stretch was as important as holding the highest top position for a count of four.

Schwarzenegger was a major proponent of this calf routine. He used to put people on his back. Unlike standing and seated calf raise exercises, donkey calf raises work calves from several different angles.

Heavy Weight Strategy In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout

The calf muscles handle bodyweight daily without even an ache. So if you really want to give them a real workout you have to bomb them with heavy poundages. Arnold began with something like 300 pounds on some calf exercises and before long was pushing 1,000 pounds.

When Arnold would train, no matter what body part, he would pre-load a standing calf machine to 600 pounds. He walked over between sets of benches, flyes, presses, lateral raises, abs, and arms. He squeezed in extra calf work throughout every workout session.

For a time, he even started every workout with calves to prioritize them. However, in his prime, he trained them after quads and hamstrings. The calf workout was four sets of ten reps of donkey, standing, and seated calf raises.

The Three Exercise Rotation In Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout

The workout typically consists of a combination of standing calf raises, seated calf raises, and donkey calf raises. These exercises target the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calves. To properly work the gastrocnemius, the knees have to be straight.

The favorite exercise for the soleus is seated calf raises with weights. Standing calf raises and donkeys are the preferred exercises for the gastrocnemius. This approach ensures both muscles get maximal stimulation from different angles.

Arnold did four sets of donkey calf raises with ten reps per set. He also did four sets of standing calf raises following 15, 10, 8, and 8 reps. He did four sets of seated calf raises with ten sets per set. He also did four sets of calve raises on a leg press machine with ten reps.

Modern Training Lessons From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Calf Workout

Researchers concluded that 12 weekly sets might be an optimal dose of calf training for muscle growth. For most lifters, calves grow best with 10 to 20 hard sets per week split across 2 to 4 sessions. Arnold used far more volume than current science suggests is necessary.

The majority of calf training should fall into the 15-30 reps per set range. A smaller amount can sit in the 6-12 rep range. Due to the slow twitch nature of calves, performing higher reps is likely necessary. Slow twitch fibers are resistant to fatigue and likely require large time under tension.

The slow-twitch dominant nature of calf muscles means they often require higher training volumes and frequencies. Training your calf muscles frequently will help them grow as much as possible. Arnold understood this principle before modern research confirmed it.

Most individuals can recover from calf training at a timecourse that allows for 3-6 sessions per week. Arnold trained them six times weekly. His approach matched the upper end of what most people can recover from.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often did Arnold train his calves?

Arnold trained his calves six days a week with standing calf raises, donkey raises, and seated calf raises. He treated them like abs and worked them almost daily.

What weight did Arnold use for calf raises?

Arnold used 500-pound standing calf raises along with donkey raises and seated calf raises. He started with 300 pounds and eventually pushed 1,000 pounds.

How long did it take Arnold to build his calves?

Arnold trained his calves six days a week for 10-20 reps and up to 60 weekly sets. A year later, he had added two inches to his calves.

What exercises did Arnold use for calves?

Arnold’s calf workout was four sets of ten reps of donkey, standing, and seated calf raises. He also did calf raises on a leg press machine with ten reps per set.

Why were Arnold’s calves originally weak?

When Arnold began his competitive career in the early 1960s, calf development was not top priority in Europe. He neglected to train them. He learned at the 1966 Mr. Universe that there’s more to bodybuilding than training upper body.

Start training your calves three to four times per week with both standing and seated variations to target all calf muscles.