Keep pushing buddy, calves can be a real pain in the ... first there are the genetic limitations of some...I guess I'm just lucky.
Then there's the fact that they get used everywhere we go, so they require a lot of volume, this is my opinion alone, others may contradict or differ
Here's a tidbit from Elington Darden, take it with a pinch of salt:
ps:
I have only taken what I think is of use, as this chap is somewhat frowned upon amongst HST circles, PhD and all ...that is the way HST is... and you know what? They're right...because he is rather inclined towards Nautilus and high intensity
so...without further adue:
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1) Emphasize full-range movements.
Measure the distance that your heels move during any exercise for your calves, and you'll be lucky to get more than six inches of vertical distance.
Six inches of movement is relatively short compared to the distance covered in many other exercises, such as the biceps curl, upright row, and overhead press. Because the calf raise is such a short range of movement, it's essential that you emphasize full-range lifting and lowering.
Breaking the standard calf raise into a four-part exercise will help you get every possible fraction of an inch out of the movement. While wearing a good pair of rubber-soled shoes, stand with the balls of your feet on a four-inch block, and do the following:
1) Raise your heels as high as possible.
2) Attempt to go higher by standing on your big toes.
3) Lower your heels slowly to the stretched position.
4) Try to go lower by extending and spreading your toes.
Repeat this four-part calf raise slowly and smoothly until you get the hang of it. Then, apply it to all of your calf exercises for better results.
Does varying your foot position (toes in, toes straight, toes out) have any effect on which part of the calf that is worked? Many bodybuilders swear that turning the toes in during calf raises works more of the lateral head of the gastrocnemius.
Likewise, turning the toes out involves more of the medial head.
Such foot-turning techniques are unfounded, since the origin and insertion points of the gastrocnemius are not altered by foot placement.
Varying foot position does add a certain amount of variety to a generally boring exercise, and I see no harm in doing so.
2) Keep your knees locked during most calf exercises.
<u>The most important of the eight muscles that make up your back calf is the gastrocnemius. This U-shaped muscle crosses both your knee and ankle joints. Because it crosses the backside of your knee and ankle joints, it's important that your knee remain rigidly locked during the stretched and contracted positions of your calf raises.
Unlocking your knee toward the top position of the calf raise, which is what many bodybuilders tend to do, takes some of the stress off of the gastrocnemius.
If you allow momentum to assist you as well, which many bodybuilders do, then much of the work is transferred to your hips and thighs. Keep the muscle-building stress on your gastrocnemius. Lock your knees and keep them locked throughout the entire range of movement.</u>
The only time that your knee would be bent during a heel-raise exercise is when you are specifically trying to isolate the soleus muscle. The soleus lies under the grastrocnemius. Its primary function is to lift the heel when the knee is bent 90 degrees or more. The seated calf raise should be done for the soleus muscle.
3) Experiment with higher repetitions.
Because the calf raise involves such a short range of movement, you may want to experiment with higher repetitions.
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Ther, hope this helps!
