You always hear that if you\u2019re not born with calves, good luck getting them, but that wasn\u2019t the case for Dorian Yates. In a recent Instagram post shared on Nov. 11, 2025, \u201cThe Shadow\u201d broke down how he built his calves up by six inches during his career.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the 1990s, Dorian Yates<\/a> was an outlier in the Men\u2019s Open. He didn\u2019t sport the streamlined aesthetics that other talents like Flex Wheeler<\/a> had. Instead, Yates relied on freakish muscle density and granite conditioning to overpower his opponents onstage.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was a winning recipe; he left the sport on top with six Mr. Olympia titles<\/a> (1992-1997). However, he dealt with challenges along the way. In addition to battling injuries<\/a>, Yates needed to grow his calves to present a proportionate physique. He managed to bring them up strategically, admitting to only training them once every six days.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dorian Yates Explains How He Grew \u2018Stubborn\u2019 Calves By Six Inches With Two Exercises\u00a0<\/p>\n In the video, Yates explained that lifters should train calves like any other muscle: hard with intensity.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTrain calves like any other muscle, hard with intensity.<\/p>\n They\u2019re often left as an afterthought but you should be training them as hard as you\u2019re training your chest, back and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n Get Fitter, Faster<\/p>\n Level Up Your Fitness: Join our \ud83d\udcaa strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!<\/p>\n Please wait…<\/p>\n You’re In! Let’s Crush Your Fitness Goals Together<\/p>\n Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.<\/p>\n Subscribe Another Email<\/p>\n He shared that it only took two exercises and two working sets every six days to grow the calves by six inches.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI managed to grow my calves by 6 inches from 16.5inches to 22.5inch by training with just two exercises and total 2 working sets to failure once every 6 days. A massive 6 inch increase\u2026 proof that you don\u2019t need to do more.\u201d<\/p>\n Yates clapped back at the idea that calves must be trained daily, highlighting his less-is-more mentality.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve heard over the years is that \u201cyou need to train calves everyday because they are stubborn and you walk on them all the time.\u201d Well, why is duplicating this with high reps going to change them?\u201d Dorian Yates shared<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Yates hasn\u2019t been the only bodybuilding legend to unearth his calf training strategy. Former four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler also explained how he built 20-inch calves<\/a> during the prime years of his tenure. He favored the standing calf raise most for helping with progress.\u00a0<\/p>\n Having carried the sport on his back for six years, Yates hasn\u2019t forgotten what methods worked and what fell short. He believes training the calves every six days with intensity is more than enough stimulus to force growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n RELATED:\u00a0Dorian Yates Not a Fan of \u2018Reps in Reserve\u2019: \u201cIt\u2019s Called a Wanker\u2019s Workout\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n