Many people like to point to genetics as the reason why their body looks a certain way. Although they're not entirely wrong in this assertion, they're not entirely correct, either. I feel that one of the best examples of this fact can be found in one of the most stubborn muscle groups in the body: the calves.

Take Arnold Schwarzenegger, a genetically gifted bodybuilder who was able to pack on slabs of muscle to his frame. While it is true that Arnold was an animal in the weight room, his gains were still partly due to the fact that he had a good genetic foundation from which to build. But even Arnold's genes weren't perfect. His arms and chest may have been enormous, but his calves lacked the girth and definition of many of his competitors at the time.

Enter hard work. And more hard work. Soon enough, Arnold's calves were on par with everyone else's, and at that point there was nothing that could keep him from victory. For the rest of us who deal with stubborn calves, however, getting on stage and competing isn't so much the priority as making our lower legs look better in a pair of shorts. But, this doesn't mean that we don't have to work hard, just as the Governator did.

So, to help you along in your calf-building endeavors, here are just a few methods you can try:

• Go Slowly. Try lowering your lifting tempo - taking 8 to 10 seconds to complete each rep.
• Go Heavy. Lower your rep count per set, but increase the weight you are lifting.
• Complete Reps. Don't curtail your progress by only performing half of a calf raise. Go all the way up and down with each rep you complete.
• Blast 100. Perform 100 reps, using light weight, without stopping. If you have to stop at some point, pause only for a second or two and then resume. Keep going until you've finished 100.
• 10 sets of 10. Obviously, this also adds up to 100 reps, but it is different from the last suggestion in that you are taking a one-minute break in between each set.

As I said before, your calves are extremely stubborn muscles. Think about it; you walk on them all day long, so it's going to take quite a bit of effort to shock them into growth. Any of the above stated methods should help you do just that. Feel free to mix and match them from week to week or even day to day.