Demonstration
Watch the Form Demo
Technique
How to Do the Standing Calf Raise
- Stand with the balls of your feet on a step or plate, heels hanging off the edge.
- Hold a wall or rack lightly for balance, or hold dumbbells to add load.
- Lower your heels below the step until you feel a deep stretch in the calves.
- Pause briefly in the stretched position without bouncing.
- Drive up onto your toes as high as you can go.
- Hold the top for a full second, then lower slowly and repeat.
Anatomy
Muscles Worked
Do This
Form Cues
- Rise as high onto the toes as you can and pause at the top.
- Lower slowly until you feel a full stretch through the calf.
- Keep the knees straight but not locked.
- Two positions earn the growth: a paused deep stretch at the bottom and a hard squeeze at the top.
Avoid This
Common Mistakes
- Bouncing through reps and using the tendon rather than the muscle.
- Cutting the range short at both ends.
- Rolling onto the outside edge of the foot at the top.
- Training calves flat on the floor, which throws away the stretched half of the range.
More to Explore
Variations & Related Exercises
Variations of this lift
Jump Squat
Barbell Squat
Box Step Over
Trains the same muscles
1.5 Rep Barbell Squat
B-Stance Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Box Squat
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Front Squat
Barbell Good Morning
Put It Into Practice
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