“Your calves are working all the time,” says Peter Ronai, MS, ACSM-CEP, a clinical professor in the Exercise Science Department at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. “You can exercise these parts of your body every day, because they are always engaged as you’re doing things like climbing and reaching.” All the more reason to keep your calves strong and healthy—and we’re about to show you how.
What to know about calf exercises
According to data from the International Sports Science Association, your calf consists of two muscles on the back of your leg: The gastrocnemius and the soleus. The bigger muscle, the gastrocnemius, is important for plantar flexing in your foot and flexing in your knee. The soleus also plays a key role in your ability to be mobile, and both muscles are crucial for proper standing, walking, running, and jumping. Your calves are tough, sturdy muscles, but that doesn’t mean you can’t injure them with the wrong kind of workout or too much intensity. “Be careful,” says Ronai. “Even though you can do calf exercises every day, you need to listen to your body. Any pain you experience that is not going away, or a reduction in strength, a reduced range of motion, if your sleep is affected by workout-related discomfort—these are signs to stop.”
Best calf exercises
Ronai recommends beginning with a simple calf raise. “Stand at the edge of a step or stair and raising yourself on your tiptoes, then lowering yourself, is a good way to start the process,” he explains. “You only want to do exercises where your knee is straight. So come up on the balls of your feet in that exercise with your knees straight.” Once you get the hang of the basic feel of working out your calves, you can feel free to take things to the next level with additional calf workouts. If you find yourself needing a little extra motivation after starting these exercises or any others, Ronai offers the following sage advice: “You can beat what I call the ‘four Bs’ of not doing exercise effectively. The first B: busy, in that you are too busy to do them; the second B, bored, in that the exercises don’t interest you so you don’t do them; the third B, breakage, in that you get injured and so you can’t do them; and the fourth B, burn out, which means you stop doing them." To beat the four Bs, her recommends a day of rest, more recovery to stay injury-free, going for a walk, and revisiting the exercises when you feel refreshed. That way, you can get back to exercising more effectively. Here are 12 calf exercises to try today, plus the stretches that will help prevent injuries.
Calf raise
This can be done on a step in the gym, or anything step-like that you have in your home.
Seated calf raises
Similar to a regular calf raise, but with a seat.
Standing calf raises
The best part of this workout? No equipment required!
Standing calf stretch
Ankle plantarflexion
This is another great stretch that can help prevent injury.
Bent knee calf raises
This workout can help strengthen the muscles around the knees, calves and ankles, which are crucial for injury prevention.
Jumping rope
Jumping rope is a great cardio workout, but it can be great for toning and strengthening your calves, too.
Elevated calf raises
With this one, you just want to make sure to have a bit more height than a stair.
Static calf stretch
Proper technique is key for this exercise, so make sure to watch the video closely. And be sure to combine it with active calf stretching, too!
Active isolated calf stretch
Active stretching is key for injury prevention.
Static seated calf stretch
With this one, you want to make sure to keep the knee as straight as possible and line the foot up with the knee.
Active medial calf gastrocnemius
Standing with the toes pointing inward (a big pigeon-toed), push the balls of the foot into the platform and lift your heels up. Next up, here are 23 ways to incorporate cardio into your strength-training routine.
Sources
Peter Ronai, MS, ACSM-CEP, ACSM-EP, CSCS, FACSM, who is a clinical professor in the Exercise Science Department at Sacred Heart University
