Exercise Tutorial: Calf Raises
Table of Contents
What Are Calf Raises
Calf raises are exercises that target the muscles in your calves, causing your foot to perform plantar flexion and stabilize during dorsiflexion. Since these muscles are rarely directly engaged in the larger, compound movements we're familiar with, many people choose to isolate the calves for strength and growth.
Calf raises are essential for strengthening and growing your calves. If you've ever searched for calf workout methods, you've probably found that most suggestions revolve around some form of calf raises. The basic calf raise is a simple movement but can be modified in various ways, as we'll discuss below.
How to Do Calf Raises
If you've ever stood on your tippy toes, you've essentially performed a calf raise. Here's how to do a calf raise in simple steps:
Choose a Surface: Find an elevated surface like a box, step, or staircase, or use a flat floor where you can safely keep the balls of your feet secured while letting your heels hang off.
Raise on Your Toes: To perform the calf raise, slowly raise your heels as high as you can, balancing on the balls of your feet.
Lower Through Your Heels: Lower your heels back down to just below the elevated surface, allowing for a full range of motion.
Calf Raises Muscles Worked
The calf raise targets the two main muscles that make up the calves: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. The gastrocnemius is the muscle closest to the skin's surface and is responsible for creating the prominent shape of the calf.
Beneath the gastrocnemius lies the soleus, which adds size and bulk to the calf. Both muscles play a role in plantar flexing of the foot, but the gastrocnemius, since it crosses the knee joint, also contributes to knee flexion. Because of this, the seated calf raise tends to focus more on the soleus.
Difference Between Body Weight Calf Raises and Machine Calf Raises
The main difference between body weight calf raises and calf raises on a machine is the resistance source. Body weight calf raises use only your body weight, while machine calf raises involve a machine that allows you to adjust the load for progressive overload. This makes machines useful for those aiming to increase the intensity of their workouts by adding more weight over time.
Body weight calf raises can be manipulated by adjusting the tempo of the movement, and you can also increase the load to some extent by holding weights. Machine calf raises offer a more consistent and stable environment, allowing you to focus solely on the muscles without worrying about balance.
Another distinction is the balance factor. Machine calf raises offer a secure, stable surface, reducing the need for balance. On the other hand, body weight calf raises require more balance, since you're not secured under a machine, adding an additional challenge to the exercise.
Lastly, accessibility is a key difference. Body weight calf raises can be done anywhere, making them ideal for home workouts or travel. Machine calf raises, however, require access to specific gym equipment, limiting where you can perform them.
What to Watch Out for When Doing Calf Raises on a Leg Press
Using the leg press for calf raises can be an efficient way to optimize your workout, especially in a busy gym environment. With the leg press, you can transition seamlessly from exercises targeting quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes to calf raises without moving to another machine. However, when doing calf raises on a leg press, there are certain risks to consider.
The most significant risk comes from the shift in stability. When you're using the leg press for quadriceps or other leg exercises, your entire foot is firmly planted on the press plate, offering stability. However, for calf raises, you position your feet so that the heels hang off the edge of the plate. This change in position introduces instability and increases the risk of the weight slipping off the feet.
The angle and position of your foot at the bottom of the movement, combined with the direction of the weight pressing against your feet, create a potential hazard. If the weight slips, it can drop suddenly, potentially causing serious injury. Therefore, it’s crucial to exercise extreme caution and maintain control throughout the movement. Make sure your feet are securely positioned and be aware of your limits to prevent accidents while performing calf raises on a leg press.
Calf Raises Benefits
One major benefit of training the muscles of the calves is increased ankle stability. This is particularly advantageous for individuals who engage in high-impact activities that stress the lower body joints, especially the ankles.
Another benefit is the enhancement of explosive power for activities or sports that involve lower body plyometric movements or running. Many of these movements require triple extension to generate power, with the calves serving as a primary contributor and prime mover for ankle extension.
Calf Raise Variations
There are many different variations of calf raises, but if you're a beginner, it's important to build your strength before advancing to more complex variations. Some of these other variations incorporate additional elements such as balance, heavier weights, eccentric holds, and more.
Elevated Calf Raises
Elevated calf raises are a variation of traditional calf raises that require an elevated surface to position the balls of your feet. Common setups include using a step box or staircase. This variation is more challenging due to the position of the feet, allowing for a deeper stretch, more activation of the calf muscles, and even increased ankle mobility.
Donkey Calf Raises
Donkey calf raises are another variation of the standing calf raise. Rather than performing the movement in an upright position, this variation involves hinging at the hip to create an L-shape, maintaining that position throughout the exercise.
What's the difference? The upright position in standard calf raises involves more lower body muscles for stabilization (like the glutes and hamstrings). By hinging at the hip and positioning the upper body parallel to the floor, you reduce the involvement of these stabilizing muscles, forcing a deeper stretch and focusing the work on the calves, specifically the gastrocnemius muscles.
Seated Calf Raises
As mentioned in the donkey calf raises section, altering body position and muscle length can shift the emphasis on which muscle is worked. Since the gastrocnemius crosses the knee joint, a seated position with a flexed knee focuses more on the soleus, allowing it to carry out most of the work. The gastrocnemius, being in a more contracted state, is prevented from going through its full stretch-contract cycle.
Eccentric Calf Raises
Eccentric calf raises function similarly to negative exercises (like push-ups or pull-ups), focusing heavily on the eccentric portion of the movement. Eccentric contractions can generate more force compared to concentric contractions, leading to discussions about using eccentric training for greater hypertrophy.
To perform eccentric calf raises, you might need something to help reset to the top position of the movement. If performing calf raises on one leg, use the other foot to push back to the top at the bottom position, then start the eccentric portion on one foot. Similarly, when performing calf raises on both legs, use an external object (such as a railing, step, or TRX band) to pull back to the top position to begin again.
Calf Raises on Leg Press
Calf Raises on a leg press are performed on a leg press machine. Many users do this exercise right after their leg press sets. If you're targeting your calves, you can skip the leg press and go straight to calf raises on the leg press to isolate the calves. Keep in mind that if you haven't done this variation before, you should start with lower weight than you would typically use for the leg press. The leg press engages multiple muscle groups, whereas calf raises mainly target the calf muscles.
To perform calf raises on a leg press, sit down on the leg press machine. Once you're ready, select the weight and press forward. When your legs are fully extended, position the balls of your feet on the edge of the leg press platform. Be cautious when doing this variation, especially with the initial weight selection. Start by pressing through plantar flexion (lifting your heels), then return to dorsiflexion (lowering your heels) for the full range of motion. This movement targets the calves while providing stability from the leg press machine.
