Standing Calf RaisesMuscles Worked
The standing calf raise works your calves, mainly the gastrocnemius, the large muscle that gives the calf its shape, with the soleus underneath it helping. Keeping your knees straight lets the gastrocnemius work through a full stretch, which seated raises can't do.
PrimaryCalves
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
How to do it
- Set the shoulder pads so you have to bend your knees slightly to get under them.
- Put the balls of your feet on the edge of the block, heels hanging free, and stand up to lift the pads.
- Keep your knees straight but soft and lower your heels until you feel a deep stretch in your calves.
- Push through the balls of your feet to rise as high as you can, and hold the top for a second.
- Lower slowly back into the stretch and repeat without bouncing.
Form tips
- Pause briefly in the bottom stretch so your calves have to lift the weight instead of bouncing out of it.
- Push through your big toe and second toe so your ankles don't roll outward at the top.
- Keep your knees from bending and straightening during the rep; the movement should come only from your ankles.
Why it made the list
No. 1 of 11
Best Calf Exercises
Targets the gastrocnemius — the big visible calf muscle. Standing position keeps it under stretch. The primary calf exercise.
More calf exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Standing Calf Raises sets in KasMaker and watch your calves fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
