STANDING ONE LEG CALF RAISE

Stand facing a stack with the cable in the low pulley position. Hold the handle in one hand down by your side. If you have a raised surface like a wooden block or step, place the balls of your feet on that with your heels off of it suspended in the air. If you don't have a raise surface, just do calf raises on the floor. Start with your knees slightly bent (and keep them this way throughout the range of motion) and your heels dropped toward the floor below the level of the surface/platform. Flex your calves to extend your ankles as high as possible. Squeeze your calves for 1-2 counts at the top, then lower back to the start position, feeling a stretch in your muscles at the bottom.

How to do it

Steps :

1.) Start by setting up either a dip belt, rope or straight bar on a low pulley cable machine and placing either a step or block in front of the machine.

2.) Step onto the block with the balls of your feet on the edge and letting your heels drop down as far as possible without touching the floor.

3.) Then slowly raise your heels up as far as possible, squeezing your calves and hold for a count.

4.) Return back to the starting position.

5.) Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Slowly rise up onto your tiptoes, lifting your heels off the ground while keeping your knees straight and your abdominals engaged. Hold this position for a moment, feeling the contraction in your calf muscles. Slowly lower your heels back down to the ground, maintaining control throughout the movement. Repeat this exercise for the desired number of repetitions, making sure to keep your movements smooth and controlled.

Stand on a wooden block or other raised structure to allow for a full stretch on the calves. Hold onto a stable structure for balance with one hand and hold a dumbbell in the other hand. Start with one leg on the block so that your heel hangs over the edge of the block and is dropped down towards the floor. Bend your non-working leg and hook it behind your working leg. Perform calf raises by dropping your heel as low as possible and then raising up on the ball of your foot as high as possible. Hold this position for a second and contract your calves as hard as possible before lowering your heel and performing another rep. Perform for reps, then switch legs and repeat.

Step 1: Place a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended down by your sides, palms facing in. Step 2: Stand upright with the balls of your feet on an elevated platform with your toes pointing forward and your heels extended off the back end. This is your starting position. Step 3: Exhale as you raise up on your toes as high as possible. Step 4: Hold for a moment and then inhale as you lower your heels back down as far as possible without actually leaving the platform. Repeat as necessary.

Pro Tip Balance is important in this movement, focus on it consciously to limit the risk of falling.

How To While standing on a block or raised platform on the edge of your toes, hold two dumbbells by your sides. Exhale and raise yourself off the floor by standing on your toes. Continue raising yourself until you can no longer raise yourself up through solely your toes any longer. Inhale and lower yourself back down to the starting position.

A.K.A. One-Leg Standing Calf Raise

Stand on the foot block of a Standing Calf Raise machine on the ball of your right foot and duck under the shoulder pads. Your toes should be pointing forward. Bend your left leg and hook it behind your right leg. Start with your heel down as far as possible in a good stretch. Keep your knee straight and stiff but not locked. Rise up onto the ball of your foot and squeeze, moving only at the ankle. Hold this position for a second and contract your calf as hard as possible before lowering your heel and performing another rep. Perform all reps on the right leg and then repeat on the left. Although the description is given as starting with your right leg, I recommend switching it up each workout and starting with the left leg. You can also do this exercise holding a dumbbell in your hand instead of using the standing calf machine.

Stand in a doorway with your feet inside of it. Use your arms to hold onto the door frame or, if using a counter, grab onto the counter with your feet up against the bottom of the counter (a counter with a sink works well because it allows for a better grip). Keeping your grip on the door frame or counter, extend your arms to allow your body to lean back as close to a 45-degree angle as possible. From this leaned back position, perform one-leg calf raises, holding the peak contraction at the top of each rep for a full second. Repeat for reps on both legs.

Standing in a doorway or near a counter, move your feet back from the doorway or counter about 2 feet or so. Lean onto the door frame or counter, supporting your body with your hands. From this leaned forward position, perform one-leg calf raises, holding the peak contraction at the top of each rep for a full second. Repeat for reps on both legs.

A.K.A. One-Leg Standing Calf Raise (bodyweight)

Stand on a wooden block or other raised structure to allow for a full stretch on the calves. Be sure there is a stable structure to hold onto with your hands to support yourself on the block. Start with one leg on the block so that your heel hangs over the edge of the block and is dropped down towards the floor. Bend your non-working leg and hook it behind your working leg. Perform calf raises using just your body weight by dropping your heel as low as possible and then raising up on the ball of your foot as high as possible. Hold this position for a second and contract your calves as hard as possible before lowering your heel and performing another rep. Perform as many reps as you can on one leg and then switch to the other leg until you reach muscle failure. Keep switching legs back and forth without any rest until you can do no more than 6 reps per leg. That concludes one set.