How many bodyweight calf raises

Pounds lb. Calculate Your Strength. What do the strength standards mean? A beginner lifter can perform the movement correctly and has practiced it for at least a month. A novice lifter has trained regularly in the technique for at least six months. An intermediate lifter has trained regularly in the technique for at least two years. Stand on the edge of the step with your feet hip-width apart.

The balls of your feet should be on the platform. Your heels should be hanging off the back of the step. Try holding onto a wall of something sturdy, like the bar of a squat rack, until your balance improves. The standing elevated calf raise mainly uses the soleus muscle, so we recommend that you go for high reps for this exercise, too.

Bodyweight, kettlebell and dumbbell calf raises can all be done on one leg to increase the intensity of the move. Single leg calf exercises are more intense than the movements that use both legs as all of the resistance is working one of your calves instead of both. To get used to the single leg calf raise, execute the move near a wall or next to something sturdy that you can hold on to keep your balance.

Bear this in mind if you want to try an elevated calf raise on one leg especially. Single leg calf raises are the best calf exercises for unilateral training. Unilateral movements train both sides of your body equally so they have benefits for improving your balance and preventing you from injuries that might result from muscle imbalances. By doing heel raises on one leg at a time you stop the calve muscles on the dominant side of your body from taking on more of the stress of the move.

This unilateral exercise will force both sides of your body to work equally which will stop you from developing muscle imbalance. Stand on one leg with the other leg bent behind you. Make sure that the foot you are balancing on is pointing forwards. For a single leg weighted calf raise, hold a weight in each hand with your arms extended down your sides. Because single leg calf raises are more intense, pick a set of dumbbells that are slightly lighter than those you would use for normal weighted calf raises.

Donkey calf raises are arguably the best calf exercise because the position fully stretches the muscles in your calves and builds even more growth than standard calf raises. You can try donkey raises as bodyweight calf exercises, or you can make the move more difficult by wearing a weight belt to add resistance. You will also need something about waist height to lean on, we usually grab a bench or a plyo box, but anything that will stay in place whilst you hold it and execute the move will be fine.

During this move, your legs are extended but the knee is partially flexed so we advise that you do reps per set. To really target the Gastrocnemius, you need to add bent knee calf exercises into your exercise routine. To get the most out of this exercise, grab a heavy weight and do reps per set at a slow tempo. The seated calf raise is one of the best calf exercises to recruit the Gastrocnemius because you sit with your knees bent as you execute the move.

Find a sturdy chair. For a weighted variation grab a heavy pair of dumbbells. Or, for an elevated variation, find a sturdy step or block to rest the balls of your feet on. Pushing down on your hand during the calf raise will add resistance to the move. To add more, you can try a seated dumbbell calf raise. For this weighted variation, place a dumbbell on top of each thigh, just above your knee, and hold them down. To increase the intensity of this movement, you can do an elevated seated calf raise.

For this variation, all you need to do is sit with your feet on a step platform and position yourself so that your heels are hanging over the edge of the back of the platform. Then, exercise the dumbbell seated calf raise as explained above. This slight tweak will work your muscles even more thanks to the extra stretch, and it will increase the range of motion of your joints. With a heavy weight on your lap, we recommend reps per set for the seated elevated calf raise.

Become a Personal Trainer with OriGym! Set up the seated calf raise machine and adjust the resistance so that the weight is heavy but manageable.

The box jump is a really easy plyometric exercise that will strengthen and tone the muscles in your calves, particularly the Gastrocnemius. In the gym, find a plyometrics box. Start off with a shorter box and increase the height of your jump as your calf muscles get stronger and you become more confident.

Sure, bouncing reps will make you sore , and doing mid-range partials will make your calves burn like crazy. But don't confuse either of those with growth! If you want size, you need to focus on the squeeze and contraction—i. A Better Way: Optimize the top of each rep by pushing as high up onto the balls of your feet as possible. It takes a conscious effort and mental focus. Those who have tried my Awesome Arms Workout know the difference a big squeeze at the top will make in the quality of your workout.

We've all heard that pointing your toes in, out, and straight ahead will hit your calves from various angles. Here's how the logic goes:. There's definitely some truth to this approach, but it's a minor detail—far lower than picking the best exercises and doing them well.

And the downside of placing your toes at extreme angles is it puts unnecessary stress on the connective tissues in your ankles and knees. A Better Way: Don't get too fancy with your toe angle. An inch in or out is plenty! Focus on doing the big things right for weeks or months straight more than on the details. I've performed this workout religiously twice per week over the last year and have seen incredible results. Yes, I'm a pro bodybuilder, but it can work just as well for everyday lifters if you dial back the volume to your abilities.

Universe Lee Labrada, is a bodybuilder on the rise and proudly helping build the family business! View all articles by this author. World-Class Training for the Common Lifter. This is your chance to eat, train, and live like a legendary bodybuilder. Get ready to have your mind blown and your split demolished! Hunter Labrada's 3-Move Calf Workout.