Exercise to Strengthen Your Calf Muscles
Overview
By adding this calf muscle exercise into your routine, you can improve calf strength, endurance, and overall lower leg stability for enhanced physical performance.
Level
Beginner
Targets
Calves, ankles, knees
Step by Step Instructions
- Stand at a step with a sturdy support (railing/pole/wall) for balance.
- Place the balls of your feet on the edge of the step with heels hanging off.
- Hold your support, stand tall, and keep your movement slow and controlled.
- Lower your heels below the step until you feel a calf stretch.
- Press through the balls of your feet to rise onto your toes.
- Repeat the lower–raise cycle smoothly for several repetitions.
Options:
7. No step available? Do the same motion on flat ground (less stretch at the bottom).
8. Want more challenge? Do single-leg calf raises, still holding onto your support for safety.
[Video Transcript]
This exercise is designed to strengthen your calf muscles, which can help with ankle or knee pain. You’ll need a step and something sturdy for balance, like a railing or pole. Place the ball of your foot on the step with your heel hanging off. Using your support for balance, slowly lower your heel below step level to feel a stretch, then rise up onto your toes to contract the calf. Move slowly and with control: lower, then raise; repeat. If you don’t have a step or find this too difficult, perform standing calf raises on flat ground by lifting up onto your toes and lowering back down, there’s less stretch at the bottom, but it still strengthens the calves. If you’re strong enough, progress to single-leg calf raises, always holding onto a support to avoid losing balance. This exercise targets the calves effectively; just be sure you have something to hold onto for safety.
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