Legs
Standing Calf Raises
A foundational lower-body movement designed to build strength and explosive power in the gastrocnemius muscles.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and the balls of your feet firmly planted on the edge of a raised platform.
Lower your heels slowly toward the floor until you feel a deep stretch in your calf muscles while maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible, contracting the calves at the top of the movement.
Hold the peak contraction for one second to ensure maximum muscle fiber recruitment.
Lower your heels back to the starting position in a controlled manner to complete one repetition.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Bouncing at the bottom of the movement to use momentum rather than muscle force.
- Shortening the range of motion by not fully lowering the heels below the platform.
- Bending the knees excessively which shifts the tension away from the gastrocnemius.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.