Calf Workout for Beginners
This session is for you if you are new to training your calves and want to build strength in the lower leg from the ground up. We'll walk you through every movement so you feel confident, not confused. Stronger calves help you with everyday things like walking, climbing stairs, and keeping your balance.
What the research says
A few well-designed studies have looked closely at how small changes in how you do calf raises — things like how far you lower your heel or which way your foot points — can change how much each part of your calf muscle grows. One study found a clear difference in muscle growth depending on which part of the movement you train in, and another found that turning your foot in or out shifted which side of the calf muscle responded more. There is also research on long-duration stretching of the calf and its effects on muscle size and strength. For you as a beginner, the big takeaway is this: the details of how you perform each rep actually matter.
The range-of-motion and foot-position studies are well-controlled with clear measured outcomes, though they used specific machines and populations (young women and men respectively), so results may not apply to everyone; the long-duration stretching study showed strong effects but used an extreme protocol (one hour per day) that differs from typical training.
A study on 42 young women compared calf raise training done through the full range of motion against training done only in the lower half of the movement (heel dropped below neutral, foot stretched downward) versus only the upper half. After 8 weeks, the group training in the lower half of the movement showed significantly greater medial gastrocnemius — the inner, larger calf muscle — thickness increases (+15.2%) compared to the full range group (+6.7%) and the upper-half group (+3.4%).
View study →A study on 22 young men compared calf raise training with the foot pointed outward, foot pointed inward, or foot pointed straight ahead. After 9 weeks, the foot-pointed-outward condition produced greater increases in medial gastrocnemius thickness (8.4%) than foot-pointed-inward (3.8%), while foot-pointed-inward produced greater increases in lateral gastrocnemius — the outer calf muscle — thickness (9.1%) than foot-pointed-outward (5.5%). The difference between foot-out and foot-in conditions was statistically significant.
View study →A study investigated the effects of stretching the plantar flexor muscles — the calf muscles that point the foot downward — for one hour per day over six weeks using an orthosis device. The intervention group showed a significant 15.2% increase in lateral gastrocnemius muscle cross-sectional area, as well as significant increases in maximal isometric strength and one-rep-max strength, compared to the control group.
View study →A study on tendon hysteresis — a measure of how much energy a tendon loses during movement — found that 4 sets of 1-minute static calf stretches reduced tendon hysteresis for up to 60 minutes. However, during 10 minutes of submaximal repetitive jumping afterward, no significant differences were found in muscle activity of the medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius, or soleus, and no significant difference was found in oxygen consumption.
View study →The routine
Warmup
Use a sturdy object like a squat rack to hold yourself. Lift the right leg in the air (just around 2 inches from the floor) and perform a circular motion with the big toe. Pretend that you are drawing a big circle with it. Tip: One circle equals 1 repetition. Breathe normally as you perform the movement. When you are done with the right foot, then repeat with the left leg.
Stand with your legs together and hands by your waist. Now move your knees in a circular motion as you breathe normally. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Main
Place a balance board in front of you. Stand up on it and try to balance yourself. Hold the balance for as long as desired.
Place a block about 12 inches in front of a flat bench. Sit on the bench and place the ball of your feet on the block. Have someone place a barbell over your upper thighs about 3 inches above your knees and hold it there. This will be your starting position. Raise up on your toes as high as possible as you squeeze the calves and as you breathe out. After a second contraction, slowly go back to the starting position. Tip: To get maximum benefit stretch your calves as far as you can. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Adjust the seat so that your legs are only slightly bent in the start position. The balls of your feet should be firmly on the platform. Select an appropriate weight, and grasp the handles. This will be your starting position. Straighten the legs by extending the knees, just barely lifting the weight from the stack. Your ankle should be fully flexed, toes pointing up. Execute the movement by pressing downward through the balls of your feet as far as possible. After a brief pause, reverse the motion and repeat.
Using a leg press machine, sit down on the machine and place your legs on the platform directly in front of you at a medium (shoulder width) foot stance. Lower the safety bars holding the weighted platform in place and press the platform all the way up until your legs are fully extended in front of you without locking your knees. (Note: In some leg press units you can leave the safety bars on for increased safety. If your leg press unit allows for this, then this is the preferred method of performing the exercise.) Your torso and the legs should make perfect 90-degree angle. Now carefully place your toes and balls of your feet on the lower portion of the platform with the heels extending off. Toes should be facing forward, outwards or inwards as described at the beginning of the chapter. This will be your starting position. Press on the platform by raising your heels as you breathe out by extending your ankles as high as possible and flexing your calf. Ensure that the knee is kept stationary at all times. There should be no bending at any time. Hold the contracted position by a second before you start to go back down. Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in by lowering your heels as you bend the ankles until calves are stretched. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Grab an exercise band and stand on it with your toes making sure that the length of the band between the foot and the arms is the same for both sides. While holding the handles of the band, raise the arms to the side of your head as if you were getting ready to perform a shoulder press. The palms should be facing forward with the elbows bent and to the sides. This movement will create tension on the band. This will be your starting position. Keeping the hands by your shoulder, stand up on your toes as you exhale and contract the calves hard at the top of the movement. After a one second contraction, slowly go back down to the starting position. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Cooldown
Begin seated on the ground with your legs bent and your feet on the floor. Using a Muscle Roller or a rolling pin, apply pressure to the muscles on the outside of your shins. Work from just below the knee to above the ankle, pausing at points of tension for 10-30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
Stand facing a wall from a couple feet away. Lean against the wall, placing your weight on your forearms. Attempt to keep your heels on the ground. Hold for 10-20 seconds. You may move further or closer the wall, making it more or less difficult, respectively.
Set and rep ranges are general starting suggestions based on this guide's level — adjust to your own experience, and progress gradually.
This entry is for general education only and is not medical advice — if you have any pain in your ankles, heels, or lower legs, check with a qualified health professional before starting.