You can do the standing calf raises with both of your feet or one foot. The standing calf raises can easily be done on a high surface while having your heel at a lower position than your toe. This position will significantly improve your stretch on the working muscles. Do this exercise by lifting your heel higher than your front foot.

You can use different methods to increase resistance like weights. You can also stick to solely making use of your bodyweight. These are a form of exercise that targets the lower leg’s soleus muscles, as well as the tibialis posterior and gastrocnemius.

The balance can be difficult when doing the free-standing calf raises. The one-legged variation of it makes balance difficult. As a result of the difficulty in balance, you can lean on the wall using your hand, or you can hold on to a solid item for stability or balance.

How to do the standing calf raises?

The standing calf routine is done to focus on your calf muscles. To improve the shape and size of your calf, you can opt for the standing calf routine.

You can stay on the step’s edge. If you have access to a step-aerobics platform, you can put risers of two sets beneath the platform. You should then stand as tall as you can on your feet’s balls, while they are affixed firmly on the step, with your heels hanging a bit off the edge. Rest your hands on a firm object like a wall. Doing so will allow for better balance.

You should then lift your heels over the step’s edge, allowing you to be on your toes. You should then keep the stance for a while before moving your heels well below the platform again. This will enable your calf muscles stretch.

Alternatives to the standing calve raise

Seated calf raise

You can also do your calf raises using a flexed knee, that is at an angle of over ninety degrees. This form reduces the knee flexor stretch or the emphasis on the gastrocnemius. Doing them seated will improve your comfort. Doing it while seated, decreases the resistance because your upper body’s weight rests on the seat.

This exercise also involves the use of your body weight, which includes one of your legs draped on the other. By doing so, it will increase the weight lifted by double.

You can also increase the weight by using a barbell or other kinds of weight to increase the resistance the calf muscles would face. The calf raise is done here, while in a seated stance, as the weight leans on one’s upper leg, slightly above its knee. To properly do this exercise, you can lift the weight by easily pushing down on the feet’s balls.

When using the barbell for the exercise, you could wrap it in a towel to reduce the discomfort that comes with higher weights. You can also make use of seated calf raise machines that allow you to make use of levers, equipped with pads that are designed to shield your legs.

Bridging

This kind of exercise is usually done with a flexed knee to reduce the knee flexor’s stretch or the stretch on one’s hamstrings. This exercise allows you to efficiently work on the hip extension and its effects on the glutes.

Since the pelvis is in up in the air, you can shift its weight back to the feet allowing you greater resistance. This is an awkward routine because of its difficulty in adding of resistance, as well as the reduction in stability.

If you lift your leg, you might need to balance with your arms to prevent yourself from falling sideways. If you place a padded barbell on your upper quadriceps, thereby incorporating resistance, your arms would not be able to stabilize easily.

Leg press machine

You can use the leg press machine to do the straight-knee calf raise. The exercise makes the knee and hip joints not mobile, while the sled is almost locked out. This is not to be seen as a bodyweight exercise because it is only the foot that is lifted and affected.

The resistance for the exercise usually comes from the sled. A leg press allows the user to stabilize, while the safety bar protects the individual from injury because it will enable it to safely come down if he or she is incapable of lifting it.

Do you ever target your calves?

The calve muscles are often neglected when it comes to working out. I integrated standing calf raises into my leg workout routine. I want to prevent having big thighs versus smaller lower legs. Still got a long way to get those muscles growing. Let us know, do you ever target your calves and what exercise do you use to strengthen them?