standing calf raise

Muscles involved: gastrocnemius, soleus (upper and lower calf muscles)

Joint motion: ankle extension

Sports applicability: all sports, particularly running

Conditioning benefits:

• General: This is a great exercise for the lower leg muscles. Because a straight leg position is maintained throughout the exercise, the prime mover is the gastrocnemius, which is best suited to developing force from this stretched position. Note: the seated calf raise emphasises the soleus muscle.
• Sport specific: The calf muscles are often neglected in sports conditioning programmes in favour of exercises that focus on the larger thigh muscles – eg the squat and leg press. However, a failure to condition the smaller calf muscles appropriately will reduce an athlete’s ability to develop optimum propulsive power for running and agility-based sports: the lower leg (and ankle and foot) are crucial in this respect, as the more effective these areas are at cushioning and returning force the quicker and more dynamic the athlete will be. There is also considerable research evidence to suggest that heavy weight machine (or free weight) standing calf raises, which place an emphasis on the lowering (eccentric) part of the movement, are a very effective way of conditioning out potential Achilles tendon problems and even treating Achilles tendinosis (see PP 206 Dec 04 and The World Sports Science Training Workbook, PP books 2004).

Start position (see below)

• Stand tall under the machine’s pads and take hold of the grips with your elbows flexed. Your feet should be facing forwards, not splayed or turned inwards;
• Look straight ahead and keep your back in neutral alignment – ie not arched or rounded;
• Keep your ankles, knees and hips in alignment, making sure your ankles are lined up with each other on the footplate, with your weight supported by all your toes;
• The standing calf raise machine allows the exercise to be performed with the heels below the toes – a position that works the calf muscles over a greater range of movement (ROM). However, you should not force this position – ie attempt to achieve a lowered heel position that is beyond your normal ROM – as this could injure your calf muscles and/or Achilles tendons.

Start Position and Action

Action (see above)

• Contract your calf muscles to lift your body;
• Lift to full ankle extension, pause and lower under control. Because of the exercise’s remedial/injury prevention capability, you should lower to a count of three and raise to a count of one.

Training tips

Look straight ahead and focus your balance so that it is evenly distributed across your toes. This will avoid rolling the ankles over or inwards, which could lead to injury.

Start with 4 x 10 reps, at 70% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) to a ‘one-up, three down’ count. Take 90 seconds’ recovery between sets.

Variations and sport specific progression

Single-leg body weight calf raise: Calf raise exercises are more sport specific when performed from a free-standing position, with or without weights. These exercises develop proprioceptive ability and recruit numerous, much smaller, stabilising muscles that are often not significantly challenged by fixed weight machines. To perform the exercise, stand on one leg with the other tucked up towards your buttocks. Position your arms out to the sides to aid balance. Extend up onto your toes and lower slowly. Perform 3 x 10 single-leg calf raises on each leg, with 90 seconds’ recovery between sets. Once you can handle these comfortably, add to their difficulty by holding light dumbbells (10kg) in each hand.

Straight leg jumps: This progression develops real dynamic power in the lower legs. From a standing position, use feet, ankles and calf muscles to propel your body into the air. Bend your knees very slightly to start the exercise and to absorb the impact of each landing. Think ‘light and fast’. Perform 3 x 10 reps with 90 seconds’ recovery.

John Shepherd

Illustrations by Viv Mullett