Best Exercises for Calves

The calf muscles are responsible for plantar flexion, meaning moving the ball of the foot down. The selection of exercises is rather small, merely consisting of variations of calf raise.

Standing Calf Raises

The calf is made up of two muscles, Gastrocnemius and Soleus. Gastrocnemius is the larger of the two, providing most of the visible shape of the calf. Performing a Standing Calf Raise will engage both muscles, favoring the Gastrocnemius. Once proficient strength is developed, performing Single Leg Calf Raises may be beneficial to develop the stabilizing muscles.

Steps

1. Stand on an elevated surface with balls of your feet while the heels remain the air
2. Flexing the calves, lift the heels as high as you can
3. Return to starting position

Seated Calf Raises

Performing calf raises while the knees are bent will favor Soleus as the primary mover. As such, performing Seated Calf Raises in addition to Standing Calf Raises is a good way to stregnthen the whole calf. The exercise may be done with a specific machine, weight over your thighs, or no weight at all.

Steps

1. Sit on the machine with the pad over your thighs and knees bent at 90 degress
2. Flexing the calves, lift the heels as high as you can
3. Return to starting position