Calf exercises

How to train your calves

Your calf is made up of two muscles. The outer one shows the most and works when your leg is straight, which means in standing exercises like the standing calf raise machine and the calf raise on a step. The inner one, which lies underneath, takes more of the work when your knee is bent, as in the seated calf raise. If you have access to both, do one of each.

Your calves are used to carrying you all day, so they respond best to full movements under control. At home a step is enough: the single-leg calf raise with all your bodyweight on one leg is harder than it looks, and a dumbbell in your hand makes it harder still.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing. Your Achilles tendon likes to spring you back up. Pause for a second at the bottom, with your heel as low as it goes, before rising.
• Short reps. Go all the way up onto your toes and all the way down. Half reps with a lot of weight give you less than full reps with a little.
• Only standing. Add a seated variation if you have a machine.