Muscles worked
With just your bodyweight and both feet on the floor, this is the easiest calf exercise there is. The gastrocnemius and soleus share the work, with the larger share on the gastrocnemius because your knees are straight. The load is low, so the exercise mainly builds endurance in your calves and control in your ankles. It suits beginners, works as part of a warm-up before running or a leg session, and fits in when you have no equipment.
Common mistakes
- You hang on to the support. A tight grip on a chair back or the wall takes some of the weight off your calves. Two fingers against the support are enough for balance.
- You stop at the first burn. When calves are trained for high reps, the burn often arrives early, before the muscle is really spent. Keep going as long as you reach the same height as at the start of the set, and stop only once the height starts to drop.
- You stand on a soft mat. A thick yoga mat or a bed gives way under the front of your foot and makes your ankle unsteady. Stand on a firm floor.
Variations and alternatives
- The calf raise on a step is the next step: the same exercise with your heels free, so your calves get stretched at the bottom.
- The single leg calf raise is a clear step up, as one calf at a time carries your whole body.
- Dumbbell calf raises suit you when you have weights at home and want more load while staying on both feet.
Sets and reps
Most people do well with two or three sets of 15 to 25 reps and short rests. As part of a warm-up, one calm set is enough. You will find the rest on planning in the guide to sets and reps.
Once you can do 25 slow reps on every set, your bodyweight has done its job. Then it is time for a harder variation rather than even more reps, because without weights it is harder variations that give you progressive overload. If you want to train your whole body at home, there is the no-equipment home programme.