ProgreviaCalf exercises for the gym and home
These are the 11 calf exercises in our library. Each one includes the correct technique, the muscles it works and alternatives if you lack the equipment. You can generate a free routine that includes them based on your level and goal.
Muscles you work when training your calves
The triceps surae is formed by the gastrocnemius (two heads, crossing the knee) and the deeper soleus. Because the gastrocnemius crosses the knee, it is best trained with the leg straight (standing raises), while the soleus dominates when the knee is bent (seated raises). Including both variations is the usual way to cover the whole group.
How to train your calves: sets, reps and frequency
For muscle growth, the meta-analysis by Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger (2017), covering 15 studies, found a dose-response relationship: more weekly sets per muscle lead to more hypertrophy, and the practical benchmark usually drawn from it is around 10 or more sets a week. Splitting them over two sessions works better than doing them in one (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2016), and light or heavy loads give similar hypertrophy when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld and colleagues, 2017).
| Sets per week | Reps | Sessions per week | Rest between sets | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Values | 8-16 | 10-20 | 2-3 | 1-2 min |
They respond well to high reps and a pause in the stretch. Do standing raises for the gastrocnemius and seated raises for the soleus, which works harder with the knee bent. If you are starting out, stay at the low end of the sets and build up gradually. We explain it in how many sets per muscle you need.
Calves: where the stimulus of the calf raise is
Kassiano and colleagues (2023) compared three ways of doing calf raises over 8 weeks: full range of motion, only the bottom half with the ankle stretched, and only the top half. The bottom half grew the medial head of the gastrocnemius the most:
| Calf raise | Growth |
|---|---|
| Bottom half only, with the ankle stretched | 15.2% |
| Full range of motion | 6.7% |
| Top half only | 3.4% |
In practice: lower your heel all the way, pause for one or two seconds at the bottom and do not bounce. Standing, with the knee straight, you mostly work the gastrocnemius; seated, with the knee bent, the soleus.
- Kassiano W, Costa B, Kunevaliki G, et al. Greater gastrocnemius muscle hypertrophy after partial range of motion training performed at long muscle lengths. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2023;37(9):1746-1753.
Blog guides: Calves
- Best leg exercises for the gym and at home — The best leg exercises according to science: squats, seated leg curls, stretched calf raises, how many sets to do and a routine for the gym and home.
- Strength training for runners: gym routine — A 2-day strength routine for runners: what it improves in economy and performance according to studies, why heavy loads work and how to fit it with your runs.
- Training frequency for hypertrophy: how many times per week? — Training frequency for hypertrophy: how many times a week to hit each muscle, what the meta-analyses show once volume is equal, and how to lay out your week.
The 11 calf exercises
Compound exercises (1)
| Exercise | Equipment | Minimum level | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump rope | Bodyweight | Beginner | Both sides together |
Isolation exercises (10)
| Exercise | Equipment | Minimum level | Movement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell calf raise | Barbell | Intermediate | Both sides together |
| Donkey calf raise | Machine | Advanced | Both sides together |
| Dumbbell calf raise | Dumbbells | Beginner | Both sides together |
| Isometric calf raise on step | Bodyweight | Beginner | Both sides together |
| Kettlebell calf raise | Kettlebell | Beginner | Both sides together |
| Leg press calf raise | Machine | Beginner | Both sides together |
| Seated calf raise | Machine | Beginner | Both sides together |
| Single-leg calf raise on leg press | Machine | Intermediate | One side at a time |
| Single-leg step calf raise | Bodyweight | Intermediate | One side at a time |
| Standing calf raise | Machine | Beginner | Both sides together |
See all muscle groups
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