Standing Calf Raise (Dumbbell)

How to do it

1. Stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a step, heels hanging off, a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
2. Keep your knees straight and your body tall.
3. Lower your heels below the step until you feel a full stretch in your calves.
4. Rise as high as you can by extending your ankles and pause with your calves squeezed.
5. Lower under control back to the stretch.

Key cues

• Balls of the feet on the edge
• Legs straight, body tall
• Full stretch at the bottom
• Rise as high as you can
• Pause and squeeze at the top

Common mistakes

• Cutting the stretch short at the bottom
• Not rising all the way up
• Bending your knees to help the lift
• Dropping quickly instead of lowering under control

Muscles worked

Primary

Calves

Equipment

Dumbbells and step or raised platform.

Variations

• Standing Calf Raise (Machine)

  Machine · Calves · Isolation

• Standing Calf Raise (Barbell)

  Barbell · Calves · Isolation

• Standing Calf Raise (Smith Machine)

  Smith machine · Calves · Isolation

• Standing Calf Raise (Bodyweight)

  Bodyweight · Isolation

References

1. StrengthLog: Standing Calf Raise
2. BarBend: Calf Raise