Calf Raise

Teaching points

• Stand with the feet about shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight forwards
  
  
• Keep the knees straight as you raise your heels off the floor
  
  
• Lift your heels as high as you can and then return slowly to the starting position

Variations & progressions

• Progress by performing the exercise on a step, with only the toes on the step as shown
  
  
• Hold onto the wall or banister as you raise the heels and then drop them down below the level of the step before returning to the starting position
  
  
• Alternatively perform on a single leg

Muscles worked

• Gastrocnemius
  
  
• Soleus

Alternative exercises

• Calf raise machine
  
  
• Calf raise with a bent knee

Related injuries

• Calf strain
  
  
• Tight calfs
  
  
• Achilles tendon tear
  
  
• Achilles tendon rupture
  
  
• Achilles tendinitis
  
  
• ACL rupture

• PCL rupture
  
  
• Meniscus injury