Standing Barbell Calf Raise
| Exercise Summary | |
|---|---|
| Primary Muscle(s) | Calves |
| Secondary Muscle(s) | None |
| Equipment | Barbell |
| Emphasis | Isolation |
| Type | Push |
Standing Barbell Calf Raise Instructions
- Place one or two plates in front of the squat rack.
- Be in a strong athletic position: knees flexed, core and glutes activated, chest up, and shoulders back.
- Get underneath the bar, placing it on your traps. Step back and stand on the end of the plate on the balls of your feet.
- Feet are pointed straight ahead.
- With your knees slightly bent, make sure your heels are off the plates.
- In a controlled manner, flex/extend at the ankle through a full range-of-motion.
- Keep your strong, starting position throughout the movement. Don't let your core or shoulder position collapse.
- Maintain a slight knee flex from start to finish.
- Conscientiously control the exercise by lengthening and shortening your calf musculature.
- At the top (full plantar flexion), think about driving your heel into the back of your knee.
- Don't just press the balls of your feet into the floor.
- Don't bounce the weight up. Really emphasize controlling the exercise with your calves.
*Tips*
- Don't go heavy on this movement. Focus on putting the calves through a full range of motion.
- Full plantar flexion & dorsiflexion
- Establish a strong mind-muscle connection and be deliberate with each repetition.
- Experiment with different rep schemes and various time-under-tension protocols.
- Don't actively point your feet internally or externally. This will have no real effect on the execution of the exercise.