Best Calf Exercises & Stretches

Your calf muscle recovers quickly, you can work on your calf muscles 3-4 week. Just make sure you are staying hydrated so you don't get a charlie horse!

Below are some great exercises & stretches, we often forget about our calf muscles!

Standing calf raise on elevated surface:

This is a great exercise to stretch & strengthen the calves! Place both of your feet on an elevated surface with your heels hanging off. Keep your core engaged and raise your feet as high as possible, slowly lower your heel down below the raised surface until you feel a stretch in your calf. Repeat 3-4 times.

Seated calf raise:

Sit tall on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the ground holding two heavy dumbbells on top of your thighs. Keep your core engaged and lift your heels off the ground as high as possible. Slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Repeat 3-4 times.

Farmer's Walk on Toes:

This is excellent for functional calf strengthening and balance. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your feet hip width apart. Keeping your shoulders down and your core engaged, lift your heels so you're standing on your toes. Without letting your heels touch the ground walk forward on your toes for a set number of time (example 30 seconds). Repeat 3-4 times.

Jump Rope:

We all know how to do this one, make sure you keep your core engaged. Jump rope for a minute or longer if you can. Rest for 30 seconds do 3-4 times.

Dumbbell Jump Squat:

Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart. Push your hips back to lower down until your thighs are parallel with the ground and you're in a squat position. In one explosive movement, straighten your legs to come out of the squat and jump off the ground. Land softly with bent knees as you lower back into the squat position. Do as many as you can. Repeat 3-4 times

Downward Dog:

This is a classic yoga pose, it is a great calf stretch. Begin in a tabletop position with your hands planted on the ground beneath your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Pressing firmly into your palms, tuck your toes, lift your knees off the ground and slowly extend your hips upward. Without locking your knees, carefully straighten your legs until your body creates a triangle shape with the ground. Remember to engage your core as you continue to lengthen your spine and lift your hips as high as possible. To deepen the stretch bend one knee and then the other to peddle the feet. Hold for at least 30 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.