Because your calf muscles help flex your ankles and knees, keeping these muscles strong is important. If you tend to gain fat in this area, perform aerobic exercise and lower your caloric intake to shed fat from all areas of your body. Along with fat-burning techniques, perform several key exercises to tone your calves. If toning with weights, use a light amount of weight and perform two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. Perform a calf-toning workout in conjunction with a full-body strengthening regimen twice a week, along with a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic exercise every week.
Step Calf Raises
Use a stair or an aerobic step to tone and firm your calf muscles. Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of the step with your heels suspended in the air. Hold onto a fixed, sturdy object to help maintain balance. Raise your heels as high as you can and hold this position for one count before lowering your heels to the original position.
Weighted Floor Raises
Use a barbell to tone your calves with weighted floor raises. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the bar across your shoulders. Maintain a straight back and a tightened abdomen as you raise your heels off the floor as far as you can. Hold this position for one count before lowering your heels.
Resistance Band Flexes
Sitting on the floor with your legs straight in front of you, wrap a resistance band around the ball of your foot and grasp the loose ends with your hands. Begin with your foot perpendicular to the floor. Flex your ankle to push the top of your foot away from you. Slowly return to the original position to complete one repetition. Alternate feet between sets.
Step Jumps
Combine calf-toning with an aerobic exercise to help burn calories and shed fat from all over your body, including your calves. Stand facing an aerobic step with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees, bend forward at the hips and maintain a straight back as you jump from the floor onto the step. Land on both feet with your knees bent. Repeat this exercise for up to 10 minutes at a time.
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