Calf Raises & Calf Drops

Otherwise known as heel raises and drops, calf raises and drops stretch and strengthen the gastrocnemius. This muscle attaches to the femur, runs along the back of the lower leg and attaches to the heel bone by way of the Achilles tendon. Along with the soleus, it plantar flexes the ankle, opening the angle of the ankle. Unlike the soleus, which primarily is composed of slow twitch muscle fibers, the gastrocnemius contains a large percentage of fast twitch fibers. Integral to postural stability, slow twitch fibers respond relatively slowly to signals from the brain and are well-suited to long, sustained contractions. Fast twitch fibers fire almost immediately but have very little capacity to sustain contractions. Because of these fast twitch fibers, the gastrocnemius is effective at generating movement, especially running, jumping and climbing stairs.

Basic Version

Stand on a raised surface such as a step, with your feet hip-distance apart and your knees straight. Firmly plant the balls of both feet on the step and allow your heels to drop down below the level of the step. This drop stretches the gastrocnemius. Lift your heels as high as you can to strengthen the gastrocnemius. Repeat the exercise 15 times. Work up to performing three sets of 15 repetitions. If you have problems balancing, hold on to a banister or railing. Lean forward slightly so that your weight is centered over your toes.

One-Leg Version

Make this exercise more challenging by performing it on one leg. Stand as in the basic version, but wrap your left foot around your right ankle before allowing your right heel to drop below the step. Rise and drop 15 times with your right foot; then repeat on the left foot.

With Weight

You can make either the two-footed or one-footed version more challenging by adding weight. If you have problems balancing, perform the weighted version on a calf raise machine. Place your toes on the platform, with the weighted bars resting on your shoulders. Hold on to the bars for support. If you do not have access to the machine, hold dumbbells in your hands as you perform the exercise. Because you cannot use your hands for support in this version, be sure that you can comfortably perform the basic exercise with your arms by your sides before attempting the version with weights.

Cautions

Get the most out of your exercise and avoid injury by maintaining proper alignment throughout the movements. Keep your toes pointed straight in front of you, with all five toes in contact with the ground. Do not allow the ankle to drift over your big or little toes. Keep your hips and shoulders in alignment. If you push your hips forward as you rise, you stress the joints in your back. Keep your eyes focused forward. If you drop your head toward your chest, you stress your discs and ligaments in your upper back and neck.