Improve Your Calf Muscles With These Great Calf Muscle Exercises

Calf muscle exercises are best for keeping your calves or lower leg muscles aesthetically shaped and always moving.

Since we always put these muscles into action every day, it could be considered a lapse that we tend to overlook the need to have them trained for form as well. But the benefits of exercising the calves are almost necessary not only for the appearance but also for the function of it.

So, to start shaping and building those calf muscles, you can start by doing these best calf muscle exercises:

calf raise. This exercise is rated the best for building bigger calves. The reason behind this is that when you can perform calf raises, the pressure and weight of your body along with what you add to your body weight, such as a dumbbell, barbell, or any other form of weights. The calf raise tones and develops the two main calf muscles at the back of the lower leg: the soleus and the gastrocnemius.

standing calf raises. This calf muscle exercise is done on any platform that is sturdy enough to support you. Stand with your toes on the edge as you lift your body weight by putting pressure on your calf. In the gym, you can do this on the leg press machine and you can have a dumbbell in one or both hands, or you can have a barbell on your shoulder to increase the weight and pressure.

Seated calf raises. This exercise is more like the standing calf raise, but by sitting with your belly in and your back straight, the weight you’ll be using will rest in your lap near your knees as you perform the raises.

donkey calf raise. This calf muscle exercise is more like a standard calf raise, but your body is bent over with a training partner sitting in a saddle-like position while you do the raise. In addition to putting pressure on the calves, its incline position places a stretch on the muscle group, promoting toning effects. However, if the exercise is not performed ergonomically, you can be very prone to tearing a muscle or tendon. Therefore, it needs extensive assistance and attention.

reverse calf raises. Basically, these calf muscle exercises put the work on the tibialis anterior. This muscle is the one at the shin, so it basically doesn’t target the soleus and gastrocnemius, as they are at the back of the lower leg. This exercise for the calf muscles is done standing up. Much like standing calf raises with the same option for additional weights. Instead of lifting your heel along with your body weight, however, you work to lift your toes and ball, resting your heel and putting pressure on your shin muscles.

One last tip. Be sure to do these exercises correctly and stretch each time before doing them.