Setup
Position yourself in the donkey calf raise machine with your hips under the pad and torso bent forward parallel to the ground. Place the balls of your feet on the platform edge with heels hanging off, keeping your legs straight.
How to do it
- Drop your heels down as far as possible to get a deep stretch in your calves
- Drive through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as you can
- Squeeze your calves hard at the top position for a brief hold
- Lower back down with control to the stretched position
- Keep your legs locked straight throughout the entire movement
Watch out for
- ✗Bending the knees during the movement reduces tension on the calves
- ✗Using momentum by bouncing out of the bottom position instead of controlled reps
- ✗Stopping short of full range by not lowering heels completely or rising all the way up