Setup
Stand on one leg with the ball of your foot on the edge of a step or raised platform, heel hanging off. Hold a wall or rail for balance with your opposite leg bent behind you.
How to do it
- Drive through the ball of your foot to lift your heel as high as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top with your calf fully contracted.
- Lower your heel below the level of the step for a full stretch.
- Keep your working leg straight throughout the movement.
- Control the descent slowly rather than dropping quickly.
Watch out for
- ✗Bending the knee of the working leg reduces calf activation.
- ✗Bouncing at the bottom wastes the stretch reflex instead of using controlled momentum.
- ✗Rushing through reps without pausing at the top limits muscle contraction.