Setup
Stand upright with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides with arms straight. Position the balls of your feet on a raised surface like a weight plate or step with heels hanging off the edge, or simply stand flat on the ground.
How to do it
- Drive through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top position while squeezing your calves.
- Lower your heels in a controlled manner until you feel a stretch in your calves.
- Keep your legs straight but knees unlocked throughout the movement.
- Maintain an upright torso without leaning forward or backward.
Watch out for
- ✗Bouncing at the bottom instead of using controlled momentum reduces muscle engagement.
- ✗Bending the knees significantly turns this into a partial squat rather than isolating the calves.
- ✗Rushing through the repetitions without pausing at the top shortchanges muscle contraction.