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Runners and Cyclists, Here’s Why Calf Raises Should Be Part of Your Routine
This simple move can have a huge impact on your athletic performance.
By Erin Bunch •
Standing vs. Seated Calf Raises
How to Do Standing Calf Raises
How to Do Seated Calf Raises
The Benefits of Doing Calf Raises
Calf Raises Variations and Modifications
Common Mistakes to Avoid
How to Add Calf Raises to Your Fitness Routine
Your calf muscles do more than you might think. They help you push off the ground, stay balanced, and move efficiently, making them essential for both everyday activity and athletic performance. That’s why Peloton instructor Matt Wilpers recommends giving them dedicated attention—especially if you’re a runner or cyclist, since they power every stride and pedal stroke.
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A simple way to strengthen those muscles? Calf raises. “A calf raise is essentially a heel lift, where you raise and lower your heels off the ground,” Matt explains. This movement targets the two main muscles in your calves: the gastrocnemius, which helps bend the knee, and the soleus, which supports ankle stability and balance.
Calf raises can improve athletic performance, build ankle strength, and reduce injury risk—and because they require no equipment, they’re easy to work into your weekly routine.
In this guide, we’ll break down how to do calf raises correctly, explore variations, and share expert-backed tips for when and how to use them in your training.

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Standing vs. Seated Calf Raises
You can perform calf raises from a standing or seated position, and each version targets the muscles a bit differently. “Seated calf raises target primarily the soleus, whereas standing calf raises target both the gastrocnemius and soleus,” Matt says.
The gastrocnemius is the larger, more visible calf muscle that gives your lower leg its shape. According to physical therapist Candace Harding, it helps bend the knee and perform plantarflexion—the motion of pointing your foot or pressing down on a gas pedal. The soleus, which lies underneath, also powers this movement. Together, these muscles play a key role in walking, running, and cycling by helping you generate forward motion through the foot.
Including both variations in your routine supports more balanced strength, endurance, and lower-leg stability.

How to Do Standing Calf Raises
Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your arms by your sides, or place your hands on a wall or chair for balance if needed.
Engage your core as you press through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high off the ground as possible. Focus on squeezing your calf muscles at the top of the movement.
Hold the top position for a second or two to maximize muscle engagement.
Lower your heels slowly and with control. That’s one rep.
How to Do Seated Calf Raises
Sit on a chair or bench with your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width distance apart.
Press through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible, flexing your calf muscles.
Hold the top position for a second or two to maximize muscle engagement.
Lower your heels slowly and with control. That’s one rep.
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The Benefits of Doing Calf Raises
Whether you’re climbing hills, pedaling for miles, or simply moving through your day, your calves are constantly in motion. Calf raises help this hard-working muscle group stay strong and resilient. Here’s what you gain by adding them to your routine.
1. Improved Lower-Leg Strength
By targeting the gastrocnemius and soleus, you’re strengthening the two major muscles responsible for plantarflexion—the movement that helps you push off the ground or pedals. For runners, this means a stronger stride; for cyclists, it means more efficient power transfer during each pedal stroke.
2. Improved Functional Mobility
Calf raises drill ankle mobility and strength in a way that prepares your body for real-world movement patterns like walking, climbing stairs, and jumping. “Provided the ankle joint has adequate range, calf raises help maintain the strength needed for functional use,” Harding says.
3. Improved Ankle Strength and Stability
In addition to targeting the main calf muscles, calf raises also activate deeper stabilizer muscles, such as the tibialis posterior and flexor hallucis longus, Harding says. These muscles support the arch and help control foot motion, which improves ankle stability. Stronger plantarflexion also supports foot supination—the rigid foot position before push-off—further reducing the risk of ankle sprains.
4. Improved Athletic Performance
Calf raises can support athletic performance by strengthening the muscles involved in jumping, sprinting, and explosive movement. Harding notes that both running and jumping rely on ankle plantarflexion—the same motion trained during a calf raise. For maximum benefit, she recommends rising quickly to build power and lowering slowly to improve control.
5. Lowered Risk of Injury
Because calf raises improve ankle strength and stability, they may also help reduce the risk of injury. For example, a 2006 study in The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that individuals with lower plantar flexor strength were significantly more likely to develop Achilles tendon overuse injuries during high-impact training. Matt has experienced this benefit firsthand: “I used to get Achilles tendonitis, and eccentric calf raises have helped me prevent this by strengthening the tendon and surrounding calf muscles,” he says.

Calf Raises Variations and Modifications
At first glance, a calf raise might seem pretty straightforward, but there’s a surprising amount of variation built into this simple move. According to Matt, calf raises can be performed with one or both legs and with or without added weight. You can also emphasize different phases of the movement: concentric (muscle shortening), eccentric (muscle lengthening), or isometric (static engagement). The best version for you depends on your goals, equipment, and experience level. Below are a few of Matt’s go-to variations.
Single-Leg Calf Raise
Lifting with just one leg places more demand on the working calf muscle, which helps build strength and stability.
Stand on your right leg. Bend your left knee so your left foot is in the air slightly behind you.
Raise your right heel as high as possible.
Pause briefly at the top, then lower back down slowly.
Switch sides and repeat.
Eccentric Calf Raise
This variation emphasizes the lowering phase of the movement when the muscle lengthens under control. Matt favors this approach for building strength and supporting tendon health. As Matt mentions above, he credits regular eccentric training with helping to prevent Achilles tendonitis by reinforcing both the tendon and the surrounding muscles.
Stand on a step with your heels hanging off the edge.
Rise up onto both feet, then shift your weight to one leg.
Slowly lower that heel over 3-5 seconds, allowing it to dip below the step.
Reset with both feet and repeat on the other side.
Isometric Calf Raise
An isometric raise involves holding the top position of a calf raise without movement, which helps build endurance and stabilize the ankle and lower leg. Harding notes that isometric calf raises activate the plantar flexors without moving the joint, which can help increase blood flow to the muscle and support healing. They’re also helpful for retraining muscle function, especially when joint movement is painful.
Rise onto the balls of your feet and hold the lifted position for 10-30 seconds.
Lower with control. Rest and repeat.
Flat vs. Elevated Surface
Doing calf raises on an elevated surface, such as a step or curb, creates the opportunity for more range of movement, Matt explains. This increased range allows your calves to stretch more at the bottom and contract more fully at the top, helping you build strength through a greater portion of the muscle’s natural range.
Weighted vs. Unweighted
Bodyweight calf raises are a great starting point, but adding weight can help build more strength—especially for runners, jumpers, or anyone making quick directional changes, says Harding. She advises pairing weighted calf raises with eccentric training to strengthen the calves in a lengthened position, which better prepares the joint to absorb the high-impact forces of landing. For true strength gains, aim for fewer than 8 reps per set and increase the load once the final reps start to feel too easy, she adds.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The calf raise may be a simple exercise, but proper form matters. “The most common mistake I see is people moving too quickly or bouncing through the motion,” Matt says. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of slowing down and maintaining control. It’s not about how many reps you do, he adds, but how much time your muscles spend under tension—that is, how long they’re actively engaged and how deliberately you move through each phase of the exercise.
How to Add Calf Raises to Your Fitness Routine
Calf raises are a versatile exercise you can do almost anywhere—while brushing your teeth, waiting for the elevator, or taking a quick break at your desk. But if you’re looking for a more structured approach, Matt recommends adding them to the end of your lower body strength workouts two to three times per week. For an easy way to do so, cue up one of the Extra 10: Lower Legs classes—which focus almost entirely on the shin and calf exercises—on the Peloton App.
“In terms of seated versus standing, both are great to incorporate and can be alternated from one workout to the next,” he says. “However, seated calf raises can be a little harder to perform since they require the right setup or equipment.” If such a setup is not available, he notes that sticking with standing calf raises is perfectly fine.
A common starting point is 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, but you can adjust based on your goals and fitness level. Even a few minutes a couple of times a week can help build strength, improve stability, and support better performance—whether you’re walking, running, or riding.
One final word of wisdom? Don’t forget to stretch your calves too.
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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.
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