Exercise 2: Calves
Purpose: Fatigue the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) through repeated heel raises.
Instructions
Position: Stand sideways to a wall, with one hand on the wall at shoulder height, elbow bent and relaxed.
- Stand on one foot, lifting the other foot off the ground with knee bent.
- Slowly raise the heel of your standing foot, coming up onto the ball of the foot.
- Slowly lower the heel back down.
- Continue raising and lowering until you reach level 6/10 fatigue in the calf.
- Shake out the stressed leg.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Duration: Continue until 6/10 fatigue level is achieved in each calf (typically 5–15 repetitions per side).
Sensations to notice: Building fatigue and warmth in the calf muscle, possible shaking or trembling in the calf, the challenge of maintaining balance.
Finding level 6/10
Level 6/10 fatigue means the muscle is working and feels tired, but there’s no pain. You should feel the calf burning mildly. If you experience pain, stop and modify.
Modifications
- Reduced range — Don’t raise the heel as high. Even a small raise creates muscle work.
- Fewer repetitions — Do fewer raises and build up over time.
- Two-legged — If single-leg raises are too challenging, do raises on both feet simultaneously.
- Chair support — Stand behind a chair and hold the back with both hands.
- Corner support — Stand in a corner with hands on both walls for maximum stability.
- Chair-seated — Sit in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Raise and lower your heels while keeping the balls of your feet on the ground.
Achilles tendon issues
If you have Achilles problems, reduce the range of motion and intensity, or use the seated variation. Stop if you experience pain.