Calves: moves, progressions and balance

Set up. Stand on one foot on the edge of a step, holding a support for balance.

1. Lower your heel below the step to a full stretch.
2. Rise up as high as you can on the ball of the foot.
3. Lower slowly.
4. Finish the set and switch legs.

Form cues

• Keep the knee straight but soft.
• Use the support for balance only.
• Pause at the top.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing at the bottom.
• Rolling onto the outside of the foot.

Set up. Stand in the calf raise machine with the pads on your shoulders and the balls of your feet on the edge of the step.

1. Lower your heels below the step to a full stretch.
2. Rise up onto the balls of your feet as high as you can.
3. Pause at the top, then lower slowly.

Form cues

• Keep the knees straight but not locked.
• Use the full range.
• Pause at the bottom and top.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing at the bottom.
• Bending the knees to push the weight.

Set up. Sit in the seated calf raise with the balls of your feet on the step and the pad across your lower thighs.

1. Release the safety and lower your heels to a full stretch.
2. Rise onto the balls of your feet as high as you can.
3. Pause, then lower slowly.

Form cues

• Use the full range.
• Pause at the bottom.
• Push through the big toe.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing.
• Using a tiny range with heavy weight.

Set up. Set up in the donkey calf machine, hips under the pad, torso leaning forward on the support and the balls of your feet on the step.

1. Lower your heels to a full stretch.
2. Rise up onto the balls of your feet as high as you can.
3. Pause, then lower slowly.

Form cues

• Keep the knees nearly straight.
• Use the full range.
• Pause at the bottom.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing.
• Bending the knees to push.

Set up. Sit in the leg press with the balls of your feet on the bottom edge of the platform and your legs nearly straight.

1. Hold the handles and keep your legs nearly straight.
2. Let the platform push your toes back toward you to a full stretch.
3. Press the platform away by pointing your feet.
4. Lower slowly.

Form cues

• Keep the knees soft but still.
• Keep the balls of the feet firmly on the edge.
• Use the full range.

Common mistakes

• Letting the feet slip off the platform.
• Bending the knees.

Take care. Keep the balls of your feet securely on the platform, and use the safety catches where the machine has them.

Set up. Place a stable step under the Smith bar. Stand on it with the balls of your feet on the edge and the bar on your upper back.

1. Unhook the bar.
2. Lower your heels to a full stretch.
3. Rise as high as you can, pause, and lower slowly.
4. Rotate the bar back onto the hooks after the set.

Form cues

• Keep the knees straight but soft.
• Use the full range.
• Set the safety stops.

Common mistakes

• Using a step that can slide.
• Bouncing.

Set up. Stand facing a sturdy box or bench about knee height, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Place one whole foot on top.

1. Drive through the top foot to stand up onto the box.
2. Stand tall at the top.
3. Lower the other foot back down under control.
4. Finish the set and switch legs.

Form cues

• Push through the top foot, not the bottom one.
• Keep the knee over the foot.
• Lower slowly.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing off the floor foot.
• Using a box so high the knee caves.

Set up. Kneel on a padded surface with your ankles held down by a partner or a fixed pad, body upright from knees to head.

1. Lower your body forward slowly as one straight line, resisting with your hamstrings.
2. Go as far as you can control.
3. Catch yourself with your hands at the bottom.
4. Push off lightly and pull yourself back up with the hamstrings.

Form cues

• Keep the hips straight.
• Lower as slowly as you can.
• Use your hands to help at first.

Common mistakes

• Bending at the hips to shorten the lever.
• Dropping fast into the bottom.

Take care. Start with the assisted version and only a few reps: this movement is very demanding on the hamstrings.

Set up. Set up in a glute-ham developer with your feet locked in, knees just behind the pad and torso upright or level with the floor.

1. Lower your torso forward under control until your body is level with the floor.
2. Curl your body back up by pulling with the hamstrings, pressing the toes into the plate.
3. Finish upright with the hips straight.

Form cues

• Keep the hips extended.
• Pull with the hamstrings.
• Use your hands to help at first.

Common mistakes

• Bending at the hips so it becomes a back extension.
• Setting the pad in the wrong place.

Set up. Load a sled, grip its upright handles and lean into it with your arms straight or bent and your body at a strong forward angle.

1. Drive the sled forward with short, powerful steps.
2. Push through the balls of your feet.
3. Keep going for the distance or time.

Form cues

• Keep a straight line from head to back foot.
• Take quick, short steps.
• Keep the arms firm.

Common mistakes

• Standing too upright to push.
• Overstriding.

Set up. Attach a harness or straps to a loaded sled and hold them, facing the sled to walk backward or facing away to walk forward.

1. Lean slightly and start walking with steady steps.
2. Keep tension on the straps.
3. Keep going for the distance or time.

Form cues

• Walk forward for the hamstrings and glutes, backward for the front of the thighs.
• Keep the steps short and steady.
• Stay tall.

Common mistakes

• Jerking the sled.
• Rounding the back.

Set up. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes turned slightly out, arms in front of you for balance.

1. Bend your hips and knees to sit down between your heels.
2. Go as deep as you can with a flat back and heels down.
3. Stand back up.

Form cues

• Keep your chest up.
• Keep the knees over the toes.
• Keep the weight over the middle of the foot.

Common mistakes

• Letting the knees fall inward.
• Lifting the heels.

Set up. Stand facing a sturdy box a short distance away, feet about hip width apart.

1. Dip quickly into a quarter squat and swing your arms back.
2. Jump up, swinging the arms forward, and land softly on the box with both feet.
3. Stand up tall on the box.
4. Step down rather than jumping down.

Form cues

• Land quietly with bent knees.
• Land with the knees over the toes.
• Choose a box you can clear easily.

Common mistakes

• Using a box so high you land in a deep squat.
• Jumping back down off the box.

Take care. Use a stable box, step down between reps, and stop the set when jumps start to fall short.

Set up. Kneel on a pad with your ankles held down. Anchor a band high in front of you and loop it around your chest or hold it.

1. Lower your body forward as one straight line, using the band for help.
2. Go as far as you can control.
3. Pull yourself back up with the hamstrings and the band.

Form cues

• Keep the hips straight.
• A stronger band gives more help.
• Lower slowly.

Common mistakes

• Bending at the hips.
• Using a band that slips.

Set up. Lie face down on the leg curl machine with your knees just past the bench edge and the pad resting above your heels. Hold the handles.

1. Curl your heels toward your backside.
2. Squeeze the hamstrings at the top.
3. Lower under control to almost straight legs.

Form cues

• Keep your hips pressed into the pad.
• Line the knees up with the pivot.
• Lower slowly.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the hips to swing the weight.
• Letting the weight drop on the way down.

Set up. Sit in the seated leg curl with your knees in line with the pivot, the lower pad behind your ankles and the thigh pad locked down over your legs.

1. Curl your heels down and back under the seat.
2. Squeeze at the end.
3. Return under control to almost straight legs.

Form cues

• Keep the thigh pad snug.
• Sit tall or lean slightly forward.
• Control the return.

Common mistakes

• Letting the weight pull the legs straight quickly.
• Lifting the hips off the seat.