Calf exercise · Isolation

Single-Leg Calf Raise

Standing on one foot on the edge of a step, you lower your heel into a stretch and rise onto your toes, so one calf lifts your whole body weight.

Equipment

Primary muscles: Calves
Difficulty: Beginner
Logged as: Weight × reps

Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.

Why do it

Putting all your weight on one calf makes this much harder than raising on both feet, which is why it works so well at home with nothing more than a step. Start with bodyweight, and once you can do clean sets with a full stretch and a pause at the top, hold a dumbbell on the working side. Keep the knee straight to keep the gastrocnemius in charge, and use your free hand on a wall so balance doesn't cut the set short.

How to do it (Dumbbell)

Stand on one leg with the ball of your foot on the edge of a step, heel hanging off. Hold a dumbbell in the hand on the working side and a wall or rail with the other.
Let your heel drop below the step until you feel a stretch in your calf.
Push through the ball of your foot to raise your heel as high as it goes.
Hold the top briefly, then lower slowly. Finish all reps before switching sides.

Common mistakes

Pushing yourself up with the wall

The wall or rail is there for balance only. Use a light fingertip touch so your calf, not your arm, does the lifting.

Bending the working knee

A bent knee turns each rep into a small knee bend and shifts work away from the gastrocnemius. Keep the leg straight and let only the ankle move.

Too much of your foot on the step

With most of your foot on the step, your heel can't drop below it. Only the ball of your foot belongs on the edge, so the heel hangs free.

Shorter reps on the weaker leg

If one side can't go as low or as high, don't let it get away with half reps. Match the range on both legs and end the set when the weaker one can't.

Sets, reps and progression

How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:

Alternatives that train the same thing

Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.

Standing Calf Raise

Machine, Dumbbell, Barbell

Both feet at once with straight knees, and easy to load heavy.

Seated Calf Raise

Machine, Dumbbell, Barbell

Knees bent, so the deeper soleus does most of the work.

Calf Raise on the Leg Press

Machine

Calf raises seated in a leg press, with no load on your shoulders.

Seated Single-Leg Calf Raise