As a runner, strength training is a non-negotiable part of my routine. As I'm less than three weeks out from my first marathon, I've also been focusing on recovering properly; ensuring I'm resting enough, consuming enough protein, and stretching.
Stretching and strengthening exercises keep your joints and muscles healthy, nipping would-be injuries in the bud. But I wanted to shake up my regular pattern, so I decided to give this short, four-move calf-focused workout a try.
To take part, you'll need dumbbells (adjustable dumbbells will come in handy if you want to change the weight easily), a step and a weight bench (or seat). Exercises three and four use kettlebells, but I just stuck to dumbbells for ease.
This routine comes from physical therapy duo Cate and Davis (Thatptcouple on TikTok), and is an efficient four-move physio-approved routine that fit the bill perfectly, as I was able to fit it in after my normal leg day workout.
Watch Thatptcouple's four-move calf workout
@thatptcouple ♬ OMG What's Happening - Ava Max
What did I think of these exercises?
The routine is cleverly designed so that you only need these four moves to get a comprehensive lower-leg workout.
- Heel raise at step
- Seated weighted heel raise
- Double lunge elevated heel
- Weighted soleus walk
I wouldn't say my calf muscles are an area I ignore, but I tend to train them at the same time as other leg muscles by using lower-body-focused, multi-muscle compound exercises in my weights sessions.
So, when I took on these dedicated calf exercises I was intrigued to see what the results would be. As soon as I started the the first heel raise, I felt a tightness that made me realize I've not been giving them the attention they deserve!
I did three sets of 10 repetitions of each move, and with each rep, the tightness eased and I felt like I really was, finally, strengthening my calf muscles. Some of the exercises may look a bit silly (looking at you, soleus walk), but all felt beneficial.
Would I do this workout again?
I usually love the workouts I try, but this one more than most. I was especially fond of the the double lunges with elevated heels. I didn't feel much strain on my calves initially, but when I raised my heels higher, I felt them fire up.
Using these moves regularly and gradually increasing the weights I use (an example of the progressive overload principle), there's no reason why I couldn't build a set of strong, healthy, and bulletproof calf muscles.
If you don't have equipment to hand but want to strengthen your lower leg muscles, doing calf raises every day can have a similar effect. Plus, this helps support you during incline or hill walks throughout the day.
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