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If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you feel like your calves are lagging behind, and you want the six best calf exercises. The good news is that you’re not doomed, and it’s not “just genetics.”
While it’s true that some people are naturally blessed with bigger calves, calf size is not entirely predetermined by your genes. Like any muscle group, calves respond to proper training, sufficient volume, full range of motion, and progressive overload. If you train them with intent and consistency, they will grow. I promise.
Lower Leg Anatomy: Front & Back
When most people say they want bigger calves, what they really want is better-looking lower legs. Where most people’s lower limb training fails is that they don’t hit the front and the back–the calves aren’t the whole picture.
When we say the calves, we are referring to two muscles on the back of the lower leg: the gastrocnemius and the soleus.
Gastrocnemius
The large, visible calf muscle. The gastrocnemius has two large heads that you immediately recognize on someone with well-developed calves. Its primary function is plantarflexion, or pointing the toes downward. It is best trained with a straight leg because it crosses both the knee & ankle, so it needs to be lengthened to be trained most effectively.
Soleus
Lies underneath the gastrocnemius and also plantarflexes the foot. It is emphasized when the knee is bent, and we can target it most effectively in that position (as in seated calf raises, as you’ll see below).
But these muscles only make up one side of the lower leg.
Tibialis Anterior
If you want truly balanced and impressive lower legs, you also need to train the tibialis anterior, the muscle on the front of the shin. Think of it as the biceps of your lower leg.
Training calves without training the tibias is like training triceps while skipping biceps, expecting great arms. If you want your lower legs to look bigger and more developed, you need to train all three muscles: the gastrocnemius, soleus, and tibialis anterior.
6 Best Exercises to Grow Your Calves
1. Single Leg Standing Calf Raises
Standing calf raises primarily target the gastrocnemius because the legs stay straight.
These can be performed on flat ground, but doing them off a ledge or step is ideal because it allows you to train the muscle through a full range of motion, which is crucial for growth.
Move slowly and under control. Pause for about half a second at the bottom stretch and again at the top contraction. Be sure to reach the full range of motion at both the top and the bottom of the movement.
Our video shows the single-leg variation; you can do them as shown or with both legs.
You can do single-leg versions of any of the exercises on this list, and you should, especially if you notice a strength imbalance. It’s best practice to start with your weaker side and match its performance to your strong side. Over time, you will see the imbalance lessen and eventually disappear.
2. Seated Calf Raises
Seated calf raises shift the emphasis to the soleus because of the bent-knee position. If you’re at a big-box gym, they probably have a seated calf raise you can load with plates and go ham.
Use a full stretch at the bottom and a hard squeeze at the top. Again, use a full ROM (range of motion). Briefly pause in both positions rather than rushing through the reps so you can be confident you’re maximizing each rep.
3. Donkey Calf Raises
This is the best calf builder on the list, no contest.
Why?
Because you can load it up heavy without putting a ton of strain on your spine.
This isn’t the most common machine to find in gyms (big-box or boutique), but it’s one of the easiest to do without (you just need a good friend).
Set up a 4″ block (or stack some plates) and a box or bench to lean over in a good hip hinge position with your feet halfway off the blocks. Do a few practice reps, hitting full ROM, then have your friend hop on your back in reverse cowboy (or cowgirl) to increase the difficulty.
I did say good friend, didn’t I?
4. Calf Extensions on the Leg Press
This movement is right in front of you each time you do the leg press.
All you need to do is slide your foot down to the bottom of the foot pad so that just the balls of your feet are resting on the edge, and work your calf extensions. It’s a good idea to keep the safeties engaged if you have that option.
Single-leg calf work is vital to developing great calves because most people have a strength/size difference in the gastrocnemius/soleus, and isolateral exercises are the best way to even them out.
It’s also a good idea to practice with both feet until you feel confident enough to go single-leg.
5. Kettlebell Tibialis Curls
Now that you have four incredible gastroc/soleus builders in your arsenal, it’s time to balance things out with some tib training.
Kettlebell tibialis curls are one of the best tibialis exercises because they allow for easy, progressive overload without any fancy machines. It’s also a winner because it is isolateral by design.
Sit on a bench with your leg extended along it and your foot hanging off the end. Hook a kettlebell around your foot and pull your toes toward your shin. Pause briefly in the stretched position and again at peak contraction, controlling every rep. Remember to start with your weaker side, then move on to your stronger side.
6. Standing Tibialis Raises
Popularized by Ben Patrick, also known as the Knees Over Toes Guy, this is one of the most accessible ways to train the tibialis anterior.
Stand with your back against a wall and lift your toes toward your shins. The closer your feet are to the wall, the easier the movement becomes. The farther away your feet are, the harder it gets.
Aim for 15 to 20 controlled reps, pulling your toes up as hard as possible. Move quickly but stay controlled.
Final Thoughts
Do not be the person who skips calves or saves them for the end of the workout and rushes through them.
If calves are a priority, train them first in your session while you are fresh. Give them the same attention you would give to your chest, back, or glutes.
Train all three main lower leg muscles, use full ranges of motion, and stay consistent. Do that, and calf growth will stop being a mystery.
About the Author: Kris Einboden is a former Seriously Strong Training coach who specialized in exercise technique, nutrition, and hypertrophy training. He held NASM-CPT and Precision Nutrition certifications and a Certificate in Personal Training from Brigham Young University. During his time at SST, he coached clients to serious results, including one who lost 40 pounds of fat and 7 inches off his waist while working up to a 495-pound deadlift, all while holding down a demanding full-time career.