The donkey calf raise is a bodyweight exercise that targets the calves. It involves standing with your toes on an elevated surface and raising your heels as high as possible to work the calf muscles.
Also Works
HamstringsGlutes
How to Perform
1
Stand with your toes on an elevated surface, such as a step or block.
2
Place your hands on a stable support, such as a wall or railing, for balance.
3
Raise your heels as high as possible, lifting your body weight onto the balls of your feet.
4
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Stand with your toes on a raised surface and lean forward at the hips so your torso is roughly parallel to the ground. This hip-flexed position provides a greater calf stretch than Standing Calf Raises.
•Lower your heels as far below the step as possible to get a deep stretch in the calves, then rise onto your toes as high as possible.
•Pause at both the top (full contraction) and bottom (full stretch) of each rep for 2 seconds to maximize calf fiber recruitment.
Common Mistakes
•Not going through the full range of motion, doing partial reps at the top without fully stretching the calves at the bottom.
•Bouncing at the bottom of each rep, which uses the Achilles tendon elasticity instead of the calf muscles.
•Bending the knees during the raise, which shifts the load from the gastrocnemius to the soleus.