Donkey Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the Donkey Calf Raise, a bodyweight exercise targeting the gastrocnemius and soleus. Improve ankle stability and power.
Description
An exercise primarily targeting the calf muscles. The individual bends over and places their hands on a surface for support, while another person sits on their back. The individual then raises and lowers their heels.
How to Do Donkey Calf Raise
- 1Setup
Stand with the balls of your feet on an elevated surface, such as a step or block, allowing your heels to hang off. Bend at your hips to about 90 degrees, keeping your back flat, and place your hands on a stable surface for balance.
- 2Setup
Have a partner carefully sit on your lower back or hips, ensuring their weight is distributed evenly and you feel stable throughout your torso.
- 3
Inhale and slowly lower your heels towards the floor, stretching your calves until you feel a deep stretch in your gastrocnemius and soleus.
- 4
Exhale and powerfully push through the balls of your feet, raising your heels as high as possible, contracting your calves at the peak.
- 5
Hold the peak contraction for a moment, then slowly and controlledly return to the starting stretched position to complete one repetition.
Tips
- Focus on a full range of motion, going as low as possible for a deep stretch and as high as possible for a strong contraction.
- Maintain a slow and controlled tempo throughout the movement, avoiding bouncing or using momentum to lift your body.
- Keep your core engaged and your back flat to protect your spine and ensure the calf muscles are doing the work.
- If you don't have a partner, you can use a dip belt with added weight or perform single-leg donkey calf raises for progressive overload.
Common Mistakes
- ×Bouncing at the bottom: Avoid using momentum by performing the eccentric (lowering) phase slowly and with control, ensuring a deep stretch without rebound.
- ×Not achieving full range of motion: Make sure to lower your heels completely for a maximum stretch and raise them as high as possible for a peak contraction.
- ×Rounding the back: Keep your back flat and core tight throughout the exercise to prevent lower back strain and effectively target the calves.
Variations
Barbell Seated Calf Raise
Target your gastrocnemius and soleus with the Barbell Seated Calf Raise. This isolation exercise builds strong, defined calves by lifting a barbell from
One Leg Donkey Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the One Leg Donkey Calf Raise. This bodyweight exercise isolates the gastrocnemius, improving lower leg power and endurance.
One Leg Floor Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the one-leg floor calf raise. This bodyweight exercise effectively targets the gastrocnemius and soleus, improving lower leg
Hack Calf Raise
Strengthen and sculpt your calves with the Hack Calf Raise. This exercise targets the gastrocnemius using a sled machine for isolated muscle growth.
Related Exercises
Bodyweight Standing Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the bodyweight standing calf raise. This simple exercise targets the gastrocnemius and soleus for improved ankle stability and
Weighted Donkey Calf Raise
Strengthen and build your calf muscles with the Weighted Donkey Calf Raise. This exercise targets your gastrocnemius and soleus for powerful lower legs.
Single Leg Calf Raise Off Step
Strengthen your calves and improve balance with the single leg calf raise off step.
Weighted Seated Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the Weighted Seated Calf Raise. This isolation exercise targets the gastrocnemius and soleus, building powerful lower legs.
Seated Foot Slide
Gently strengthen your lower legs and improve ankle mobility with this low-impact seated exercise.
Barbell Lying Lifting (on hip)
Build powerful glutes and strengthen your posterior chain with the barbell hip thrust.
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