Heel Drops

Description

How to Do Heel Drops

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand on an elevated surface, such as a step or curb, with the balls of your feet on the edge and your heels hanging off. You may hold onto a wall or railing for balance if needed.

2. 2
   Setup

   Ensure your body is upright, shoulders are relaxed, and your core is lightly engaged to maintain stability throughout the movement.

3. 3

   Slowly lower your heels below the level of the step, feeling a deep stretch in your calf muscles. Control this eccentric phase for 2-3 seconds.

4. 4

   Once your heels are as low as possible, pause briefly to maximize the stretch before initiating the upward movement.

5. 5

   Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible, contracting your calf muscles fully at the peak. Exhale as you rise.

Tips

• Emphasize the slow, controlled lowering phase (eccentric contraction) to maximize muscle damage and growth in the calves.
• Maintain a slight bend in your knees to shift more activation to the soleus, or keep them straight to target the gastrocnemius more directly.
• Focus on a full range of motion, allowing your heels to drop as far as comfortable below the step and rising as high as possible on the balls of your feet.
• If performing unilateral heel drops, place your non-working foot behind the ankle of the working leg to avoid using it for assistance.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rushing the eccentric (lowering) phase reduces muscle activation; instead, control the descent for a full 2-3 seconds to maximize calf engagement.
• ×Failing to lower your heels fully below the step limits the stretch and effectiveness; ensure a deep stretch at the bottom of each repetition.
• ×Bouncing at the bottom or top uses momentum instead of muscle control; perform each rep deliberately, focusing on calf contraction and stretch.