Description
A weighted exercise focused on the calves. The user bends at the waist, placing their lower back under a weighted pad, and raises their body using their calf muscles.
How to Do Weighted Donkey Calf Raise
- 1Setup
Stand on the platform with the balls of your feet, letting your heels hang off. Position the padded lever across your lower back or hips.
- 2Setup
Bend forward at your hips, keeping your back straight and core braced, until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor. Grasp the machine handles for stability.
- 3
Exhale as you powerfully push through the balls of your feet, raising your heels as high as possible and contracting your calf muscles fully.
- 4
Hold the peak contraction briefly, then slowly lower your heels back down, allowing them to drop below the platform to achieve a deep stretch in your calves.
Tips
- Focus on a full range of motion by achieving a deep stretch at the bottom and a powerful peak contraction at the top of each repetition.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the movement, resisting the weight as your heels descend to maximize muscle engagement and minimize bouncing.
- Keep your knees slightly bent throughout the exercise, avoiding locking them out, to protect the joint and better isolate the calf muscles.
- Maintain a stable torso and avoid using momentum from your hips or back; the movement should originate solely from your ankles.
Common Mistakes
- ×Bouncing at the bottom of the movement reduces tension on the calves; instead, control the eccentric phase by slowly lowering your heels.
- ×Not achieving a full range of motion limits muscle activation; ensure your heels drop below the platform for a deep stretch and rise as high as possible for peak contraction.
- ×Using too much momentum from the hips or back can decrease calf isolation; keep your torso stable and focus on ankle plantarflexion.
Variations
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
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.
Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise. This isolation exercise targets the gastrocnemius and soleus, building powerful lower legs.
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.
Related Exercises
Barbell Floor Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the Barbell Floor Calf Raise. Elevate your heels and engage your gastrocnemius for powerful, sculpted lower legs.
Lever Donkey Calf Raise
Target your gastrocnemius with the Lever Donkey Calf Raise. This exercise effectively builds calf strength and definition using a leverage machine.
Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves and improve balance with the Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise.
Donkey Calf Raise
Strengthen your calves with the Donkey Calf Raise, a bodyweight exercise targeting the gastrocnemius and soleus. Improve ankle stability and power.
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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