Start training SMARTER and overhaul your calf strategy. We all know the calf muscles are insanely stubborn and a pain to grow, which is why most people stop focusing on them altogether. It’s a valuable investment with an extremely high return to focus on training them regardless if the end result seeming to be a long journey away, and one that’s capable of completely transforming your lower body without doing much work whatsoever.

Devote 10 minutes of dedicated, progressive calf work onto the end of a long day and you’ll quickly start noticing lumps on the backside of your lower legs. Make sure you do this on a regular basis and you’ll gradually build mountainous calves.

1. Seated Calf Raises

Target Calf Muscle: Soleus

Seated Calf Raises are THE best exercise to hammer the soleus directly.

• Load a plate machine. Sit upright with a tight core.
• Powerfully contract your calves and press up as far as possible.
• Hold for 1 second and lower slowly all the way down to the bottom.
• You should feel a deep stretch through your calves.
• Hold for 1 second at the bottom and repeat the movement.

Alternatives: If you don’t have a plate-loaded calf machine, you can easily replicate the movement by placing two dumbbells on top of your quads (the front half).

2. Standing Barbell Calf Raises

Target Calf Muscle: Gastrocnemius

The Standing Barbell Calf Raise is an all-around calf killer that not only hits the gastrocnemius, but also works the core and cranks up the intensity.

• Load a barbell and place 2 plates together on the floor.
• Stand with your feet slightly more narrow than shoulder-width, with the balls of your feet on top of the plates.
• The plates help increase range of motion.
• Powerfully contract your calves and press up as far as possible.
• Hold for 1 second at the top and slowly return all the way down to the ground.
• Repeat.

Alternatives: You can also do these with dumbbells, a Smith machine, or a standing squat machine. Or use your bodyweight and do them with one leg.

3. 45 Degree Calf Raise

Target Calf Muscle: Gastrocnemius

• Load up a leg press machine and keep your legs straight.
• Place the balls of your feet on the platform with your heels hanging off.
• Powerfully contract your calves and press the platform up as far as possible.
• Hold for 1 second and release back as far as possible.
• Hold for 1 second at the bottom and repeat.