Back to Library

Exercise Guide

How to do one leg floor calf raise

Master the setup, range of motion, and tempo for safer, more effective reps.

This unilateral exercise focuses on isolating the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the lower leg. By standing on one foot and lifting your heel off the ground, you increase the resistance and improve balance. It is highly effective for correcting muscle imbalances, enhancing ankle stability, and building explosive power for running and jumping, all without needing any specialized gym equipment.

Stats

DIFFICULTY
Untrained to Advanced
EQUIPMENT
None
TARGET MUSCLES
Calves

Instructions for Proper Form

Setup:

  1. Position: Stand on one leg, near a wall or sturdy object you can hold onto for balance.
  2. Stance: Lift your non-working foot off the floor, either by bending the knee or crossing it behind your standing leg.

The Movement:

  1. Raise: Press through the ball of your standing foot to raise your heel as high as possible off the floor.
  2. Squeeze: Squeeze your calf muscle at the top of the movement and hold for a moment.
  3. Lower: Slowly lower your heel back to the floor.
  4. Repeat: Complete all reps on one leg before switching to the other.

Tips:

  • For a greater range of motion, stand on the edge of a step or a weight plate so you can drop your heel lower than your toes.
  • To add resistance, hold a dumbbell in the hand on the same side as your working leg.

Common mistakes: Not using a full range of motion at the bottom and bouncing at the top of the movement instead of holding the contraction.

Alternatives

Barbell

barbell standing calf raise

Calves
None

calf raise

Calves
Bench

donkey calf raise

Calves
Bench

barbell seated calf raises

Calves
Seated Calf Raise Machine

machine seated calf raise

Calves
None

standing calf raise

Calves
Dumbbell

dumbbell standing calf raise

Calves
Dumbbell

dumbbell seated calf raise

Calves
Barbell

barbell standing calf raise on riser

Calves
None

one leg floor calf raise

Calves
Standing Calf Raise Machine

machine standing calf raise

Calves
Smith Machine

smith-machine reverse calf raise

Calves