All Glossary Terms
Anatomy
Calves
The muscles of the lower leg responsible for ankle plantar flexion.
The calves consist of the gastrocnemius (upper, visible portion) and soleus (deeper, lower portion). They point the toes (plantar flexion) and are important for walking, running, and jumping. Calf training includes standing raises (gastrocnemius emphasis) and seated raises (soleus emphasis).
Examples
- Standing calf raises: gastrocnemius
- Seated calf raises: soleus
- Often genetically determined in size
Exercises that train the calves
28 exercises in the library target the calves as their primary muscle.
Smith Machine Reverse Calf Raises
Strength · Machine
Standing Barbell Calf Raise
Strength · Barbell
Standing Calf Raises
Strength · Machine
Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
Strength · Dumbbell
Standing Gastrocnemius Calf Stretch
Stretching · None
Standing Soleus And Achilles Stretch
Stretching · None
Ankle Circles
Stretching · None
Anterior Tibialis-SMR
Stretching · Other