Also called a heel raise, the exercise involves lifting yourself up onto the balls of your feet so your heels leave the floor, explains Real Simple. Remain in this position for a few moments before bringing your heels slowly back onto the ground. That’s it! While it may not feel very laborious, calf raises give our calf muscles and our ankle joints a much-needed workout, and they can be a great way to cool down and stretch after a full-body sweat session.
If you find yourself teeter-tottering while up on your toes, there are a few different ways you can alter the exercise to make it easier. Perhaps the simplest solution is to try calf raises while seated in a chair. Additionally, slip on some shoes if the bare floor is placing uncomfortable pressure on the bottoms of your feet. You can also try an assisted calf raise, which involves holding onto a wall or piece of furniture while doing the exercise to help keep you steady as you’re starting out. For those who want to kick things up a notch, try doing calf raises while squatting, lifting weights, or raising only one foot before switching to the other. This is called a unilateral calf raise. So just how many calf raises should we aim to do?