Calf exercises: which work your calf most?

The calves (gastrocnemius and soleus) point the foot. Straight-leg calf raises bias the gastrocnemius; bent-knee raises shift the work to the soleus.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every study cited is listed at the end.

The muscles that make up your calves

• GastrocnemiusThe visible, two-headed calf muscle. It points the foot and also crosses the knee, so it is stretched when your knee is straight and slack when it is bent.^[1]
• SoleusA flat muscle under the gastrocnemius that points the foot whatever your knee does.^[1]

Exercises where the calf is a primary mover

Ranked by how much of the work the calf does in each exercise.

• Calf Raise
• Leg Curlalso hamstrings

Exercises that also work the calf

The calf assists in these, but is not the main target.

• Burpeealso quads, chest, abs
• Farmer's Walkalso forearms, traps, abs
• Step-Upalso quads, glutes
• Back Squatalso quads, glutes, adductors
• Lungealso quads, glutes, hamstrings
• Wall Sitalso quads
• Bulgarian Split Squatalso quads, glutes, adductors
• Leg Pressalso quads, glutes, adductors

How to train your calves: what the research shows

Stand up for bigger calves. In a 12-week study, 14 untrained adults trained one leg with standing calf raises and the other seated. The standing leg's gastrocnemius grew 9 to 12% versus under 2% seated, while the soleus grew similarly with both.^[2] Make standing, straight-knee raises your main calf exercise.

Other lifts help a little. The conventional deadlift worked the calves harder than the sumo deadlift in a study of 13 athletes,^[3] and long-step lunges produced more calf activity than short steps in a study of 20 adults.^[4]

Reps. Light and heavy loads built muscle about equally across studies when sets were taken close to failure; heavier loads built more maximal strength.^[5] A weight you can lift 6 to 15 times with good form, with the last two reps hard, is a practical range.

Range. Lower your heels slowly until you feel a full stretch, pause, then rise as high as you can. Bouncing at the bottom lets the tendon do the work instead of the muscle.

Frequently asked questions

Standing or seated calf raises?

Standing. In a 12-week MRI study, standing raises grew the gastrocnemius 9 to 12% versus under 2% seated; the soleus grew similarly with both.

Why won't my calves grow?

Often too few hard sets, a short bouncing range, or only seated raises. Do standing raises with a full stretch and take sets close to failure.

Do squats and deadlifts work the calves?

A little. The calves steady your ankles and help in deadlifts, but direct calf raises train them far more.

Other muscle groups

Sources

1. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 11.6: Appendicular muscles of the pelvic girdle and lower limbs. Rice University, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-6-appendicular-muscles-of-the-pelvic-girdle-and-lower-limbs
2. Kinoshita M, Maeo S et al. Triceps surae muscle hypertrophy is greater after standing versus seated calf-raise training. Frontiers in Physiology, 2023; 14:1272106. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38156065/
3. Escamilla RF et al. An electromyographic analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2002; 34(4):682-688. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11932579/
4. Escamilla RF et al. Effects of step length and stride variation during forward lunges on lower-extremity muscle activity. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2025; 10(1):42. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39982282/
5. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017; 31(12):3508-3523. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Muscle involvement varies with form, grip and individual anatomy.