Dumbbell Calf Raises

How to do it

1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, balls of your feet on a step or plate.
2. Let your heels drop below the step into a stretch.
3. Push up onto your toes as high as you can.
4. Pause at the top, then lower slowly.
5. Hold a rack with one hand if balance is the limiting factor rather than your calves.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

How it compares

Compared with the Standing Calf Raises, it loads Calves 15 points lower, Forearms 10 points higher. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Machines. Compared with the Step-Ups, it loads Quads 85 points lower, Glutes 75 points lower, Calves 50 points higher. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Dumbbells + Bench.

Other ways to train this

• Standing Calf Raises Machines
• Seated Calf Raises Machines
• Hack Squat Calf Raises Machines
• Single-Leg Calf Raises Bodyweight
• Smith Machine Calf Raises Smith machine
• Barbell Calf Raises BarbellIntermediate
• Bodyweight Calf Raises Bodyweight
• Donkey Calf Raises Bodyweight
• Plate-Loaded Donkey Calf Raise Machines

Other exercises for the Calves

• Step-Ups 35% DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift 20% DumbbellsIntermediate
• Bulgarian Split Squat 20% DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Farmer's Carry 15% Dumbbells

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.