Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise

Setup

1. Sit on a stable bench with your feet hip-width apart and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees.
2. Place the balls of both feet on a low, secure exercise step, leaving your heels free to move.
3. Rest a dumbbell on each thigh, just behind the knee rather than directly on the kneecap. Use padding for comfort.
4. Hold the dumbbells securely and sit tall, with your knees tracking over your feet.

Execution

1. Lower your heels slowly until you feel a comfortable calf stretch.
2. Press through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as you can without rolling your ankles.
3. Pause briefly at the top, keeping pressure spread across the forefoot.
4. Lower under control and repeat without bouncing or lifting the dumbbells with your hands.

Coaching cues

• Lift the heels, not the whole body.
• Keep the big-toe side of each forefoot in contact with the step.
• Keep your knees bent and still.
• Make the final repetition look like the first.

Common faults & fixes

• Bouncing out of the bottom: reduce the load and pause briefly before each heel lift.
• Ankles rolling outwards: keep pressure across the forefoot and use a smaller range until you can control the movement.
• Rocking the torso or pulling up on the dumbbells: sit tall, use your hands only to secure the load and choose a lighter weight.
• Cutting the range short as fatigue builds: end the set when you can no longer match your earlier controlled repetitions.

Regressions

• Practise without external load to learn a smooth heel lift and lower.
• Keep your feet on the floor rather than a step to remove the below-floor heel drop.
• Use light hand pressure on your thighs instead of dumbbells for a small, adjustable resistance.

Variations

• Single-leg seated dumbbell calf raise: train one side at a time while keeping the pelvis level.
• Seated calf raise machine: use a dedicated machine when available for easier loading.
• Paused seated calf raise: hold the top position briefly on each repetition without letting the ankles roll.

Programming ideas

• Strength accessory: perform 3 sets of 10–15 controlled repetitions after your main lower-body work, leaving around 2 repetitions in reserve.
• Light introduction: start with 2 sets of 12–15 repetitions once or twice a week, then build gradually according to recovery.
• Progression: when every set reaches the top of your chosen repetition range with consistent technique, add a small amount of load.
• Running integration: initially place this after an easy run or strength session rather than immediately before intervals or a long run.

Safety

Use a stable bench and a step that cannot slide or tip. Secure the dumbbells throughout and keep pressure off the kneecaps. Avoid forcing the heels into a deep stretch. Stop if you develop sharp calf, Achilles or foot pain; persistent symptoms warrant assessment by a qualified clinician.