Bent-knee Calf Raise

How to perform it

1. 1Preparation and positioning. Use a stable hand support and a non-slip step or floor. Define whether the heel may move below forefoot level and keep that range pain-free.
2. 2Starting position. Place pressure through the base of the big toe, little toe, and heel before unloading the heel. Keep the working knee flexed at a consistent angle.
3. 3Concentric phase. Raise the heel by plantar-flexing the ankle while keeping pressure through the forefoot and avoiding an inward or outward roll.
4. 4Top position / lockout. Pause at the highest controlled position without bouncing or shifting weight into the hand support.
5. 5Eccentric phase. Lower slowly to the same bottom marker while maintaining foot alignment and the prescribed knee angle.
6. 6Breathing and bracing. Breathe normally and use the support only for balance, not to pull the body upward.
7. 7Valid rep. A rep uses the same knee angle and ankle range, reaches a controlled top pause, and contains no bounce, foot roll, or assistance from the other leg.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing through the Achilles tendon

  Fix: Pause briefly at the top and control the full lowering phase.

• Rolling the foot

  Fix: Keep pressure across the forefoot rather than collapsing to the inner or outer edge.

• Changing the knee angle

  Fix: Keep the prescribed straight- or bent-knee position constant.

• Using the support to pull

  Fix: Use the hands only for balance and reduce difficulty if needed.

Safety

• Current hip, knee, ankle, or tendon symptoms call for an individually tolerated range and load; pain is not a cue to force alignment or depth.
• Choose a load, range, and setup that permit a controlled return or exit; stop the set rather than compensating through sharp or progressively worsening symptoms.

Progressions & alternatives

• regressionBilateral Bent-knee Calf Raise— Reduce strength, balance, or coordination demand while rehearsing the key pattern before returning to Bent-knee Calf Raise.
• progressionLoaded Seated Calf Raise— Increase load, range, instability, or skill demand after Bent-knee Calf Raise is repeatable through the planned volume with reserve and no technique drift.
• alternativeCalf Press on Leg Press Machine— Train a similar primary pattern with a different stability, equipment, or joint-loading profile when Bent-knee Calf Raise is impractical or poorly tolerated.