Calf raises are important to develop strength in the lower part of your leg as well as definition. Most people either want smaller calves and train this part of their body to lose the fat around this area or people want bigger calves to which they also train this part to achieve this goal. The reason why you need to train this part of your body (and an athlete will agree with me on this one), is to prevent injury. Working with high school children who practice sport and noticing how they are prone to injuries in the lower part of the leg, calf raises are extremely important to prevent injuries (1). They prevent strains, tears, sprained ankles and more. Read the link in the resources mentioned under number 1.

The calf raises illustrated in the video, exercise the gastrocnemius, tibialis posterior and soleus muscles of the lower leg. Turning your feet inward places more emphasis on the medial (inner) muscles while turning your feet outward places more emphasis on the lateral (outer) muscles (2).

See the video here: https://youtu.be/y3jaDbd9jb0

Be mindful when doing any type of exercise. If something hurts during the exercise, stop and ask for advice and see your doctor.

Resources:

(1) – https://sportandspinalphysio.com.au/the-importance-of-calf-strength-and-the-best-calf-strength-exercises/

(2) – https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/exercise-library/73/standing-calf-raises-wall/

Image from Runnersworld