Seated One-Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise

Setup

1. 01Sit on a bench with the ball of the working foot on a block or plate.
2. 02Rest the other foot flat on the floor out of the way.
3. 03Stand a dumbbell vertically on the working thigh just above the knee.
4. 04Steady the dumbbell with both hands and set the knee at about 90 degrees.

Execution

1. 01Lower the heel of the working leg into a full stretch.
2. 02Drive through the ball of the foot to lift the heel as high as possible.
3. 03Hold the top contraction for a second.
4. 04Lower under control and repeat, then switch legs.

Checkpoints

• -Full range on every rep, deep stretch to full rise.
• -The dumbbell stays balanced over the working knee.
• -The non-working leg contributes nothing.
• -Reps match between legs, starting with the weaker side.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the free leg quietly assist the lift.
• -Bouncing the heel at the bottom.
• -Shifting the dumbbell up the thigh, unloading the calf.
• -Doing more reps on the stronger leg.