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Bodyweight Donkey Calf Raise 6s · no sound

Bodyweight Donkey Calf Raise

A bent-over calf raise that targets the gastrocnemius through a deep stretch — the old-school calf builder, no machine needed.

Primary muscle
Calves
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Movement
Isolation
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How to do it

  1. Stand with the balls of your feet on the edge of a step or low platform, heels hanging off the back.
  2. Hinge forward at the hips and place your hands on a sturdy surface in front of you for support.
  3. Keep your back flat and your legs nearly straight with just a soft bend in the knees.
  4. Lower your heels slowly below the platform until you feel a deep stretch through the calves.
  5. Press through the balls of your feet to rise up as high as possible onto your toes.
  6. Squeeze the calves hard at the top, then lower under control over 2 to 3 seconds and repeat.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees too much, which shifts the work off the gastrocnemius onto the soleus.
  • Cutting the range short and skipping the deep heel stretch where most of the growth happens.
  • Bouncing the reps instead of lowering under control — kills the time-under-tension on the calves.
  • Rounding the back in the bent-over position, which puts strain on the lower back over volume.

Muscles worked

Primary
Calves

Same movement, other equipment

Banded Eccentric Tibialis Raise Beginner Banded Eccentric Tibialis Raise Calves Resistance band Calf Press Beginner Calf Press Calves Machine Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise Beginner Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise Calves Dumbbell Dumbbell Tibialis Raise Beginner Dumbbell Tibialis Raise Calves Dumbbell

Similar exercises

Bent-Knee Soleus Raise Beginner Bent-Knee Soleus Raise Calves Bodyweight Eccentric Calf Lowers Beginner Eccentric Calf Lowers Calves Bodyweight Heel and Toe Walks Beginner Heel and Toe Walks Calves Bodyweight Single-Leg Standing Calf Raise Beginner Single-Leg Standing Calf Raise Calves Bodyweight Tibialis Raise Beginner Tibialis Raise Calves Bodyweight

Good to know

What muscles does the Bodyweight Donkey Calf Raise work?
Mainly the calves.
What equipment do you need for the Bodyweight Donkey Calf Raise?
None. It is a bodyweight exercise.
Is the Bodyweight Donkey Calf Raise good for beginners?
GymVim rates it beginner.

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