Exercise Library
Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise
The dumbbell seated calf raise targets the soleus, the deep calf muscle that takes over when the knee is bent, by raising your heels with dumbbells resting on your knees. Because the gastrocnemius is slackened in the seated position, this variation is the practical way to grow the lower part of the calf. Lifters pair it with standing raises to train both calf muscles completely using only dumbbells and a bench.
Primary muscle
Primary: Soleus Secondary: Gastrocnemius
Secondary muscles
Plantaris
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Calves
How to Do the Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise
- Sit on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, or place the balls of your feet on a plate or block for extra range.
- Stand a dumbbell vertically on each knee, holding them steady on the lower thighs just above the knees.
- Sit tall with knees bent at about 90 degrees.
- Exhale and press through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as they will go.
- Squeeze the calves at the top for one to two seconds.
- Inhale and lower the heels slowly to the floor, or below the block for a deeper stretch.
- Keep the dumbbells stacked directly over your knees for the whole set.
Common Mistakes
- Going too light for too few reps: the soleus is endurance oriented and usually needs higher reps and real load, so work up beyond token weights, for example 15 to 25 reps with 15 to 25 kg per side.
- Resting the dumbbells mid thigh: placing the weight away from the knees reduces the load on the calves; keep it directly above the knee joint.
- Rushing the reps: quick bounces let the tendon do the work; use a deliberate squeeze at the top and a slow lower.
- Skipping the stretch: without a block under the toes, the range is short; elevate the forefoot so the heels can drop below toe level.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your dumbbell seated calf raise sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.