Knee Over Toes Calf Raise • WholeBodyChiro

The soleus is the deeper part of your calf muscle, and it is the main extensor of the ankle while the knee is bent. The soleus is often overlooked in gym programs; however, it is essential in sports and day-to-day life, where we often move with the knee bent and need lower limb strength and stability in these postures. By training the soleus muscle, you can improve your ankle/lower limb stability, which may enhance your balance and reduce the risk of ankle, knee, and lower back injuries.

To perform a standing bent knee soleus calf raise:
• Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent so that the knees stick out in front of the feet and your heels start to lift off the ground.
• Keeping your knees bent, slowly lift your heels up as high as possible, pushing up onto the balls of your feet.
• Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your heels back down to the floor.
• Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

To perform this exercise correctly, it’s important to focus on keeping your knees bent throughout the movement to engage the soleus muscle. Also, be sure to use a slow and controlled motion, avoiding any jerking or bouncing movements. You can increase the difficulty by wearing a weighted backpack or performing the exercise on one leg at the time.