Here’s an exercise I picked up from Paul Sklar. It will cause some “tenderness” in your calves!
They’re fairly easy to do at home or at the gym with a standard chin/dip belt and some weight plates. You don’t need a dedicated step platform like mine – you can use an aerobic step behind an incline bench or near a wall, or use your stairs and hold onto the handrail.
Do 3-5 sets of 15-20 controlled, full-range reps. Make sure to get a good stretch at the bottom and a strong contraction at the top. As Sklar puts it, “to get the most out of this exercise, pretend that you’re trying to look over a high brick wall to see what’s on the other side.”
You can even do donkey calf raises with a dip belt. All you need is an aerobic step and a bench. You need to use smaller weight plates for clearance, but at least no one has to sit on your back!
