Can I do this exercise without a dumbbell?

Yes. A weight plate or a loaded backpack across the thighs works the same way, and beginners can start with no load at all. For a bent-knee option without weights that loads one calf with your full body weight, try Bodyweight Single-Leg Bent-Knee Calf Raise.

How many reps should I do?

Sets of 10 to 20 slow reps suit most people, taken close to the point where you can no longer reach full height. Because dumbbells on the knees limit how heavy you can go, a slow lowering and a pause in the stretch are usually needed to make the set hard enough.

Is this exercise better than standing calf raises?

No. In a 12-week study of untrained adults who trained one leg on a seated calf-raise machine and the other on a standing one, the gastrocnemius grew clearly only in the standing leg, while soleus growth was similar in both legs, so the standing raise covers the whole calf. Treat this one as extra soleus work alongside Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise, not a replacement for it.

How do I make it harder when my dumbbells feel too light?

Train one leg at a time with both dumbbells on that knee, pause for two seconds in the bottom stretch, or take three to four seconds to lower. When those stop working, Machine Seated Calf Raise or Barbell Seated Calf Raise allow much heavier loading.

Is this exercise useful for runners?

Yes. The soleus takes a large share of the load at the ankle with every running stride, and this is a simple way to strengthen it with the knee bent, alongside standing raises for the gastrocnemius.

Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise

What Is the Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise?

Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the calves, particularly the soleus, and also engages the gastrocnemius. It is a beginner-level movement that needs only a bench, a pair of dumbbells and a low platform such as a weight plate, which makes it a practical stand-in for a seated calf raise machine at home or in a gym.

Sitting with the knees bent to about 90 degrees shortens the gastrocnemius, which crosses the knee, so it can contribute less force and more of the work falls on the soleus, which crosses only the ankle. The gastrocnemius still works, just less than it does in a straight-knee raise such as Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise. An EMG study of experienced lifters found the soleus less active with the leg straight than with the knee bent to 90 degrees, and the medial gastrocnemius more active with the leg straight, while the lateral gastrocnemius changed less with knee angle.

The soleus carries much of the load at the ankle during walking, running and jumping, so runners and field-sport athletes often program seated calf raises alongside standing ones. For general calf development, standing raises come first because they train both muscles, and the seated raise adds focused soleus work on top of them.

The main limit of this version is load. Dumbbells balanced on the knees cap how heavy it can get, so stronger lifters progress by working one leg at a time, slowing the lowering and pausing in the stretch, or move to Machine Seated Calf Raise or Barbell Seated Calf Raise. Beginners can start with no weight and add dumbbells once they can do full-range reps with control.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Soleus: Primary
Gastrocnemius (Lateral Head): High
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): High
Peroneus Longus: Medium

Instructions

Place a weight plate flat on the floor in front of a flat bench, or use a sturdy step, so that your knees bend to about 90 degrees when you sit with your feet on it.
Sit upright near the front of the bench and put the balls of both feet on the edge of the plate, about hip-width apart, toes pointing forward and heels free.
Stand a dumbbell upright on each thigh just above the knee and hold each one by the handle to keep it in place.
Lower your heels until you feel a full stretch in your calves, keeping tension in them at the bottom.
Press through the balls of your feet and raise your heels as high as you can, driving the dumbbells up with your knees.
Pause for a second at the top with your weight over the big toe and second toe, not rolling to the outside of your feet.
Lower your heels slowly, taking about two seconds, back to the stretched position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps, keeping your torso still and using your hands only to steady the dumbbells.

Common Mistakes

Bouncing out of the bottom
Dropping quickly into the stretch and rebounding lets the Achilles tendon's recoil do the lifting and takes load off the calves.
Cutting the range short
Stopping before the heels are fully lowered or fully raised skips the stretched and fully contracted positions where the calves work hardest.
Lifting the dumbbells with the hands
Pulling the dumbbells up as the heels rise unloads the calves, so the hands should only keep the weights steady.
Resting the dumbbells on the kneecaps
Setting the dumbbell heads on the kneecaps presses into the joint and lets them roll off, so rest them on the thighs just above the knees.
Rolling onto the outside of the feet
Letting the ankles tip outward near the top shifts pressure onto the little toes and makes the ankles less stable on the platform.

Injuries

Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. Sitting takes body weight off the ankles, and the load is limited to what you can hold on your knees, so the problems that do come up are local: the Achilles tendon and calf, the ankle on the platform, and pressure where the dumbbells rest on the thighs.

Bouncing out of the bottom or dropping suddenly into a deep stretch loads the Achilles tendon and calf abruptly, so lower under control and pause briefly in the stretch. Use a platform that cannot slide or tip, such as a weight plate lying flat on the floor or a fixed step, because a foot slipping off the edge mid-rep can jar the ankle. The dumbbell heads can dig into the thighs or slide onto the kneecaps, so rest them just above the knees and fold a towel under them if the pressure is uncomfortable.

If the stretch at the bottom is uncomfortable, work with the feet flat on the floor and a shorter range until it eases, or do the movement with no weight. To progress, train one leg at a time, slow the lowering, or move to Machine Seated Calf Raise for heavier loading.

Stop if you feel sharp or pinpoint pain in the Achilles tendon or calf, a sudden pop, or a cramp that does not release, and have ongoing Achilles pain assessed before loading it again.

Overview

Primary Focus: Calves
Equipment: Dumbbell and bench
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I do this exercise without a dumbbell?: Yes. A weight plate or a loaded backpack across the thighs works the same way, and beginners can start with no load at all. For a bent-knee option without weights that loads one calf with your full body weight, try Bodyweight Single-Leg Bent-Knee Calf Raise.
Q: How many reps should I do?: Sets of 10 to 20 slow reps suit most people, taken close to the point where you can no longer reach full height. Because dumbbells on the knees limit how heavy you can go, a slow lowering and a pause in the stretch are usually needed to make the set hard enough.
Q: Is this exercise better than standing calf raises?: No. In a 12-week study of untrained adults who trained one leg on a seated calf-raise machine and the other on a standing one, the gastrocnemius grew clearly only in the standing leg, while soleus growth was similar in both legs, so the standing raise covers the whole calf. Treat this one as extra soleus work alongside Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise, not a replacement for it.
Q: How do I make it harder when my dumbbells feel too light?: Train one leg at a time with both dumbbells on that knee, pause for two seconds in the bottom stretch, or take three to four seconds to lower. When those stop working, Machine Seated Calf Raise or Barbell Seated Calf Raise allow much heavier loading.
Q: Is this exercise useful for runners?: Yes. The soleus takes a large share of the load at the ankle with every running stride, and this is a simple way to strengthen it with the knee bent, alongside standing raises for the gastrocnemius.