Squat Hold Calf Raise
What Is the Squat Hold Calf Raise?
Squat Hold Calf Raise is a compound exercise that primarily targets the calves and also engages the quadriceps, glutes and the small muscles that steady the ankle. It is a beginner-level bodyweight movement in which you sink into a squat, hold that depth, and repeatedly raise and lower your heels without standing up.
The deep knee bend is what sets it apart from other calf raises. The gastrocnemius crosses the knee, so with the thighs near parallel it works from a shortened position and the soleus, which attaches below the knee, does more of the lifting. The soleus carries much of the load when you run, jump or land on bent knees, which is why bent-knee calf work is a regular part of programs for runners and field-sport athletes.
It also differs clearly from the Bodyweight Bent-Knee Calf Raise. That exercise uses only a slight knee bend and a chair for balance, so the thighs barely work and the calves are the whole story. Here the squat is held at about parallel with no support, so the quadriceps work isometrically for the entire set and balancing on the balls of the feet in a deep squat adds a real coordination demand. Many people feel their thighs tire before their calves.
Because it trains the calves and the quadriceps at once with no equipment, it suits home workouts, bodyweight circuits and the end of a lower-body session as a finisher. A wider stance with the toes turned out brings in more inner-thigh work, while a narrower hip-width stance keeps the focus on the calves and quadriceps.
You should be able to hold a Bodyweight Squat at parallel with your heels down before adding the heel raise. If the deep hold or the balance is too much, build up with the Bodyweight Wall Squat and the Bodyweight Bent-Knee Calf Raise, then combine them.
Muscles Worked
- Soleus
- Primary
- Rectus Femoris
- High
- Vastus Lateralis
- High
- Vastus Medialis
- High
- Gluteus Maximus
- Medium
- Peroneus Longus
- Medium
Instructions
- Stand on a flat floor with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward or turned out slightly.
- Raise both arms straight in front of you to shoulder height and clasp your hands together.
- Sit your hips back and down into a squat until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, keeping your heels down, chest up and back flat.
- Holding that depth, press through the balls of your feet and lift your heels as high as you can. Your knees will move slightly forward as your heels rise.
- Pause briefly at the top with your weight over your big and second toes and your knees in line with your toes.
- Lower your heels slowly to the floor without letting your hips rise or sink.
- Repeat for the planned reps while staying in the squat, breathing out as you rise and in as you lower.
- Lower your arms and stand up to finish the set.
Common Mistakes
Standing up with each raise
Letting the hips rise as the heels lift turns each rep into a partial squat and takes the work off both the quadriceps and the soleus.
Knees caving inward
As the thighs tire the knees often drift toward each other, which stresses the knees and ankles, so keep them tracking over the toes.
Rolling onto the outer feet
Lifting onto the little toes instead of pressing through the big and second toes shortens the range and makes the ankle less stable.
Bouncing the heels
Dropping the heels and rebounding off the floor lets tendon spring do the work, so lower each rep under control.
Short heel lifts
Raising the heels only partway leaves out the top of the range, where the calves work hardest.
Collapsing the chest
Letting the chest drop and the back round shifts the weight onto the toes and makes balance much harder.
Injuries
Squat Hold Calf Raise is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. It uses only body weight, but it combines a deep knee bend with balancing on the balls of the feet, so control matters more than in a standing calf raise.
The front of the knee takes the most stress. Lifting the heels while holding a deep squat pushes the knees further forward and places your weight on the forefoot, which raises the load on the kneecap and patellar tendon. The Achilles tendon and calves take the repeated heel raises, especially with fast, bouncing reps or a sudden jump in volume, and the arch of the foot can cramp during long sets. Losing balance backward or onto the outer edges of the feet is the other common way to tweak an ankle.
To keep it comfortable, hold only as deep as you can control, keep the knees tracking over the toes, and lower the heels slowly rather than dropping them. If your knees or balance object, use a shallower squat, rest your fingertips on a wall or chair back, or go back to the Bodyweight Bent-Knee Calf Raise. Once the movement is easy, add a pause at the top, slow the lowering or lengthen the set.
Stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the knee, sharp Achilles or calf pain, a pop or pulling sensation, a cramp that will not ease, or dizziness. Knee or Achilles pain that is worse the next morning, or builds from session to session, is worth having checked by a physical therapist.
- Primary Focus
- Calves
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How is this different from the Bodyweight Bent-Knee Calf Raise?
The Bodyweight Bent-Knee Calf Raise uses a slight knee bend and a chair for balance, so it trains the calves almost alone. The Squat Hold Calf Raise holds the thighs at about parallel with no support, so the quadriceps work for the whole set and the deeper bend leaves even more of the lift to the soleus.
- Q: Can it replace a regular straight-knee calf raise?
Not on its own. In a 12-week study of untrained adults, calf raises on a seated machine with the knee bent to 90 degrees grew the soleus about as much as standing calf raises but produced almost no gastrocnemius growth, so pair this exercise with a straight-knee raise such as the Bodyweight Calf Raise if you want to train the whole calf.
- Q: How deep should I squat?
Aim for thighs about parallel to the floor, or as deep as you can hold while keeping your chest up and your heels lifting fully. A shallower squat is a fine way to start, as long as the depth stays the same from the first rep to the last.
- Q: How many reps should I do?
Start with 2 sets of 10 to 15 slow reps, staying in the squat for the whole set. When that feels controlled, add a short pause at the top of each raise or lengthen the set before looking for harder variations.
- Q: Can I hold onto something for balance?
Yes. Resting your fingertips on a wall or the back of a sturdy chair makes it easier to learn, and once your balance is steady you can hold your arms out in front as a counterweight instead.
- Q: Why do my thighs burn more than my calves?
Your quadriceps hold the squat for every rep, so they often tire first, which is normal for this exercise. If your thighs give out long before your calves feel worked, use a slightly shallower squat so the heel raises get more of your effort.