How to do it
You need: A step, A loaded rucksack, dumbbells, or a gym calf-raise machine, A rail or wall for balance.
Stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a step, heels off the back, holding a rail. Add load with a weighted rucksack or dumbbells once bodyweight feels easy.
- Lower your heels slowly below the level of the step over about three seconds.
- Pause briefly at the bottom, feeling the stretch through the calf and Achilles.
- Rise up onto your toes slowly over about three seconds, as high as you can.
- Pause at the top, then repeat. Progress towards doing it on one leg.
Form cues
- Each rep takes about three seconds up and three seconds down - no bouncing.
- Push evenly through the big toe and second toe, not rolling to the outside.
- Work to a heavy but manageable effort - the last two or three reps should feel hard.
Common mistakes
- Rushing the reps or using momentum to bounce out of the bottom.
- Cutting the range short at the top or the bottom.
- Adding a lot of weight in one jump rather than small steps.
Safety: Stop and message your physio if the tendon pain climbs above a moderate level during the set, or the tendon is stiffer and more painful the next morning.