Standing Barbell Calf Raise

What it is

This exercise primarily targets your calf muscles, specifically the gastrocnemius and soleus, by engaging them to elevate your bodyweight. You perform this movement by standing with a barbell across your shoulders and raising your heels as high as possible. It is an effective isolation exercise for building lower leg strength and muscle mass.

Technique tips

• Place the barbell securely across your upper back, not directly on your neck.
• Maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement; avoid locking them out.
• Achieve a full range of motion, lowering heels deeply and raising them high.
• Keep your head up and torso stable to avoid losing balance.
• Exhale as you rise onto your toes and inhale as you slowly lower your heels.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.