How to do it
- Hinge forward at the hips with your upper body supported and the balls of your feet on a block.
- Let the heels drop into a full stretch.
- Press up onto the toes and squeeze at the top.
Cues that matter
- The hip flexion pre-stretches the gastroc, which many lifters feel more.
- Keep the knees straight throughout.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the knees during the press.
- Bouncing out of the stretch.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Calves
- Gastrocnemius
Also works
- Soleus
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Donkey Calf Raise in a session, with 75 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 6–8 reps
- Build muscle
- 10–15 reps
- Endurance
- 15–25 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the calves with different equipment — for a day the machine is taken, or a gym that does not have one.