Trainer Shares 4 Common Calf Raise Mistakes Affecting Strength and Size

Yahoo

08-05-2025

Newsflash: Two sets of lazy calf raises after leg day won't build anything but disappointment.
Small calves might feel like a genetic curse, but the real problem is how most guys train them. On the Coach Em Up podcast, sports rehab specialist and trainer David Grey shared four common mistakes that directly impact your calf gains—or the lack thereof.
"Calf raises are neglected," he said. "Consistently, I have seen athletes that have had Achilles problems for years, and they're not strong there at all."
We train our quads and hamstrings—albeit begrudgingly—so why not give calves the same attention? Fix your form and finally watch them grow by addressing these common calf raise mistakes.
"The load that you could lift is so much lower than what you could do going from a deficit to just above neutral," he said.
Grey's not saying to ditch full range of motion entirely—but when it comes to building pure calf strength, the bottom half of the movement is where the real money is. Training through a full range often creates active insufficiency, limiting how much force your calves can actually produce.
Most guys go way too light on calf raises—often because they're focused on using a deep range of motion. But as David Grey points out, that comes at the cost of real load.
"A good athlete should be able to pack a lot of weight on a Smith machine," he said.
"A seated calf is good to have in every now, and then but a standing calf is definitely your best option," Grey shared.
"Because they're going too light, they do them all the time," Grey said about calf raise frequency.
If the load isn't challenging enough, you're not stimulating growth, just going through the motions. Instead of chasing frequency, focus on progressive overload with serious intent.