Donkey Calf Raise

The donkey calf raise is performed bent forward at the hips, and that position is what distinguishes it from every other calf exercise. The gastrocnemius crosses both the knee and the ankle, so hinging the torso forward while keeping the leg straight puts the muscle on stretch before the first repetition even begins, and a muscle trained from a lengthened position responds better than one trained from a shortened one. With the forefeet on a raised platform, the heels can also drop below the level of the platform, which adds range at the bottom that flat ground makes impossible. The calf carries your bodyweight with every step, so it tolerates light loads poorly and responds to full range and a genuine pause at each end. Support yourself on something solid at hip height and keep the knees straight.