People often celebrate the quads and glutes as the powerhouse muscles for running. But go a little farther down the kinetic chain and you’ll find the true unsung heroes: your calves.
The calf complex includes two different muscles: the gastrocnemius (bigger, upper calf muscle) and the soleus (smaller, deeper calf muscle). When you run, the gastroc and soleus put in “tremendous work” with every single stride, helping to absorb impact and literally propel you forward, Leada Malek, PT, DPT, a physical therapist and author of The Science of Stretch, tells Runner’s World.
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In fact, if you think about it, running is really just a bunch of single-leg hops—an action that requires a bunch of power to get your entire body off the floor, Carla Foster, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with Mims Method PT in New York City, tells Runner’s World. And the calf is a big source of that propulsion.
So when the calf is weak or just underprepared for the work you’re asking it to do, other nearby structures—like the feet, ankles, Achilles, and even knees—can take on more stress than they’re designed to and get overloaded. This can trigger issues including plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, knee pain, and ankle tendinopathy, Malek says. Calf weakness can also be a contributing factor to shin splints, ankle sprains, and stress fractures, Foster adds.
Unfortunately, weak calves are “very common,” Foster says. But they’re also totally correctable. And by strengthening weak calves, you can decrease your chances of encountering these issues. Stronger calves can also help alleviate any nagging pain you may feel in the area.
Because the calf plays such an important role in the push-off phase of running, your performance will benefit, too. Stronger calves can help you tackle longer distances with less pain, fatigue, and tightness in your calves. And, “you’re going to notice more power with your run,” Foster says, which can translate to faster paces.
In fact, a 2018 study published in the journal Research in Sports Medicine found a “very significant” correlation between the subjects’ calf strength and their performance in brief sprints (up to 30 meters). As the authors concluded, maximum calf strength is “a basic prerequisite for short sprints.”
There are a bunch of compelling reasons to strengthen weak calves, but not sure if you’re even lacking the strength needed? Here’s how to ID this problem in the first place, and the best exercises to help correct it.
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Calf weakness can present in a few different ways, Foster says. Sometimes, you may notice issues in the calf muscles themselves; other times, the surrounding areas (again, the feet, ankles, and Achilles) may raise a red flag.
The first sign on this list is perhaps the easiest way to gauge if calf weakness is an issue for you, while signs two through six can be indicators of calf weakness, but they may also relate to other issues. If you’re dealing with those latter signs and are unsure if calf weakness is truly the issue, reach out to a physical therapist for help.
Just remember: Calf strength supports your running in more ways than one, so it’s always a good idea to build them up!
1. Unable to Do 25 Single-Leg Heel Raises
If you can’t do 25 single-leg heel raises in a row (how to do those below!), your calves are weak. Physical therapists use the single-leg heel raise as a test of calf strength, and being able to do 25 of them at a time with good form (not letting your ankle roll in or out), ideal heel height (striving for full range of motion), and minimal balance support indicates your calf strength is “five out of five,” says Foster.
If you can’t get to that threshold, then calf strengthening is definitely something you need to work on, especially because passing this test is considered the minimum amount of calf strength you need to run, Foster says.
2. Chronically Tight or Fatigued Calves
When the calves are weak, they can tighten up after your runs, which is their response to being asked to do more work than they’re capable of handling. You may think stretching is the solution here, and while calf stretches can help alleviate that feeling of tightness, you also want to add strength moves to your routine, Malek says.
Similarly, when your calves aren’t strong enough to handle the demands of running, the muscle group may feel tired and depleted during your workouts. This may feel like a burning or even heavy sensation that makes it hard to keep going or maintain the same pace, Malek says. Not penciling in enough recovery time between workouts and periods of high volume in your training can also play a role, Malek adds.
Related Story3. Pain and Soreness in the Calves
This could feel like a more intense calf soreness that crops at the end of your run and lasts for more than a couple days, limiting your daily functioning and leading to pain with activities of daily living, such as walking. Or, it could be a sharp pain along the inside of your arch, signaling tendon overuse, Foster says. Either way, these sensations can be a signal from your calves that the muscle group is weak and overloaded.
Keep in mind calf soreness that dissipates within a few days and doesn’t get in the way of your daily movements is likely just delayed onset muscle soreness (a.k.a. DOMS), a totally normal response to exercise, Foster says.
4. Tenderness and Pain in the Achilles
Both the gastrocnemius and the soleus connect to the Achilles, so when the calves aren’t strong enough to effectively absorb impact as you run, the tendon itself may take on more stress than it’s conditioned for, resulting in pain and tenderness there, Malek says.
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Your calves extend down to your ankles, so when the calves are weak and unable to properly absorb forces, it can cause the soft tissue structures around the ankle to take on extra stress, leading to pain, Malek says.
6. Sharp Pain at the Bottom of Your Foot
Your calves play a big role in ankle stability, so when they aren’t strong enough to support that joint as you run, your ankle can roll inward as you stride, causing the arch of your foot to collapse, which can place extra strain on the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue on the bottom of your feet, Foster says. You may notice this pain during or after your runs, as well as with the first few steps you take in the morning, she adds.
Related StoryHow to Strengthen Weak Calves
All runners should regularly strength train their calves, but if you notice any of the above signs of weakness, incorporating more calf-strengthening moves into your routine may be a helpful next step. Below are three examples from Foster and Malek.
Also important: Any time you’re plussing up your running in some capacity—for example, striding on different terrain, amping up your total volume, or adding more speedwork to the mix—it’s a good idea to do more calf-strengthening work, too, Malek says. This reduces your chances of overloading the calves by preparing the muscle group to handle the increased work you’re asking it to take on, she explains.
No matter which calf strength exercises you do, incorporate them into your strength workouts twice a week, Malek says. Give it about six weeks of consistent effort before expecting a noticeable change in your strength, she adds.
Also important: If you log a lot of steps outside of your runs—for example, you live in a big city and walk a bunch in your day-to-day—it’s important to prioritize regular calf stretching, too, Foster says. She recommends passively stretching your calves by spending two minutes a day on a slant board. You can even do this while you brush your teeth, she adds, which can help it become an easy addition to your routine.
1. Single-Leg Heel Raise
Why it works: The same exercise that tests your calf strength is also a great one to regularly incorporate into your routine as it’s one of the best ways to isolate and strengthen the calves. Foster suggests doing straight-leg heel raises (which target the gastroc) and bent-leg heel raises (which target the soleus). If you struggle with single-leg heel raises, start with double-leg heel raises or, as an even easier option, seated heel raises, Malek says.
How to do it:
Stand on flat ground, lift one foot off the ground.Press up onto toes of the grounded foot. If needed, rest a finger on the wall for balance support, but this should be a light touch.Pause for a second at the top.With control, lower heel back to the ground.Repeat.Start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, with the eventual goal of reaching 25 reps in a row, Foster says.
Trainer tips: Focus on symmetry in effort and heel height from side to side, Malek says. If you’re someone who runs lots of hills, or if you otherwise want to up the challenge of the exercise, do it on top of a step or slant board so that you can work through a larger range of motion. This is a nice way for runners to test if they’re ready for the conditions they’re about to run, Malek says. You can also increase the difficulty by holding a dumbbell on the side that you’re working.
2. Single-Leg Balance
Why it works: Standing on one leg may sound like a ho-hum task, but it’s actually a great exercise to strengthen the calves, along with the small intrinsic muscles in your feet, Foster says.
How to do it:
Stand on one leg and close eyes, or keep eyes open and slowly turn head right to left.Try to maintain balance in this position for 30 seconds.Repeat on other side.Repeat for 2 total rounds on each foot. Do this as often as every day.3. Split Squat + Isometric Heel Raise
Why it works: The exercise—a twist on the classic split squat—especially challenges the calves, and it also loads the Achilles while recruiting the glutes, quads, and hamstrings, too.
How to do it:
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and place a weight plate (or small step) underneath one forefoot, heel hanging off. Plantar flex that ankle (toes away from shin) to raise that heel up.Step the other leg back several feet and place the ball of that foot on the ground, heel lifted. This is the starting position.From here, keeping a tall posture and engaging the core, bend both legs to lower down into the split squat. Stop with thighs parallel with the ground (or before that point, if mobility restrictions prohibit you from going lower, or your form starts slipping).Straighten legs to return to starting position.Repeat.Do for 2-3 sets of 12-20 reps per side.
Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist. She’s been freelancing for Runner’s World since 2015 and especially loves to write human interest profiles, in-depth service pieces and stories that explore the intersection of exercise and mental health. Her work has also been published by SELF, Men’s Journal, and Condé Nast Traveler, among other outlets. When she’s not running or writing, Jenny enjoys coaching youth swimming, rereading Harry Potter, and buying too many houseplants.