Calf raises activate your glutes and hamstrings to some degree. Your glutes don’t work in isolation, but they do contract to keep you standing. But when you bend your hips in any way, your glutes are activated much more. Plus, when you lift heavy weights with calf raises, you tend to lift some of the weight with your hips or knees, which forces your glutes or hamstrings to work harder.
Do calf raises work your glutes?
Calf raises work the main muscles of your calf: the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. But you might also notice that they work other muscles in your posterior group, like your glutes and hamstrings. This is even more noticeable if those muscles are weak.
Calf raises activate your glutes and hamstrings
What you need to know is that when you do calf raises, your glutes and hamstrings are activated to some extent.
In fact, doing calf raises while standing is even more effective.
Essentially, both your hips and hamstrings undergo an isometric contraction to maintain a standing position while “carrying” the load.
This is true any time you are standing and “burdened down” with anything.
So if you place a heavy barbell behind your shoulders before squatting, you’ll find that your glutes and hamstrings will undergo an isometric contraction.
The same thing happens when you do bicep curls while standing, but to a lesser extent.
And even just carrying a few grocery bags again requires isometric contractions of the glutes and hamstrings.
Now, in reality, your glutes (or hamstrings) are not actively involved in raising and lowering your calves.
However, I think it is important to emphasize that it will be “activated” in some way.
Otherwise, as soon as you pick up the load it will tip over and fall to the ground.
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but I think you get my point.
So whether you’re doing calf exercises with a dumbbell in one hand, a barbell, or a calf machine, you’re going to be working your glutes.
That said, you should never experience hip pain while doing seated calf raises, but I know some people do.
I would like to come back to this point later.
Bent back
Calf raises seem like a fairly simple exercise in terms of execution, but that doesn’t mean they can never be performed with incorrect technique.
In fact, I would rate calf raises as one of those exercises where it’s common to not feel your calves moving due to improper form.
We’ve talked before about pushing off your toes instead of lifting your heels. My article on how calf lifts hurt your feet.
This is just one of many errors that can prevent you from experiencing the targeted muscle – your calf during calf raises.
What you often see is people moving their hips when raising their calves.
This is most commonly done with a slight bend at the waist.
In fact, if you’re doing this, you probably won’t even notice.
The movements are usually so small that they go almost unnoticed.
It’s as if I’ve successfully guided my body into a modified Romanian deadlift position.
This means your hips are pushed back slightly and your torso is tilted forward slightly.
This will help you activate your glutes more effectively.
This is why doing calf raises while seated in this position can cause pain in your hips.
In fact, this also involves the hip flexors, so some people may experience tightness or hip flexor pain every time they do a calf raise.
Additionally, this hip hinge type position bends the knees, which activates the hamstrings more effectively.
These small carelessnesses reduce the impact of your calf movements and put stress on different parts of your body.
And that’s usually why you feel a “burning” sensation in your buttocks rather than your calves.
You’re using too much weight
I think the main reason calf raises strain your hips or knees is because you’re trying to lift too much weight.
In fact, when doing calf raises, we often cheat without even realizing it.
This is why I generally recommend perfecting the calf raise using your own weight before adding weight.
You may find that you are actually cheating by only using your own body weight, so there is no chance of you being able to perform the exercise correctly if you use additional resistance.
Now, going back to the point, maybe you are using too much weight on your calf raises?
of The calf is obviously a very small muscle compared to the quadriceps. and other muscles of the legs.
Therefore, it’s common to load the larger muscles during a set – namely the glutes.
As soon as you do this, your calves are no longer being trained and your glutes (or other leg muscles) are receiving all of the stimulation from the movement.
You’ll know if you’re using too much weight because your knees will tend to bend and your hips will tend to buckle.
In addition to using lighter weights, we recommend activating the mind-muscle connection first.
You can do this by first doing a few repetitions of a bodyweight calf exercise (or using the calf strength test mentioned above) and focusing on using your calves.
So instead of pushing off your toes, just lift your heels up.
Perform each repetition in a slow and controlled manner.
Hold at the top of the movement for three seconds, firmly contracting your calf muscles.
Once you have completed a few repetitions using your own body weight, you can add weight.
But focus on using the exact same techniques as above.
So, hold it at the top, slow and controlled, and squeeze your calf muscles tight.
Trying to rush through repetitions at a ferocious pace usually means the weight is too heavy.
This causes overactivation of the glutes.
Try Calf Raise Variations
One thing is certain: calves generally respond better to variety.
So, like in the example above, if you perhaps used too much weight, you can modify this in subsequent workouts.
So your first calf workout might be 8-12 repetitions, and then do another workout later that week with 15-25 repetitions.
You can also vary your foot position between sets.
So on the first set, your toes should point forward, on the next set they should point inward, and on the next set they should point outward.
You can also vary the equipment (or lack of equipment) you use to perform calf raises.
I know plenty of people who are big believers in doing calf raises on the leg press machine (or hack squats) compared to other methods.
Typically, the glutes aren’t engaged at all and the calves get a really hard workout.
In addition to weight training, we have already talked about calf training using your own body weight.
| 💪 Complete Calf Workout Routine 🦵 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| exercise | Repetitions/set | Major muscles | Secondary Muscles |
| Standing Plate Weight Raise | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Gastrocnemius | Soleus |
| Seated Plate Weight Raise | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Soleus | Gastrocnemius |
| One-legged seated calf raise | 10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg | Soleus | Gastrocnemius |
| Stand on one leg | 10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg | Gastrocnemius | Soleus |
| Increased pulse rate | 15-20 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Similarly, the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles | |
| 1.5 Calf lift | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Gastrocnemius | Soleus |
| 3-Way Calf Raise | 12 reps (each direction), 3 sets | The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are comparable, but the change in orientation highlights different fibers | |
| Wall Drive Calf Raise | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Gastrocnemius | Soleus |
| Squat Calf Raise | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Gastrocnemius | Soleus and quadriceps as stabilizers |
| Calf Raise Hold | 3 sets of 30-60 seconds | The gastrocnemius and soleus muscles are similar | |
| Tiptoe walking | 30-60 seconds or fixed distance, 3 sets | Gastrocnemius | Soleus |
| Glute Bridge Calf Raise | 12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets | Soleus | Gastrocnemius and gluteal muscles |
| One-legged glute bridge and raise | 10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg | Soleus and gluteal muscles | Gastrocnemius |
| Calf Raise Circle | 10-12 repetitions (each direction), 3 sets | Work the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles evenly and stimulate various fibers with circular movements | |
| Courtesy of mybodyweightexercises.com | |||
Additionally, you can change the type of load you use.
Choose from one-handed dumbbell calf raises, two-handed dumbbells, barbells, Smith machines, punching bags, resistance bands, and of course seated or standing calf raise machines.
Essentially, if your current favorite calf raise variation really hurts your glutes, try something different.
I know we tend to look for the “best exercises” that use different parts of our body.
When it comes to calves, standing calf raises are considered the most effective training method. Gastrocnemiusand sit and train Soleus.
But with some variation, you can reactivate your calves and take some pressure off your glutes.
Key learning points
- In standing calf raises, your glutes are always activated in some way..
- If you feel pain in your hips, you are probably bending over or using too much weight.
- Make sure your body is completely straight with each rep.
- When performing calf raises, do not bend your knees or hips.
- Raise and lower your calves slowly and with control.
- Contract your calves at the top of the movement.
- Try variations on calf raises using both weights or your own body weight, and change your foot position to target different parts of your calf muscles.
If you know someone, check it out My article on how raising your calves can help you feel the need to urinate!
Hi, I’m Partha, the owner and founder of My Bodyweight Exercises. I’m a Level 3 Personal Trainer with the British Register of Exercise Professionals and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I’ve been going to the gym regularly since 2000 and training clients since 2012. My goal is to help you achieve your body composition goals.
