Calf Training for Endurance Athletes

If you like doing athletic things on your feet, whether that is running, hiking, team sports, or trying to chase your nephew and niece around the yard (which I experienced this weekend) then make sure to include some heavy direct calf work in your strength training. 

Calf training is especially important for runners, as the calves and everything below the knee play a huge role in propulsion and shock absorption and stability while running. In fact, if you were a runner who absolutely hated strength training and could be made to do only one exercise for the rest of your life, then I would probably say do calf raises. 

While light weight or bodyweight calf raises are better than nothing and a good place to start, eventually you are going to want to add some external load, especially if you are a masters athlete or trying to return to sport after a calf or Achilles injury. Bodyweight isn’t going to cut it once you are past the initial stages of rehab. It’s important to get some heavy load through these tissues (using a safe and gradual loading progression, of course) so they have the capacity to handle the demands of running and jumping.

You might not believe it based on the unimpressive appearance of my calves, but I like to train them twice a week. Make sure to work through a full range of motion, include a variety of tempos, and use a mix of both bilateral and unilateral to address any left/right strength imbalances. A straight leg will train both the gastroc and the soleus, while a bent knee will train the soleus.

Let me know if you have any questions or want help putting together a strength program that supports your endurance training!