The Donkey Calf Raise

The donkey calf raise is a fantastic calf builder. The position of this movement enables the calf to get a much stronger stimulation than a vertical movement such as the standing calf raise.

There is no question that when the body is in a bent over position as adopted by the donkey calf raise, it does something very special for the lower legs. Since the body is bent over, the calves get a little bit of a stretch causing for a better range of motion.

Of course, you don't need someone sitting on your back to get the most from this exercise. You simply need an edge and something to hold onto, such as a stairwell. Also, there are now special machines in gyms that have this sort of calf raise.

Remember to always keep a slight bend in your knees when performing this exercise.

Position for the donkey calf raise

1. Lean on a bench or tabletop so that your upper body is comfortably supported parallel to the floor. Now, you don’t have to have someone sit on top of you. Start out by using your own body weight. Once you can easily do 5 sets of 30, use a weight belt and add another 25 pounds.

Execution of the donkey calf raise

1. Rise up and down on your toes until you cannot perform another rep. Use a 4 inch block under your toes to give you greater range of movement.

Press play to view an instructional video on how to properly perform the donkey calf raise.

With a donkey calf raise machine: