Dumbbell Calf Raise Description

Go To The 4 Workout. 4 is a full body workout plan, free online fitness ebook, and also a great restarter or beginner exercise routine. See The Dumbbell Calf Raise Pictures Demonstrating The Beginning, Middle, and End of the Exercise. Watch The Dumbbell Calf Raise Video.
  1. 1st step: Standing straight up with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees to lower your body as you simultaneously bend your upper body downward and slightly forward until you are able grab each dumbbell firmly with each hand and then lift yourself back into the standing position you started in with the dumbbells naturally resting at your sides and slightly in front of you with your palms facing your thighs. If you are holding the weights to much in front of your thighs or too far back, your arms may feel like they are in an uncomfortable and unnatural position, and if that happens, just adjust your arms while holding the dumbbells to the position that your arms naturally are at when you let your arms relax at your sides when you are not holding anything. This is the starting position. This is the beginning of the repetition.
  2. 2nd step: While keeping your back straight, head level, arms slightly bent, and knees slightly bent, breathe out as you smoothly raise your heels off of the floor by standing on the balls of your feet, the area at the bottom of your feet just below your toes. After raising your heels as high off of the ground as your body will naturally allow you to without losing your balance, squeeze your calf muscles here for a moment. This is the positive movement of the repetition. This is the middle of the repetition.
  3. 3rd step: Now breathe in as you slowly lower your heels back to the floor. This is the negative movement of the repetition. This is the end of the repetition.

    Repeat steps 2 and 3 to reach the repetitions assigned for this exercise for the day.
  4. 4th step: Once you have finished, while staying balanced, slightly bend your knees to get closer to the ground and lean your upper body slightly downward and forward so that you can set the dumbbells back on the ground.