Stand on a raised platform with your heels hanging off the edge. Hold a barbell across your upper back with both hands.
- Lower your heels down towards the ground, feeling a stretch in your calves.
- Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible.
- Pause at the top, then lower back down to the starting position.
How to perform the Barbell Standing Bent Knee Calf Raise from Deficit
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Standing Bent Knee Calf Raise from Deficit using your barbell.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your calves.
- Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.
Coaching cues
- Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
- Drive force through your calves rather than momentum.
- Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.
Common mistakes
- Using too much weight and losing positional control.
- Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
- Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.
Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.
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