Exercise description of the calf raise with feet turned in.  Learn about the calf raise with feet turned in with videos, pictures, and other sports information.  Also learn how the calf raise with feet turned in can improve your sports performance.

Primary muscles worked:  Gastroc

Synergist Muscles:  Soleus

Mechanics:  Isolation

Equipment:  Open Floor Space

How to perform the exercise:  Performing this exercise is very similar to the feet out calf raise; however, there is one small difference. The athlete will turn the feet in. The athlete will still be in the standing position feet about 6 - 12 inches apart. The athlete will come up on the balls of the feet making sure to focus on the inside edge of the feet. This will make sure that the medial head of the gastroc is appropriately targeted. One the athlete has reached full plantar flexion, the athlete can return to starting position. This lift can be made more difficult by having the athlete hold on to dumbbells or by having the athlete have a weighted barbell on their back.

Spotting the exercise:  The spotter should keep a close eye on foot position and if the athlete has a barbell on their back that it is safely located and that it is racked and unracked safely.

Sport specific application:  Foot strength through the gastrocnemius is very important in a wide array of sports. Baseball, football, volleyball, soccer, you name it and it probably requires calf and foot strength in some way. By utilizing the feet in calf raise, the athletes calf muscles learn to operate from a different position which is important in sports.