Feel the calf lift in your glutes? Don’t worry, it’s normal (but here’s the catch)

The glutes and hamstrings are activated to some extent during calf raises. The glutes will not be isolated, but they will contract to hold you in a standing position. However, if you somehow engage your hips, the glutes will be activated to a much greater degree. Additionally, if you’re lifting heavy bodyweight, there’s a tendency to lift some of that weight with your hips or knees, which will engage your glutes or hamstrings more.

Does the calf raise the glutes?

Calf raises isolate the major calf muscles, namely the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris. But you may notice that other muscles in your posterior chain (the muscles that make up the lower half of your body) also engage, such as your glutes and hamstrings. This is even more noticeable if these muscles are weak.

The glutes and hamstrings are activated during calf raises

Something to be aware of is that the glutes and hamstrings are activated to some extent during calf raises.

Well, actually, more so when you’re doing standing calf raises.

Essentially, to stay in a standing position when “carrying” the load, both the glutes and hamstrings will go through an isometric contraction.

This is true any time you are “burdened” by something while in a standing position.

So if you have a heavy bar over the back of your shoulders before you squat, you’ll see your glutes and hamstrings contract isometrically.

Doing standing bicep curls will do the same thing, but to a lesser degree.

Even carrying a few shopping bags will again involve an isometric contraction in the glutes and hamstrings.

Now, in reality the glutes (or hamstrings) are not actively involved in calf raises.

However, I think it’s important to emphasize that they will “activate” in some way.

If they weren’t, as soon as you lifted the load, you’d basically collapse and fall to the ground.

Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but I hope you get my point.

So whether you’re doing one-arm deadlifts, barbells, or calf raises, the glutes will become stimulated.

In fact, this means you should never feel your glutes during seated calf raises, but I know some people do.

I will touch on this point in a moment.

You grab at the hips

Although calf raises appear to be a very simple exercise in terms of execution, that does not mean that they are never performed with poor technique.

In fact, I’d rate calf raises as one of those exercises where it’s pretty common not to feel the calves working due to improper form.

Earlier I talked about pushing through the toes, as opposed to lifting through the heels my article on calf raises that hurt your feet.

And this is just one of the many mistakes that can prevent you from feeling calf raises in your target muscles, i.e. your calves.

Something I see a lot is people bringing their hips into play during calf raises.

This is most often done by bending slightly at the hips.

In fact, if you’re doing this, you probably don’t even realize it.

The movement can usually be so small that it is barely noticeable.

It’s almost as if you’ve managed to get your body into a modified Romanian deadlift stance.

So your hips are slightly pushed back and your torso is slightly forward.

By doing this, you activate the glutes to a far greater effect.

That’s why you might feel it in your glutes if you’re in this body position during seated calf raises.

In fact, this also brings the hip flexors into the equation, which is why some people complain of tight hip flexors or hip flexor pain whenever they perform calf raises.

Additionally, this hip-hinged stance can also cause you to bend at the knees, which will then activate the hamstrings to greater effect.

All of these minor indiscretions take the impact of movement away from the calves and put stress on various other parts of the body.

And that’s usually why you feel the “burn” in your glutes and not your calves.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=-ksRtp_PbVM

You’re using too much weight

I’d say the main reason your hips or knees come into the equation during calf raises is because you’re trying to lift too much weight.

In fact, you can usually cheat on calf raises, once again, without even realizing you’re doing it.

This is generally why I think it’s better to get the calf’s body weight up absolutely right before adding weight.

You may actually find that you’re cheating until you’re using nothing but your own body weight, so you have no hope of performing the exercise correctly when using additional weight.

Anyway, back to the point, are you perhaps using too much weight during calf raises?

The Calves are obviously very small muscles compared to quads and other leg muscles.

So it’s quite common to allow larger muscles ie. glutes, to take control during the set.

As soon as you do this, you’re no longer training your calves, and your glutes (or other leg muscles) are getting all the stimulation from your movement.

You will be able to tell if you are using too much weight because there is a tendency to bend at the knees or re-bend at the hips.

In addition to using lighter weight, I would also suggest starting with the mind-muscle connection.

You could do this by first doing a few reps of bodyweight calf exercises (or using the calf strength test I mentioned above) and really concentrating on using your calves.

So don’t push your toes, just lift your heels.

Perform each repetition in a slow and controlled manner.

Hold at the top of the movement for a count of 3 and really squeeze your calf muscles.

Once you’ve completed a few bodyweight reps, you can add weight.

However, concentrate on using the same technique as above.

So keep it slow and controlled, stay on top and really squeeze your calf muscles.

You’ll find that if you’re trying to rush through your reps at a frantic pace, that usually means you’re using too much weight.

And that’s when you’ll over-activate your glutes.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=ISePfnmknII

Try calf raise variations

One thing I will say is that calves tend to respond better to variety.

So, looking at the above example of using too much weight, you can change that in the next exercises.

So maybe do your first calf workout in the 8-12 rep range and then another workout later in the week in the 15-25 rep range.

You can also change the position of your feet with each set.

So, have your toes point forward on one set, point in on the next set, and point out on the second set.

You can also vary the apparatus (or lack thereof) you use for calf raises.

I know many people who swear by leg press (or hack squat) calf raises compared to any other method.

There is usually no glute engagement and the calves get a real beating.

I’ve already talked about using bodyweight calf exercises in addition to weights.

💪 Complete exercise routine for calves 🦵
Exercise	Reps/Sets	Primary Muscle	Secondary muscle
Standing weight plate lift	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Gastrocnemius	Soleus
Seated plate weight lifting	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Soleus	Gastrocnemius
Single Leg Calf Raises	10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg	Soleus	Gastrocnemius
One leg raise in a standing position	10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg	Gastrocnemius	Soleus
Pulse Raises	15-20 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Gastrocnemius and Soleus alike
1.5 Raising calves	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Gastrocnemius	Soleus
3-way calf raise	12 repetitions (in each direction), 3 sets	Gastrocnemius and Soleus alike, with emphasis on different fibers due to changes in direction
Wall Drive Calf Raise	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Gastrocnemius	Soleus
Squat Calf Raise	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Gastrocnemius	Soleus and quadriceps as a stabilizer
Withholding for raising calves	Hold for 30-60 seconds, 3 sets	Gastrocnemius and Soleus alike
Toe Walk	30-60 seconds or set distance, 3 sets	Gastrocnemius	Soleus
Glute Bridge Calf Raise	12-15 repetitions, 3-4 sets	Soleus	Gastrocnemius and gluteus
Bridge and single leg glute raise	10-12 repetitions, 3 sets per leg	Soleus and gluteus	Gastrocnemius
Calf Raise Circuits	10-12 repetitions (in each direction), 3 sets	Gastrocnemius and Soleus alike, with circular motions involving various fibers
Brought to you by mibodiveightekercises.com

In addition, you can change the type of load you use.

You have a choice of one-armed dumbbell lats, two-armed dumbbells, barbells, smith machines, sandbags, resistance bands, and of course seated or standing calf raises.

Basically, if your glutes are really feeling the burn with your current preferred calf raise variation, try something else.

I know we tend to look for the “best exercise” with all different parts of the body.

And when it comes to calves, we often look at standing calf raises as the best way to train them gastrocnemiusand sits down to train soleus.

However, a little variety might help to fire up the calves once again and take the load off the glutes.

https://vvv.youtube.com/vatch?v=MuD58rkj8SE

Key learning points

• The glutes will always be activated in some way during standing calf raises.
• If you can feel your glutes, you’re probably hooked at the hips or using too much weight.
• Make sure your body stays perfectly straight for each repetition.
• Do not bend at the knees or hips when performing calf raises.
• Perform calf raises in a slow and controlled manner.
• Brace your calves at the top of the movement.
• Try variations of calf raises with both weights or your own body weight and also change the position of your feet to hit different parts of the calf muscles.

If you know you know, take a look my article on calf raises makes you feel like you have to pee!