How many reps of the donkey calf raise should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps on a light setting, since the stretched position is more demanding than it looks. Increase load only once you can hold the bottom stretch for a full second on every rep without the hips bouncing.

What can you use instead of a donkey calf raise machine?

A hip-belt setup with a loaded dip belt lets you hinge over a bench and load the same stretched position without a dedicated machine. A partner sitting lightly across your lower back, or simply doing the weighted donkey calf raise with a plate, reproduces the same hip-hinge stretch.

What is the donkey calf raise good for?

The forward hip hinge pre-stretches the gastrocnemius more than an upright raise does, making it a strong hypertrophy tool once you already have basic calf strength. It is a poor first calf exercise for beginners, since holding a flat-backed hip hinge under load takes more coordination than a simple standing or seated raise.

Intermediate

Donkey Calf Raise

Hinging forward at the hips while keeping the knees straight puts the gastrocnemius on a strong pre-stretch, which many lifters feel gives a deeper, more complete contraction than the upright version. It is a favorite old-school mass builder for the calves. Use a dedicated donkey machine or a hip-belt setup, and prioritize a full stretch at the bottom.

Equipment: Box, Machine
Body part: Calves
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Gastrocnemius Lateral Head, Gastrocnemius Medial Head
Browse by movement: Calf Raise

How to do it

1
Place the balls of your feet on a raised block or platform with heels free.
2
Hinge forward at the hips to about 90 degrees and support your upper body on a bench or handles.
3
Position the load across your hips or lower back and keep your knees straight.
4
Lower your heels until you feel a deep stretch through the calves.
5
Drive up onto your toes as high as possible and hold the top squeeze.
6
Move smoothly and avoid rounding or arching the lower back hard.

Tips

Keep the back flat and the hinge fixed so all the movement happens at the ankles.
Chase the stretch at the bottom; the pre-stretched position is the whole point of this variation.
Keep knees straight throughout to keep the emphasis on the gastrocnemius.

Variations

Common mistakes

The lower back rounds as the set goes on, turning a hip hinge meant to stay fixed into extra spinal flexion under load.
Bending the knees to help drive the heels up shifts the stretch and the work away from the gastrocnemius and onto the quads.
Once the load feels heavy, the hips start bouncing at the bottom instead of pausing in the deep stretch that makes this variation worthwhile.
The torso angle drifts more upright rep by rep, which shortens the hip hinge and quietly turns the exercise back into a standing raise.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the donkey calf raise should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps on a light setting, since the stretched position is more demanding than it looks. Increase load only once you can hold the bottom stretch for a full second on every rep without the hips bouncing.
What can you use instead of a donkey calf raise machine?: A hip-belt setup with a loaded dip belt lets you hinge over a bench and load the same stretched position without a dedicated machine. A partner sitting lightly across your lower back, or simply doing the weighted donkey calf raise with a plate, reproduces the same hip-hinge stretch.
What is the donkey calf raise good for?: The forward hip hinge pre-stretches the gastrocnemius more than an upright raise does, making it a strong hypertrophy tool once you already have basic calf strength. It is a poor first calf exercise for beginners, since holding a flat-backed hip hinge under load takes more coordination than a simple standing or seated raise.

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