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

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg, prioritizing a flat back and a full stretch over speed. Once that feels controlled, add a light dumbbell in the same-side hand before chasing more reps.

How do you make the single-leg donkey calf raise easier or harder?

To make it easier, do the standard bilateral donkey calf raise, or a bodyweight single-leg calf raise standing upright instead of hinged forward. To make it harder, hold a dumbbell in the same-side hand or pause for two seconds in the deepest part of the stretch.

What is the single-leg donkey calf raise good for?

The forward hip hinge deepens the calf stretch, and doing it one leg at a time adds both extra load and a balance challenge that a bilateral version does not have. It is a poor choice for beginners still learning to hinge with a flat back, since holding that position solo on one leg asks for more coordination than a supported bilateral donkey raise.

Intermediate

Single-Leg Donkey Calf Raise

The bent-at-the-hip donkey position puts the gastrocnemius on a long stretch, and doing it single-leg concentrates your bodyweight over one calf. It is a favorite for building calf size because of that lengthened-position loading. Hold a sturdy surface to hinge over and keep the working knee straight to bias the gastrocnemius.

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

How to do it

1
Place the ball of one foot on a raised block and hinge forward at the hips to grab a bench or rail.
2
Let your torso come near parallel to the floor with your back flat.
3
Tuck the free leg up and keep the working knee straight.
4
Lower the heel below the block into a deep stretch.
5
Drive up onto the ball of the foot, squeezing the calf at the top.
6
Lower slowly and repeat, then switch legs.

Tips

Keep the working knee locked out so the stretch stays on the gastrocnemius.
Hinge from the hips and keep your spine neutral rather than rounding.
Add a light dumbbell in the same-side hand once bodyweight feels easy.

Variations

Common mistakes

The lower back rounds as the torso folds toward parallel, turning a hip hinge meant to stay flat into unwanted spinal flexion under bodyweight load.
Bending the working knee to ease into the bottom stretch removes exactly the gastrocnemius tension the hip-hinge position is meant to create.
Rushing through the hinge to get into position skips the moment where the flat back gets set, so the whole set starts from a rounded position.
Once the free leg swings loosely instead of staying tucked, the hips can rotate open and the working ankle no longer tracks straight.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the single-leg donkey calf raise should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg, prioritizing a flat back and a full stretch over speed. Once that feels controlled, add a light dumbbell in the same-side hand before chasing more reps.
How do you make the single-leg donkey calf raise easier or harder?: To make it easier, do the standard bilateral donkey calf raise, or a bodyweight single-leg calf raise standing upright instead of hinged forward. To make it harder, hold a dumbbell in the same-side hand or pause for two seconds in the deepest part of the stretch.
What is the single-leg donkey calf raise good for?: The forward hip hinge deepens the calf stretch, and doing it one leg at a time adds both extra load and a balance challenge that a bilateral version does not have. It is a poor choice for beginners still learning to hinge with a flat back, since holding that position solo on one leg asks for more coordination than a supported bilateral donkey raise.

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