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Lower Legs · Body Weight
Ankle - Plantar Flexion
Ankle - Plantar Flexion is an intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the calves (lower legs), with the shins assisting. It needs no equipment beyond your own body weight. A typical prescription is 3 sets of 10-15 reps, and it burns about 5.5 calories per minute.
- Target
- Calves
- Body part
- Lower Legs
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Category
- Strength
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Sets × reps
- 3 × 10-15
- Calories / min
- ≈ 5.5 kcal
Primary muscles
- Calves · gastrocnemius, soleus
Secondary muscles
- Shins · tibialis anterior
How to do Ankle - Plantar Flexion
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands resting on your hips or at your sides for balance..
- Rise onto your toes, lifting your heels off the floor.
- Lower your heels back to the starting position. Repeat the movement.
Form tips
- Keep your knees slightly bent to reduce strain on your joints and enhance stability.
- Use a mirror to check your form and ensure that your ankles are aligned properly.
- Focus on maintaining a steady breathing pattern, exhaling as you rise and inhaling as you lower.
Ankle - Plantar Flexion alternatives
More calves exercises
Ankle - Plantar Flexion FAQ
What muscles does Ankle - Plantar Flexion work?
Ankle - Plantar Flexion mainly works the calves in the lower legs (gastrocnemius and soleus). The shins work as secondary muscles.
What equipment do you need for Ankle - Plantar Flexion?
None. Ankle - Plantar Flexion is a body weight exercise, so you can do it at home or anywhere with enough space.
How many sets and reps of Ankle - Plantar Flexion should I do?
Start with 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.
Is Ankle - Plantar Flexion good for beginners?
It's rated intermediate. Beginners can work up to it once they control simpler lower legs exercises.
How many calories does Ankle - Plantar Flexion burn?
About 5.5 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 4.5. Ten minutes of work is roughly 55 calories; heavier people burn more.
What is a good alternative to Ankle - Plantar Flexion?
Other exercises for the calves include Horizontal Leg Press Calf Raise, Cable Calve Raise, Dumbbell Single Leg Calf Raise Wall Support and Kettlebell Calf Raise.
For developers
Use Ankle - Plantar Flexion in your app
Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.
# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_TSSSN4" \ -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" { "id": "ex_TSSSN4", "name": "Ankle - Plantar Flexion", "model": "female", "target": "Calves", "equipment": "Body Weight", "media": { "mp4": "https://…/ex_TSSSN4/mp4-720.mp4?…", "poster": "https://…/ex_TSSSN4/poster.jpg?…" } }