Start doing calf raises to help you jump higher - Easy home exercises to increase vertical

It can seem pretty daunting getting started with a strength and conditioning program, either as an athlete or as a team sports coach, just trying to help your athletes improve.

There is the equipment.

There is the programming.

Knowing how many sets and reps to do, what exercises, and in what order.

And then there's making sure your form's on point.

Calf raises are one of the best exercises to help you jump higher

If you want to run faster (easier/lighter/further), jump higher or just improve your general athleticism, calf raises are one of the simplest ways to get started, and the only thing you need is gravity!

One of the easiest things you can do, that also has one of the highest returns on investment, is a simple standing calf raise.

Do calf raises increase vertical?

Absolutely.

Your Calf-Achilles complex is the body's inbuilt sprint. So building a stronger and more powerful set of calves are going to help increase your vertical jump tremendously.

When we jump, your calf is the last part of the kinetic chain to push into the ground and propel you into the air, when we sprint it's both the first and the last point of contact with the ground. That means it's going to turn that stretch shorting cycle around (sometimes called the plyometric effect), propelling us into that next stride as quick as possible.

Given how important a short contact time is for both jumping and sprinting, having a strong calf, and therefore, a reactive Calf-Achilles complex is a massive win for athletes, and it's so easy to improve.

Update: We wrote a jump program
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Due to popular demand, we have written an online jump training program.

Unlike most jump programs that sell on the basis of sexy training, complex plyometrics and terminology. Our program focuses not on selling and being flashy but instead gives you what you actually need. The Boring Jump Program is a fundamentals focused training plan that can be completed anywhere in just minutes per day. The program may be boring, but the results speak for themselves.
You can buy the entire 8-week jump program for $30USD via the link at the bottom of this article →

All the information in our jump blog series is still available for free, the online program puts together all the crucial exercises and progressions in an easy to follow online program delivered via the TrainHeroic app on your smartphone. Follow the same jump program our athletes undertake when they start training at the Core Advantage gym.

How to do calf raise exercises at home

All you need is a flat surface and maybe a wall to balance with. Doing calf raises well requires control and stability for each repetition you want to hold the top position strongly for a 1/2 second before then controlling the lowering portion (watch the video to learn more about great calf raise technique). Slow and smooth, avoid bouncing so the calf has to do the majority of the work.

As far as form's concerned, there's only really two things to worry about:

Number one, make sure you're going all the way up on your big toe, and number two, no bouncing. Make sure you pause at the top and pause at the bottom for a strong contraction.
You can add calf raises to the end of your training program, ideally at the end of a workout, or you can just do them on their own, at home, maybe three times a week.
If you have access to it, a step is certainly going to help to get a little bit extra range of motion, but it's by no means necessary, it just allows a little more range of motion and is a little more challenging.

Calf raises workout

You can complete this workout 2-3 times per week, it should only take a few minutes

• Start with double leg calf raises, performing three sets of 12 repetitions (60-seconds rest).
• Each week add 3 reps to each set and build your way up to about 30 reps.
• Once you can complete3 sets of 30 (good) reps, start to also incorporate single leg raises (we like to do 1x set of double, then 2x sets of single leg calf raises.

The gold standard for calf strength is 30 single leg reps of perfect controlled form each leg. For a full 8-week progression you should check out our jump program which includes calf raises, mobility and strength work specifically aimed at increasing vertical jump height. (linked below)

How many calf raises should i do to jump higher?

Calf raises are an effective and simple exercise to strengthen your calf muscles and improve your jumping ability, the number of calf raises alone is not the key to increasing your vertical jump, what's more important is to start small and gradually build up to apply progressive overload - getting stronger without overloading too fast.

Aim to start with double leg calf raises 2-3 times per week, with 3-4 sets of 12-15 repetitions. Building by 1-2 reps per workout until you reach ~30 repetitions then strst the process again with single leg raises.

At this point using a weight to continue progressing is a great idea. (all this is outlined and included in the Core Advantage Boring Jump Program linked at the bottom of this article)

Calf raises do them fast or slow or fast?

When starting out I recommend working with slow controlled repetitions to increase the time under tension, but as you progress you might transition to a slow down, explosive up type tempo in order to recruit your more explosive muscle fibres.

For intermediate and above strength levels, fast reps are generally better than slow reps for developing strength, however with calf raises you should always do the eccentric (lowering) phase with control.

How to increase your jump height instantly

We love helping athletes jump higher, and we are really good at it. Athletes who join our gym in Melbourne, Australia usually add 6-10cm (2-4 inches) to their jump in the first 8-weeks of training.

If you can't get to Melbourne to train with us, the next best option is to check out our online jump program; The Boring Jump Program. It's a progressive 8-week home training plan aimed at increasing your vertical leap by focusing on building the fundamental physical qualities that make great jumpers.

You can buy the program here →

We also have written plenty more content on our blog to help give your vertical jump a boost, This one is a great article to read next How to increase vertical jump with stretching →