Why You Should Do Toe Raises, Not Just Calf Raises
For a bigger challenge, try them standing. That means your legs are supporting your weight, and staying steady adds a challenge, so hold on to a sturdy counter. Lift the fronts of both feet at once. It’s fine to shift a little weight onto your heels, Safford says, but don’t lean your whole body backward to get your feet off the floor. Lift as high as you comfortably can; even if your feet barely budge, the muscles are still working.
Shoes or bare feet? Whichever you prefer. Barefoot, you may even get a glimpse of the exercise in action: Safford says the tendons can “kind of pop out on the top of the foot” as you lift, a bit like the tendons on the back of your hand.
How many toe raises should you do—and how often?
Start with five to 10 repetitions a few days a week, Safford suggests. That might sound almost too easy, but try a set before you decide. “You might feel more fatigued than you’d expect,” Hribick says.
