How to do a Dumbbell Calf Raise to High Pull
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Dumbbell Calf Raise to High Pull
Workouts with Dumbbell Calf Raise to High Pull
Instructions for Proper Form
A compound exercise combining calf raises with a high pull movement. This exercise is often used to help improve or work towards performing Olympic lifts, specifically recruiting your calves into your high pull. It’s an effective exercise for developing strength and power.
- Grasp a dumbbell in each hand.
- Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
- Engage your core, straighten your back, and keep your chest up to maintain proper form.
- Hinge your hips back and fold forward to lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings—the dumbbells should be in front of your shins.
- Perform the next steps in one fluid motion.
- Extend your legs and drive your hips forward by engaging your quads, glutes and hamstrings.
- As you reach a standing position, raise yourself onto your toes by engaging your calves.
- Simultaneously engage your back and shoulders to raise the dumbbells towards your chest, flaring your elbows out to either side—your upper arms should be parallel to the ground.
- Hold this position for a moment.
- Return to the starting position.
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Alternative Exercises to Dumbbell Calf Raise to High Pull
1. Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
83.1 mSCORESWAPPED 557 TIMESStanding Dumbbell Calf Raise is a weighted variation on the more standard Calf Raise. Like other variations, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets your calves. Adding dumbbells allows you to add significantly more resistance than simply relying on bodyweight.
2. Calf Raise
75 mSCORESWAPPED 498 TIMESThis bodyweight isolation exercise primarily targets the calves. It’s an effective exercise for developing muscle mass and increasing strength in your calf, and can be easily modified through a number of different variations.
- Beginner
- Calves
3. Standing Barbell Calf Raise
87.1 mSCORESWAPPED 326 TIMESThis exercise is a barbell variation of the standard calf raise. Like the standard variation, this exercise primarily targets your calves. The use of a barbell allows you to increase the resistance for this exercise beyond just your bodyweight.
4. Calf Press
91.6 mSCORESWAPPED 325 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more common calf raise. Like the standard calf raise this isolation exercise primarily targets the calves. The use of a machine adds stability to the movement, as well as gives you more control over your resistance. It’s an effective exercise for building muscle mass and developing strength in your calves.
- Beginner
- Calves
- Leg Press
5. Single Leg Standing Calf Raise
72 mSCORESWAPPED 286 TIMESThis exercise is a unilateral variation of the standard calf raise. Like the standard version this exercise primarily targets your calves. However, by performing this exercise one leg at a time, you add instability to the movement which can better recruit smaller stabilizing muscles, as well as help you identify and address imbalances between sides.
- Beginner
- Calves
6. Seated Machine Calf Press
92.7 mSCORESWAPPED 269 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more common calf raise. Like the standard calf raise this isolation exercise primarily targets the calves. The use of a machine adds stability to the movement, as well as gives you more control over your resistance. It’s an effective exercise for building muscle mass and developing strength in your calves.
- Beginner
- Calves
- Calf Raise Machine
7. Dumbbell Calf Raise to Shrug
38.4 mSCORESWAPPED 185 TIMESA compound movement that targets the calves, traps, and shoulders. Starting with a calf raise to activate the lower leg muscles, you transition into a shrug to engage the upper traps. This exercise efficiently works both lower and upper body regions, improving posture and functional strength, ideal for those aiming for comprehensive muscle engagement in a single movement.
8. Smith Machine Calf Raise
77.6 mSCORESWAPPED 166 TIMESThis exercise is a Smith Machine variation of the standard calf raise. Like the standard version, this exercise primarily targets the calves. The use of a Smith Machine allows to increase resistance beyond just your bodyweight.
- Beginner
- Calves
- Smith Machine
9. Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise
73.7 mSCORESWAPPED 143 TIMESSeated Dumbbell Calf Raise is a variation on the more standard Calf Raise. By performing this exercise from a seated position, you add significantly more stability to the movement. This allows you to focus on exertion rather than stability. By using a dumbbell on each leg, you ensure that you aren’t compensating for any lack of strength between sides.
10. Standing Machine Calf Press
80.3 mSCORESWAPPED 130 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more common calf raise. Like the standard calf raise this isolation exercise primarily targets the calves. The use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance, allowing you to better control the weight you’re moving. It’s an effective exercise for building muscle mass and developing strength in your calves.
- Intermediate
- Calves
- Calf Raise Machine