How to do a Kettlebell Toe Walks
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Kettlebell Toe Walks
Instructions for Proper Form
This exercise primarily targets your calves. By walking only on your toes, you force your calves to remain engaged and contracted for the duration of the exercise. This is an effective way to build function strength in your calves.
- Grasp a kettlebell in each hand and position them at your sides.
- Contract your calves to raise your heels off the ground.
- Walk forwards while keeping your weight on the balls of your feet.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your shoulders back, your chest up, and your knees slightly bent.
- You should feel this exercise in your calves.
Alternative Exercises to Kettlebell Toe Walks
1. Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise
83.1 mSCORESWAPPED 39 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. Dumbbell Toe Walks
29.9 mSCORESWAPPED 33 TIMESAn exercise targeting the calves and enhancing lower leg stability. Holding dumbbells at your sides, you walk on your toes to engage the calf muscles. This movement improves balance, ankle stability, and strengthens the calves, making it beneficial for athletes and those looking to enhance lower body endurance.
3. Calf Raise
75 mSCORESWAPPED 27 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
4. Single Leg Standing Calf Raise
72 mSCORESWAPPED 26 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
5. Standing Kettlebell Calf Raise
53.4 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of the more standard calf raise. Like the standard calf raise, this exercise primarily targets your calves. The use of a raised surface allows for greater range of motion which leads to better muscle activation. This is a great exercise for developing muscle mass and strength in your calves.
- Beginner
- Calves
- Kettlebells
6. Seated Machine Calf Press
92.7 mSCORESWAPPED 16 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. Calf Press
91.6 mSCORESWAPPED 15 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
8. Dumbbell Calf Raise to Shrug
38.4 mSCORESWAPPED 13 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.
9. Standing Barbell Calf Raise
87.1 mSCORESWAPPED 12 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.
10. Seated Dumbbell Calf Raise
73.7 mSCORESWAPPED 12 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.