Heels never fully drop
Partial range of motion; soleus never gets full stretch.
Overactive muscles
SoleusGastrocnemius
Corrective work
Foam RollCalves↗StretchWall calf stretch — gastroc (knee straight)↗Hinge · Lower Body
Standing Calf Raise
Coaching cues
- Full range — heel drops below platform at the bottom
- Rise on all five toes; pause and squeeze at the top
- Knees straight for gastrocnemius emphasis
- No bouncing — controlled eccentric
Common faults 3
Knees bend on the rise
Knee flexion shifts emphasis from gastroc to soleus — loses the target.
Overactive muscles
Soleus
Corrective work
Foam RollCalves↗StretchWall calf stretch — soleus (knee bent)↗Feet turn out excessively
External rotation stresses medial gastrocnemius; reduces overall calf loading.
Overactive muscles
TFLHip external rotators
Corrective work
Foam RollTFL↗StretchStanding TFL stretch↗