Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Smith One Leg Floor Calf Raise: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The smith one leg floor calf raise is a lower leg exercise performed using a Smith machine. It targets the calves and also engages the hamstrings and glutes as secondary muscles. The exercise involves raising your heel off the ground while balancing on one leg, with the Smith machine bar providing resistance.

Primary muscles
Calves
Secondary muscles
Glutes , Hamstrings
Equipment
Smith Machine
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the smith one leg floor calf raise
Front view: muscles worked by the smith one leg floor calf raise. Primary: calves. Secondary: glutes and hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the smith one leg floor calf raise. Primary: calves. Secondary: glutes and hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the smith one leg floor calf raise

  1. Step 1: Position yourself on the floor under the smith machine bar, facing away from the machine.
  2. Step 2: Place the balls of your feet on a raised surface, such as a weight plate or block.
  3. Step 3: Position the smith machine bar across your lower legs, just above your ankles.
  4. Step 4: Hold onto the bar with your hands for stability.
  5. Step 5: Raise your heels off the ground by extending your ankles, lifting your body up.
  6. Step 6: Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your heels back down to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the smith one leg floor calf raise by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Smith One Leg Floor Calf Raise alternatives

More exercises that train the calves as their main target:

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.