3 Exercises to Strengthen the Soleus Muscle

Today’s video covers three exercises to strengthen the soleus muscle, which is located in the posterior compartment of the lower leg and is a powerful plantarflexor of the ankle joint. Together with gastrocnemius, these two muscles unite to form the triceps surae or calf muscle group.

Unlike gastrocnemius (a 2-joint or biarticular muscle), soleus only crosses the ankle joint. In order to most effectively isolate this muscle, the knee must be positioned in flexion to put gastrocnemius on slack. When a two-joint muscle is placed on slack, it is placed in a mechanically disadvantageous position and, thus, able to develop less torque (termed active insufficiency).

Following this logic, three exercises are presented, which demonstrate how the solei can be trained. Such training may be used as a part of a program aimed at addressing achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis and, more recently, research has shown that training soleus may also help protect the knee (see citation).

1. Seated Soleus Calf Raise
2. Tip-Toe Farmer’s Walk
3. Standing Soleus Calf Raise

Give these a try and let me know if you have any questions. 3 sets of 12-15 reps will work well for most people.

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Reference: Maniar N, et al. Muscle Contributions to Tibiofemoral Shear Forces and Valgus and Rotational Joint Moments During Single Leg Drop Landing. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2020.