WhatWorksWhat.
Calves

Tibialis Raise

Burn on the OUTER front of the shin - the muscle you didn't know you had.

Complexity · Lowhypertrophybeginner+Bodyweight
  • Calves
  • Calves - Calf
  • Calf
  • Lower calf

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Calf

    Hit

    Gastrocnemius - hit with straight-knee raises.

  • Lower calf

    Not hit

    Soleus - hit with bent-knee (seated) raises.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

1:26· All Strength Training

Bodyweight Tibialis Raise | Fix Shin Splits

Heels down

Top

Stand with the back against a wall, feet 6–12 inches out from the wall. Lift the toes toward the shins as high as possible. Pause, lower.

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the toes - slow controlled reps grow tissue.
  • Skipping the pause at the top.

Where you should feel it

Burn on the OUTER front of the shin - the muscle you didn't know you had.

Injury risk · 1/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains calves. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Weighted tib raise

    Toes under a strap with weight, or a tib-bar.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Seated tib raise

    Seated, drag toes back against a band.

    95% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Seated Forward Fold

    Seated, legs straight in front. Hinge from the hips and reach the hands toward the feet. Don't force the back to round - go where it goes. 60s.

    HamstringsLower backCalves

  • Downward Dog

    Hands and feet on the floor, hips in the air making an inverted V. Press the heels toward the floor. Pedal the heels alternately for a stronger calf stretch. 45s.

    CalvesHamstringsLatsFront delts

  • Wall Calf Stretch

    Hands on the wall. One leg back, knee straight, heel pressed to the floor. Lean toward the wall until you feel a gastroc stretch. 45s per side.

    Calves

Coach note

Best fix for shin splints. Two sets of 25 three times a week. Front of the calves grows fast.