Exercise Comparison
Ankle Circles vs Calf Raises - With Bands
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Instructions
Ankle Circles
Use a sturdy object like a squat rack to hold yourself.
Lift the right leg in the air (just around 2 inches from the floor) and perform a circular motion with the big toe. Pretend that you are drawing a big circle with it. Tip: One circle equals 1 repetition. Breathe normally as you perform the movement.
When you are done with the right foot, then repeat with the left leg.
Calf Raises - With Bands
Grab an exercise band and stand on it with your toes making sure that the length of the band between the foot and the arms is the same for both sides.
While holding the handles of the band, raise the arms to the side of your head as if you were getting ready to perform a shoulder press. The palms should be facing forward with the elbows bent and to the sides. This movement will create tension on the band. This will be your starting position.
Keeping the hands by your shoulder, stand up on your toes as you exhale and contract the calves hard at the top of the movement.
After a one second contraction, slowly go back down to the starting position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the calves. Ankle Circles is a beginner exercise using none, while Calf Raises - With Bands is beginner and uses bands. Choose Ankle Circles if you have access to none, or Calf Raises - With Bands if you prefer bands.