Exercise Comparison
Ankle Circles vs Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise
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.
Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise
Place a block on the floor about 12 inches from a flat bench.
Sit on a flat bench and place a dumbbell on your upper left thigh about 3 inches above your knee.
Now place the ball of your left foot on the block. This will be your starting position.
Raise your toes up as high as possible as you exhale and you contract your calf muscle. Hold the contraction for a second.
Slowly return to the starting position, stretching as far down as possible.
Repeat for your prescribed number of repetitions and then repeat with the right leg.
Verdict
Both exercises target the calves. Ankle Circles is a beginner exercise using none, while Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise is beginner and uses dumbbell. Choose Ankle Circles if you have access to none, or Dumbbell Seated One-Leg Calf Raise if you prefer dumbbell.