Practicing the way of BJJ, you're aware of the importance of strength and conditioning in your overall performance. But have you ever considered the role of your calf muscles in your BJJ game?

• They play a crucial role in scrambles, takedowns, and pressure passing by driving on your toes.
• They also contribute to your ability to enter, retreat, change angles, and dominate the ring/octagon, allowing you to move more quickly and with more stability. 

In this article, I'll share the 10 most effective workouts to build bigger calves, enhancing your BJJ performance and giving you an edge on the mats. 

Let's dive in!

1. Standing Calf Raises

The first exercise on our list is the Standing Calf Raise. This exercise is a staple in many calf workout routines, and for a good reason.

• It targets the two muscles that run down the back of your lower leg: the gastrocnemius and soleus.

These muscles are integral to your BJJ performance as they provide the power for explosive movements and stability during scrambles.

Here's how you do it:

1. Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. You can hold a dumbbell in each hand for added resistance or use a calf raise machine at the gym.
2. Slowly raise your heels off the ground, pushing up onto your toes.
3. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower your heels back to the ground.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Benefits of Standing Calf Raises:

• Ankle Strength and Stability: The standing calf raise helps to build strong calves, which in turn plays a role in stabilizing and mobilizing our ankles. This is particularly important in BJJ, where footwork and balance are key.
• Lower Body Performance: Strong calves can enhance your overall lower body performance, improving your ability to execute takedowns, guard passes, and sweeps.
• Injury Prevention: By strengthening the muscles and tendons around the ankle joint, calf raises can help to prevent common BJJ injuries such as sprains and strains.
• Sprinting and Running Performance: If you incorporate running or sprinting into your BJJ conditioning routine, strong calves can help to improve your speed and endurance.
• Bigger Calves: Standing calf raises can help you build bigger, more muscular calves.

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to seeing results from your workouts. So, make sure to incorporate standing calf raises into your routine regularly.

2. Seated Calf Raise

The Seated Calf Raise is a variation of the previous exercise but performed in a different setting.

• The difference is in the positioning and utilizing a machine, which hits the muscles differently and enables a higher load/difficulty and longer movement of the joints.

Furthermore, this exercise helps BJJ practitioners in several ways:

• Enhanced Guard Game: Strong calves can significantly improve your guard game in BJJ. The Seated Calf Raise builds the endurance in your calves that you need to maintain a tight guard and resist your opponent's pass attempts.
• Improved Takedown Defense: Powerful calves can help you resist takedowns. The strength you build from Seated Calf Raises can give you the stability to defend against single and double-leg takedowns.
• Greater Driving Force: In BJJ, driving force is crucial when you're on top, passing the guard, or executing a takedown. The Seated Calf Raise can help you develop a stronger driving force.
• Injury Prevention: Just like the Standing Calf Raise, the Seated Calf Raise can help reduce the risk of lower body injuries. Strong calves can provide better support for your ankles and knees, often vulnerable in BJJ.

You'll need a machine specifically designed for this exercise or a barbell to place on your knees to perform the Seated Calf Raise.

• Sit on the machine or bench with your feet flat on the floor and your thighs under the pads or barbell.
• Push up onto your toes as high as possible, hold for a moment, then lower back down and repeat.

Remember, the key to this exercise is control and full range of motion. Don't rush through the reps, and make sure to extend and lower your calves fully.

3. Farmer's Walk on Toes

The third exercise on our list is the Farmer's Walk on Toes.

• This exercise works your calves and improves your grip strength and overall body stability, which are crucial for BJJ.

How to do it:

1. Stand tall, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
2. Rise onto your toes and start walking forward while maintaining the tiptoe.
3. Walk for a certain distance or time, then rest and repeat.

Benefits for BJJ:

The Farmer's Walk on Toes is fantastic for building calf strength and endurance. The sustained tiptoe position will work your calf muscles hard, helping to add size and definition.

Moreover, this exercise also improves your grip strength - a crucial attribute in BJJ for controlling your opponent and securing submissions.

• The added element of stability work will also help in scrambles and when fighting to maintain or advance position.

Remember, every bit of strength, stability, and endurance you can gain can make a difference in a grueling match. So, don't neglect these functional exercises in your workout routine!

4. Jump Squats

Jump squats are another fantastic exercise that can help you build bigger calves, but their benefits extend beyond. This explosive exercise is a game-changer for any BJJ practitioner, and here's why:

• Explosive Power: Jump squats can help improve explosive power in the lower body, which is essential for executing takedowns, sweeps, and explosive movements in BJJ.
• Lower Body Strength: Jump squats target the muscles in the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Improved lower body strength can enhance overall performance in BJJ.
• Core Stability: Jump squats engage the core muscles, which are crucial for maintaining balance and stability during BJJ techniques and movements.
• Cardiovascular Endurance: Jump squats are a high-intensity exercise that can help improve cardiovascular endurance, allowing BJJ practitioners to sustain their energy levels during long training sessions or competitions.

To incorporate jump squats into your training routine, start with the following:

• 3 sets of 10 jump squats and gradually increase the intensity and volume over time.
• Emphasize landing softly, with knees slightly bent, to minimize the impact on joints.
• You can also include variations of jump squats, such as single-leg jump squats or weighted jump squats, to provide additional challenges and target different muscle groups.

Ensure proper form and technique during jump squats. 

5. Donkey Calf Raises

Donkey Calf Raises are a unique exercise that targets the calf muscles differently than traditional calf raises.

• This exercise is performed by bending over at the waist, placing your hands on a stable surface, and then raising your heels off the ground.

The unique position of the Donkey Calf Raise allows for a greater stretch in the calf muscles, which can lead to increased muscle growth.

Here's how to perform the Donkey Calf Raise:

• Position: Stand facing a bench or another sturdy object. Bend at the waist and place your hands on the bench. Your torso should be parallel to the ground.
• Movement: Lift your heels as high as possible, squeezing your calves at the top of the movement. Lower your heels back down until your calves are fully stretched.
• Repetitions: Perform 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.

BJJ Application:

The Donkey Calf Raise is a great exercise for BJJ practitioners because it helps to develop strong and powerful calves. This can be beneficial for movements such as bridging, escaping from bottom positions, and maintaining a strong base when standing.

Remember, the key to effective calf training is to perform each exercise with a full range of motion and to squeeze the calf muscles at the top of each movement. Let's move on to the next exercise to help you build those powerful calves for your BJJ game.

6. Box Jumps

Box jumps are a simple plyometrics exercise that builds and tones your calf muscles, especially the gastrocnemius.

• If you're new to the exercise, start with a lower box and gradually increase the height as your strength and confidence grow.

How to do it:

1. Stand in front of a sturdy box or platform. The height will depend on your fitness level. Beginners may want to start with a box that's knee-high.
2. Bend your knees and swing your arms back as you prepare to jump.
3. Explode upwards onto the box, using your arms to help propel you. Land softly on the balls of your feet. (this is where the calf magic actually happens)
4. Stand up straight to complete the movement, then step back down to the starting position.

Benefits for BJJ:

Box jumps are a fantastic exercise for developing explosive power in your lower body, which is crucial for many BJJ techniques. The ability to generate a sudden burst of force can be the difference between successfully executing a sweep or being swept yourself.

• Plus, the improved calf strength will aid in maintaining a solid base and effective guard.

Remember: Always prioritize form and safety over the height of your jumps. It's better to perform the exercise correctly on a lower box than to risk injury on a higher one.

7. Sled Drag

Enter the 'Sled Drag' exercise - a secret weapon in the arsenal of every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. The 'Sled Drag' exercise is a game-changer for BJJ enthusiasts looking to enhance their performance on the mats.

• This exercise targets the muscles used during takedowns, guard passing, and maintaining dominant positions. 

Even though it’s not a calf-oriented exercise as others on this list, this exercise will build your legs entirely. Incorporating the Sled Drag into your training regimen will give you the raw strength and explosive power needed to execute those lightning-fast sweeps and submissions.

Here's how to perform the 'Sled Drag' exercise correctly:

• Attach a harness to your waist and secure it tightly.
• Position yourself in front of the sled, ensuring your feet are shoulder-width apart.
• Lean forward slightly, engaging your core and keeping your back straight.
• Grip the handles firmly, maintaining a tight grip throughout the exercise.
• Begin by taking small, controlled steps backward, driving through your legs, and engaging your glutes.
• Continue to walk backward, maintaining a steady pace and focusing on your breathing.
• Aim to complete 3-4 sets of 20-30 yards, gradually increasing the weight on the sled as you progress.

For those seeking an extra challenge, try incorporating resistance bands into your 'Sled Drag' routine. Simply attach the bands to the sled and your waist harness, adding an additional layer of resistance to the exercise.

• Alternatively, if you're just starting out or recovering from an injury, you can reduce the weight on the sled or shorten the distance to gradually build strength and avoid overexertion.

The Sled Drag exercise is a highly effective tool for BJJ practitioners looking to take their game to the next level. By incorporating this exercise into your training regimen, you'll develop the explosive power, grip strength, and overall strength needed to dominate your opponents.

So, grab that sled, harness up, and start dragging your way to BJJ greatness!

8. Hill Sprints

Hill sprints are a classic aerobic exercise that can do wonders for your calf muscles. Not only do they boost your cardio and overall leg strength, but they also target your calves in a unique way due to the inclined surface.

How to Do Hill Sprints:

1. Find a hill or an inclined surface. The steeper the hill, the more challenging the exercise will be.
2. Stand at the bottom of the hill with your feet hip-width apart.
3. Sprint up the hill as fast as you can. Make sure to push off the balls of your feet to engage your calf muscles.
4. Walk back down the hill to your starting position. This is your recovery period.
5. Repeat for a set number of repetitions or for a certain time period.

Benefits of Hill Sprints for BJJ Practitioners

Hill sprints are a fantastic way to build explosive power in your legs, which is crucial for many BJJ techniques. The incline forces your calf muscles to work harder than they would on a flat surface, leading to increased strength and size over time.

• Plus, the high-intensity nature of sprints makes them a great way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, which will help you keep up the pace in long BJJ matches.

Remember, the key to seeing results is consistency. Incorporate hill sprints into your regular workout routine, and you'll be amazed at the difference it can make in your BJJ performance.

9. Cossack Squat

The ninth exercise on our list is the Cossack Squat. This is a unique exercise that not only strengthens your calves but also drastically improves your hip mobility and lower back strength.

Here's how you can perform this exercise:

1. Stand with your feet wide apart but on the same X-axis.
2. Squat down on one side, aiming to get your butt cheek over the corresponding ankle. So if you're squatting on the left side, your left butt cheek should be over your left ankle.
3. Keep your other leg straight and your foot flat on the ground.
4. Alternate sides for each rep.

The beauty of the Cossack Squat is that it allows you to increase the intensity as you get stronger. You can go heavier with the weight being held, pause in the bottom position, and even widen your feet further to increase mobility.

Now, you might be wondering, "How does this relate to BJJ?" 

Well, the enhanced mobility that comes from performing Cossack Squats allows BJJ practitioners to make quicker moves and adjust their positions faster. Plus, increased mobility can be a lifesaver when you find yourself in a precarious position, as it allows you to defend against your opponent more effectively.

So, there you have it - the Cossack Squat, a calf-building exercise that offers a ton of additional benefits for BJJ athletes. Give it a try and see the difference it makes in your performance on the mat!

10. Single-Leg Calf Raises

Single-leg calf raises are a fantastic isolation exercise that targets the calf muscles directly. By working one leg at a time, you can focus on building strength and size in each calf individually, ensuring balanced development.

How to Do Single-Leg Calf Raises:

1. Stand upright and hold onto a wall or a sturdy object for balance.
2. Lift one foot off the ground, bending it at the knee.
3. Pushing through the ball of your standing foot, raise your heel as high as possible.
4. Slowly lower your heel back down to the ground.
5. Perform the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other leg.

Benefits of Single-Leg Calf Raises for BJJ Practitioners

For BJJ athletes, having strong calves can be a game-changer. Single-leg calf raises help in developing the explosive power needed for techniques like takedowns and guard passes.

Moreover, by isolating each calf, you ensure that both legs are equally strong, reducing the risk of imbalances that could lead to injuries. As you push and pull on the mats, having sturdy calves can give you the edge in both defense and offense.

Wrapping Up

And there you have it, folks! Those are the 9 most effective workouts to build bigger calves.

• Incorporating these exercises into your regular training routine will help you develop stronger, more powerful calves and enhance your overall performance in BJJ.

Remember, every part of your body plays a crucial role in your grappling game, and your calves are no exception.

I hope you found this guide helpful and that it inspires you to pay more attention to your calf training. As someone who has seen the benefits of these exercises firsthand, I can assure you that the effort you put into strengthening your calves will pay off on the mat.

Train hard, roll safe, and let's build those calves!