Calf Raise vs Backward Lunge
Maximizing Your Leg Workout Plan
Contents
Backward Lunge is the easier place to start — difficulty 2 of 5 vs 5. Compare Leg form cues and when to progress.
Customize Your Leg Workout: Explore the Benefits of Calf Raise and Backward Lunge for Better Comparison.
Planfit Users' Choice about Calf Raise vs Backward Lunge : Which is Better?
Based on randomly selected data from 1 million completed workouts, Planfit users log Backward Lunge more often — 1,292 sessions compared to 1,215 for Calf Raise.
Popularity is not the whole answer. Calf Raise and Backward Lunge differ in the muscles they load, the equipment they need, and how hard they are to learn — the comparison below covers each.
How Calf Raise and Backward Lunge Differ
| What differs | Calf Raise | Backward Lunge |
|---|---|---|
| Muscles worked | calves, hamstrings, and glutes | glutes, quads, and hamstrings |
| One side at a time | No | Yes |
| Difficulty | 5 of 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Sessions logged by Planfit users | 1,215 sessions | 1,292 sessions |
How to Calf Raise
Calf Raise muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Please raise your heels as high as possible to contract your calf muscles.
- 2. Please hold while resisting the weight, making sure your heels do not touch the ground.
Coach's Comment
- 1. If it is difficult to maintain your balance, support yourself with your hand on a wall or object.
- 2. Since strain may be placed on your ankle or Achilles tendon (the tendon at the back of your calf and heel), do not lower yourself quickly, and if you feel pain, perform the exercise with just your body weight.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Calf Raise, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Calf Raise Guide page of our blog!
How to Backward Lunge
Backward Lunge muscles worked: Leg
Form
- 1. Step back with one foot and raise the heel of that foot.
- 2. Lower yourself until the angle of both knees is 90 degrees.
- 3. Keep your chest open and your back straight as you return to the starting position.
- 4. Repeat the same with the opposite leg.
Coach's Comment
- 1. Please be careful not to lean your upper body forward.
- 2. When bending your knees, please ensure that the knee of the foot you step forward with does not go beyond the foot.
- 3. Please make sure that your center of gravity does not lean too far forward.
If you want to know a detailed guide to Backward Lunge, alternative exercises, and its benefits, check it out here. Check out the Backward Lunge Guide page of our blog!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for Leg, Calf Raise or Backward Lunge?
Neither is clearly ahead — Planfit users log both at a similar rate. They both train Leg, so the choice comes down to the equipment you have and the muscles you want to load.
Do Calf Raise and Backward Lunge work the same muscles?
Not quite. Calf Raise loads calves, hamstrings, and glutes, and Backward Lunge loads glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
What equipment do Calf Raise and Backward Lunge need?
Calf Raise needs bodyweight only, and Backward Lunge needs bodyweight only.
Which is easier to start with?
Backward Lunge is the easier place to start. Move to Calf Raise once your form holds up.
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