Calf Raise Progressions, Dosage and Scheduling for the Achilles

Isotonic work starts with calf raise patterning: full range, upright body, knee straight, stacked hip, knee and ankle, and no rolling to the lateral foot. Peter tests endurance with a metronome at three seconds up, one second hold and three seconds down, aiming for about 25 repetitions in younger people and about 20 in older people. Capacity work uses a seated calf raise, leg press or Smith machine, with one straight-knee and one bent-knee exercise, and a 6RM target of 1.5 times body weight. Once that target is close, level two adds calf raises with fast concentric intent, measured with a linear encoder, and maximal eccentrics with a six-second lowering phase in a Smith machine. Isometric holds progress from 20 to 40 seconds toward 10 seconds at 60 to 80% MVIC, and push isometrics last about five seconds near 90% MVIC. Hopping, gait and running preparation start in level two, with maximal hops, cuts and high speed running in level three. The final program spreads isometrics, intent, eccentrics and plyometrics over three days.