To build or tone your calf muscles, the best exercise is a standing calf raise - but only if it's done properly. The Achilles tendon, which attaches to the calf, is one of the biggest and most power tendons in the body, and because of the way tendon tissue works, you need to take the Achilles out of the movement to see results. You see, tendons are designed to absorb a lot of movement and shock to and keep your muscles from ripping off of your bones. To allow for this, tendons have a high level of elasticity. While this is great for injury prevention, in the case of calf training it can hamper muscle building. To get around this, you have to pause between the positive, or up, and negative, down, phases of a standing calf raise. The standing calf raise should be performed with your toes on a platform of some kind so that your heels are hanging off, allowing for a full stretch. Lift yourself up onto your toes and pause for 3 full seconds, then slowly lower yourself down. Wait 5 seconds at the bottom for all stored momentum to dissipate, allowing for a FULL stretch at the bottom, and then perform another rep. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 and that'll be perfect. For more tips on how to upgrade your workout, check out other videos in this series.