MONS Athletics
Kettlebell exercises

Two-Foot Heel Raise: Learn the Slow Rise Before One Leg

Stand on both feet with a kettlebell in one hand and your toes on a rolled towel. Rise for three seconds, hold for two, lower for three.

2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Stand at a wall

    One hand on the wall for balance, the bell in the other hand. Feet hip-width apart.

  2. 2

    Toes on the towel

    Roll a towel into a log about two fingers thick and put it under your toes only, the balls of both feet on the floor just behind it and your heels down.

  3. 3

    Up for three

    Rise onto the balls of both feet over three seconds, as high as you can go. Weight over your big toes.

  4. 4

    Hold two at the top

    Hold the top for two seconds, still and tall.

  5. 5

    Down for three

    Lower over three seconds until your heels touch the floor. That is one rep.

  6. 6

    The test

    Every rep reaches the same height and you can hold the top still. When you can't, the set is over.

Watch for

  • Bouncing at the bottom. Keep the lowering slow all the way to the floor.
  • Rolling out onto your little toes. Keep the weight over your big toes.

Questions

Two-foot or single-leg heel raise?

Start on two feet. When all 8 reps reach full height and you can hold every top still, move to one leg: the same rep with twice the load on each calf.

How heavy should the bell be?

Heavy enough that the last reps are slow and hard to hold, light enough that every rep reaches full height.