Are Your Calves Holding You Back? A Simple Strength Test for Runners

Do you often feel tightness or soreness in your calf muscles after a run? You’re not alone. Calf pain and fatigue are among the most common complaints we hear from runners at The Stride Shop here in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. And there’s a good reason for that: your calf muscles—especially the soleus—are doing some serious heavy lifting.

During running, your soleus muscle can absorb impact forces up to 6 to 8 times your body weight with every single step. That’s a massive demand on a relatively small muscle group. If the rest of your kinetic chain—your hips, glutes, and core—aren’t doing their fair share, your calves end up picking up the slack.

Over time, this can lead to fatigue, tightness, and even injury.

So how do you know if your calves are up to the challenge?

Try This Quick At-Home Calf Strength Test

The Single-Leg Calf Raise Test is a fast and simple way to gauge your calf strength and endurance:

1. Stand on one foot (use your fingertips on a wall for balance if needed).

2. Raise your heel as high as you can, then lower slowly back down.

3. Repeat as many reps as possible with good form—no bouncing or leaning.

What’s Normal?

• Men: 25–30 reps

• Women: 20–30 reps

If you notice a big difference between your left and right leg (more than 5 reps), or if you struggle to hit these numbers, you may be dealing with weakness or imbalance. This matters more than you think—because strong, balanced calves are key to better performance and fewer injuries.

Get Support from the Running Experts

At The Stride Shop, we specialize in working with runners of all levels. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or chasing a PR, we can help you:

• Assess calf strength and muscle imbalances

• Evaluate your running form

• Build a personalized strength and mobility plan

• Connect with a running coach to improve speed and endurance

Pain, tightness, and fatigue aren’t things you have to just "deal with" as a runner. With the right strategy, you can train smarter and feel stronger.

Ready to take the next step?

Call us at (225) 577-6290 or schedule a free consultation to get started. Happy running!