Do calf raises make you jump higher?

Doing calf raises in the gym will help to strengthen your calf muscles and the muscles in your ankle. This will allow you to handle more force and generate more power, which will allow you to generate more vertical lift.

If your body weight remains the same and you increase the strength and power in your calf muscles, you should be able to jump higher.

What type of calf raise exercises can help you jump higher?

Standing calf raises

Standing calf raises are great and will also condition your body for running into the take-off position. You want to be explosive with your calf muscles so that you can generate as much vertical power as possible.

To develop strength, aim to hold and pause at the top and bottom of each movement for 2 seconds. Increase the resistance weight over time so that you can condition the muscle to handle heavier loads.

Make sure you explode up to where you feel like you are about to jump when you explode up.

Watch the video below for a demonstration.

Seated calf raises

Seated calf raises are great and workout a different area of the calf muscle. This exercise can really develop more strength in your calf.

Focus on doing this exercise to develop strength in your calf muscles and in your ankles. Focus on driving through your toes.

Single leg standing calf raises

This is great to develop the strength and power in your calves and ankle dorsiflexion, and to mimic when and how you will take-off.

Bonus

Finish off the workout by doing explosive skipping exercises. You can buy a plyometric skipping rope here.