Eccentric Heel Drop

How to perform the Eccentric Heel Drop

1. Stand with the balls of both feet on the edge of a step, heels hanging free, using a rail for balance rather than support.
2. Rise onto the toes using both legs together so the lifting phase is shared and never taken by the injured side alone.
3. Shift your weight across onto the working leg at the top and lift the other foot clear of the step.
4. Lower that single heel below the level of the step over a slow three to five seconds, until you feel a stretch through the calf and tendon.
5. Place the other foot back down to return to the top and repeat for the prescribed 10 to 15 reps: this movement is loaded only on the way down.

Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Rising back up on the injured leg, adding a concentric load the protocol deliberately leaves out.
• •Dropping the heel quickly rather than lowering it over a slow count, removing the very stimulus the movement exists for.
• •Cutting the descent short above step level, so the tendon never reaches its lengthened position.
• •Hanging off the rail for support rather than using it for balance, offloading the work you came to do.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.

Standing Calf Raise

Calves · Bodyweight

Seated Calf Raise

Calves · Dumbbell

Leg Press Calf Raise

Calves · Machine

Smith Machine Calf Raise

Calves · Machine

Single-Leg Calf Raise

Calves · Bodyweight