Here’s a great calf-building exercise I picked up from Paul Sklar. It’ll leave your calves feeling Tenderness—and if you’re watching with the sound on, you’ll know exactly what I mean!

Dip belt calf raises are easy to do at home or in the gym using a standard chin/dip belt and some weight plates. You don’t need a dedicated step platform like mine—an aerobic step behind an incline bench, near a wall, or even a staircase with a handrail will do the trick.

Perform 3–5 sets of 15–20 reps using a controlled tempo and full range of motion. Get a deep stretch at the bottom and a strong contraction at the top. As Sklar says, “To get the most out of this exercise, pretend that you’re trying to look over a high brick wall to see what’s on the other side.”

You can also do donkey calf raises with a dip belt. Just use an aerobic step and a bench. You’ll need smaller weight plates for clearance, but the bonus is—you don’t need anyone sitting on your back!

Give them a shot. And if you really want to amplify the burn, rub some Tiger Balm on your calves beforehand!