Get Calves Like a Champion: Cydney Gillon’s ONLY 4 Exercises for Beginners

As a seven-time Figure Olympia champion, Cydney Gillon knows the secret to getting in an optimal training session and she is all about sharing those gains with her followers. In a recent YouTube video, Gillon walks her fans through a calf day workout for beginners. 

Since 2017, Cydney Gillon has reigned supreme in the prestigious Figure Olympia, securing seven consecutive title wins. This impressive feat has solidified her status as the most accomplished Figure bodybuilder in the sport’s history. 

Try Cydney Gillon’s ‘Main Staple’ Exercises to Build the Calves for Beginners

Boasting an extraordinary resumé, Cydney Gillon’s advice is highly revered throughout the fitness community. Fortunately, Gillon frequently shares her tips, tricks, and easy-to-follow training routines through social media, offering individuals insights for every stage of their fitness journey. 

In a recent YouTube video, Cydney Gillon walked her followers through a calf day workout specifically for those at a beginner level. 

Cydney Gillon’s Beginner Friendly Calf Workout 

• Machine Calf Raise
• Squat Variation Calf Raise
• Standing Calf Raise
• Leg Press Calf Raise

Machine Calf Raise

Jumping into the workout, Cydney Gillon begins with machine calf raises and emphasizes the importance of warming up the ankles for optimal results. 

“One of the main staples you can do for calves is your seated calf raises. If you’ve never done them before, I’d start with very very low weight to kind of see how the machine goes. Sometimes people’s ankles can be stiff, all those things can cause a couple of different issues. You want to make sure your ankles are warmed up first.”

“I like to have the pads right on to my legs. I’m going to brace my core. My abs are going to be tight. I’m going to lift up first, do a full calf extension and then drop down. When I drop down I get the full range of motion through the back of those ankles and then I push up through the balls of my feet, squeezing all the way up at the top.”

Squat Variation Calf Raise

Next, Gillon moves into a squat variation of a calf raise, which works well will just body weight. She explains that this movement will target the inside of the calves effectively. 

“One movement that I found works really really well that doesn’t require any extra weight but it’s kind of body weight but still works well, it’s this squat variation, I don’t know what it’s called but it works.”

“This variation, you just go down like here. I’m seated here, from here, I’m going to rock up to my toes, squeeze all the way and then I’m going to come back down. So right now my ribs are on my quads, my toes are going all the way up to the top of that activation and then I’m coming back down.”

She offered foot positioning tips as well. 

“Right now, my feet are neutral hip width for me but you can go turn out, extend, you’re going to feel that a little bit more on the inside of the calves.”

Standing Calf Raise

For standing calf raises, Gillon explains how these can be incorporated into your routine with different machines at your gym. 

“My goal was to show you how to do a standing calf raise but the standing calf raise the traditional one is taken so the goal is to teach you how to work in the gym space. As long as you’re doing the same motion you can get that type of motion on any machine, whether it’s a hack squat or a v-squat, you can get the same motion as long as you’re learning how the body works and how your body works.”

Using the squat machine, she demonstrates how to work the calves. 

“If I want to do standing calf raises on this squat machine, I’m going to go here. I’m still going to keep my form as if I’m doing legs.

I’m going to come up, I don’t need to disengage, I’m going to stay right here and go standing calf raises. You just push up. Now, you won’t have the full descent that you would off of the standard machine but it works still.”

Leg Press Calf Raise

Finally, Cydney Gillon recommends a leg press calf raise, where she stresses the importance of keeping the knees soft and pushing up with the toes. 

“Fourth potential exercise you have is if you have a leg press, you can do calves. So, for instance, I’m going to pop in here. Got my weight already set, I’m going to get set as if I’m doing a leg press.”

“I’m going to push up the machine, push forward, walk my feet down, from there the same key things, knees are soft from letting the weight come back on my ankles and I’m going to push up through my toes.”

“Big stretch at the top,” adds Gillon. “Down and big stretch at the top. What I’m not doing is locking those knees out and going like this, don’t do that. Lock all this in place, only stabilize and move from the ankle joint.” 

This isn’t the first time that Cydney Gillon has offered up a training routine specifically for individuals just getting started in their fitness journeys. Previously, Gillon shared a back workout for those who ‘have no idea what you’re doing.’ Throughout the workout, the seven-time Figure Olympia champion provided insights into proper posture and other helpful tips. 

With years of experience, Cydney Gillon has demonstrated her commitment to not only the sport but also to her dedicated followers. Her fans look forward to seeing what other valuable lessons she will offer in the future. Meanwhile, the anticipation is mounting as we all look forward to seeing her retake the stage at the 2024 Mr. Olympia this October. 

RELATED: 7x Figure Olympia Champion Cydney Gillon Offers Natural Bodybuilders 7 Tips for Contest Preps

To watch her full video, click the link below: 

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