Ground contact is crucial when running, whether covering long distances, sprinting, or making quick directional changes on the field. Each step involves your feet hitting the ground, where the lower limb muscles absorb impact and then contract to propel you forward. The calf muscles, including the often-overlooked soleus, play a key role in this elastic energy return and are vital for running endurance and speed.

Training the calf muscles, particularly the soleus, can significantly improve running efficiency, speed, and endurance. Unlike the gastrocnemius, which is more involved in explosive movements, the soleus provides the endurance needed for sustained activities like distance running and helps stabilize the ankle for efficient push-off and smooth strides.

By incorporating specific exercises that target the soleus into your training routine, you can enhance your running performance, whether you're aiming to sprint faster, improve long-distance endurance, or enhance your agility on the court. Here are the top 4 exercises to effectively strengthen the soleus and elevate your running endurance and speed.

The calf is made up of two primary muscles: the Gastrocnemius (often called the "Gastroc") and the Soleus. The Gastroc is the larger, more visible calf muscle—the one known for its prominent size and shape that many athletes (and even the average 40+ year-old dad) seem to have without much effort. The Gastroc has two heads, the medial and lateral, giving it that classic bulging appearance of lower leg muscle mass. It’s primarily responsible for plantar flexion—pointing the toes like a ballerina—and also plays a key role in knee flexion (bending the knee), which is seen in movements like butt kicks, deep squats, or stretches like the couch stretch.

Beneath the Gastroc lies the Soleus, a deeper, flatter muscle that has a unique role in calf function. While it also contributes to plantar flexion, the Soleus is more engaged during slower movements and when you're standing still, providing stability and endurance. Unlike the Gastroc, which is recruited more for explosive movements, the Soleus supports balance and helps control movements when the body is in a static position.

When you stand upright, particularly on one leg, the Soleus plays a significant role in maintaining balance and preventing the body from tipping forward. It contracts to provide continuous support and stability. For instance, if you've practiced yoga, you'll recognize how crucial the Soleus is during balance poses like Tree Pose, Half Moon, or Dancer Pose, especially when held for longer durations.

Both the Gastroc and Soleus muscles work together by joining at the Achilles tendon, which connects to the heel bone, scientifically known as the calcaneus. Their combined function is essential for efficient movement, running mechanics, and lower body strength, making it important to train both muscles effectively for improved running endurance and speed.

The Soleus is a key muscle for athletic activities requiring endurance, stability, and balance. Think endurance around running, stability when landing after a jump shot or lay-up, and balance when needing to make an agile cut to scoot by an opponent. That in mind, it is easy to see how the Soleus muscle plays a pivotal role in athletic performance.

One thing training the Soleus muscle does is improve ankle and lower leg stability, in particular during weight bearing movements. In other words, the Soleus is the muscle that keeps the ankle stable when back squatting, front squatting, single leg squatting, cleaning, or snatching. In that same respect, it helps tremendously in stabilizing the ankle during ground contact in a plyometric movement or when running sprints.

A second reason training the Soleus muscle is so important is because it is primarily composed of slow twitch muscle fibers and plays a big role in sustaining those long-distance runs. A stronger Soleus muscle will contribute to delaying the on-set of fatigue when hiking, running trails, or completing a marathon.

A third reason the Soleus muscle is important to train is the role the muscle plays in absorbing shock, like landing from a jump and being elastic or making an agile cut around a cone. It in a way serves as a buffer to help reduce the impact on the knee and ankle joints. Maybe best of all, a well-trained Soleus muscle helps to mitigate injuries like shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, and other overuse injuries that creep up on athletes due to inadequate lower leg strength and endurance.

Maybe the most important reason to train the Soleus muscle is it helps improve athletic performance. Athletes who participate in endurance-based activities and sports like marathons, 10k races, ultra-marathons, triathlons, and cyclist, benefit from a stronger Soleus because it aids in efficient push-off and propulsion during ground contact; it helps contribute to that elasticity that is so pivotal to athleticism.

Even in explosive sports, both open skilled and closed skilled, strengthening the Soleus muscle can enhance the transition between eccentric (lengthening) and concentric (shortening) muscle actions. Otherwise known as elasticity. Or what is seen in athletes as twitchiness. The Soleus in this manner supports quicker and more powerful movements. 

Knowing why to train the Soleus is great knowledge. Knowing what exercises to use to train the Soleus is just as necessary.

Slant Board Heel Elevated Single Leg Squat

To perform this exercise, you need a single leg roller, foam balance pad, and a slant board. It can also be done with a bench and a plate. The key is to have the rear foot elevated and the front foot in a position where the heel is unsupported.

The single leg squat is a great balancing exercise done on its own, but adding the heel elevated portion takes it to a whole other level.

Seated Calf Raises

This exercise is a mainstay of Soleus development. Athletes need to sit on a bench with weights, dumbbells work fine here, on the thighs, and place the balls of the feet on an elevated platform–a plate works great here. The knees stay bent around 90 degrees. From there, it is simply raising the heels as high as possible by contracting the calves, then lowering them back down slowly.

The movement is effective because it places the knees in flexion, which reduces the engagement of the Gastroc and zeroes in on the Soleus.

Soleus Walks

In its most simplest form, a soleus walk is performed by walking on the balls of the feet for a prescribed distance. Ideally, the knees maintain a slight bend, like a quarter squat, and are kept consistent throughout the walk. The slight bend will reduce activation of the Gastroc and put more emphasis on the Soleus.

The more advanced way to do a Soleus Walk is to add a carry in conjunction with the walk. The carry is great because it adds load. The carry can also be done in various ways to impact balance in unique ways as well. For instance, a farmer’s carry with the Soleus Walk is superb, but doing a suitcase carry, though lessening the load, puts greater demand on the trunk and, in turn, balancing.

Horse Stance Alternating Calf Raises

The Horse Stance is a grounding posture in yoga. Think of being in a wide legged squat position with the knees bent and the torso upright and the lactic burn accumulating from holding an isometric position. It is a powerful pose for cultivating both physical and mental strength and promotes stability.

When in Horse Stance, and targeting the Soleus, alternating raising the heels activates the calf muscles. The bent knee posture of the Horse Stance helps bring out the engagement of the Soleus muscle. Adding this dynamic aspect requires more balance and the plantar flexion of the ankle increases the workload on the Soleus muscle, helping build strength and endurance.

Training the soleus muscle is a non-negotiable component for any runner or athlete serious about improving their endurance, speed, and performance. But the benefits of a well-rounded soleus-focused training program extend far beyond just running. Whether you're on the track, the field, the court, or engaging in any sport where speed, endurance, and lower leg stability are crucial, incorporating these exercises into your routine can deliver transformative results.

The importance of training the soleus, particularly for endurance and stability, cannot be overstated. A strong soleus plays a key role in improving ankle stability, supporting efficient push-off, and sustaining power during repetitive movements like running or walking. By focusing on exercises that specifically target this often-overlooked muscle, such as seated calf raises, bent-knee variations, and single-leg movements, you're setting yourself up for better endurance and speed across all aspects of your sport.

But this isn't just about enhancing your running capacity; it's about becoming a more complete, well-rounded athlete. A strong soleus will improve your overall movement efficiency, boost lower leg endurance, and contribute to better performance in any activity that demands agility, balance, and sustained effort. Whether you're charging up hills, sprinting the final stretch, or simply striving to improve your daily athletic performance, a well-trained soleus will make you stronger, more resilient, and more efficient.

So, if you're an athlete with aspirations to run longer distances without fatigue, to boost your running speed with better propulsion, or simply to add effective variety to your training routine, the next step is clear. Head over to PeakStrength.app and download Peak Strength, our cutting-edge strength training app designed specifically with athletes like you in mind. The app offers a comprehensive, science-backed approach to training that includes exercises to develop your Soleus, helping you take your endurance and speed to the next level.

Peak Strength is more than just a training tool; it’s your partner in the pursuit of excellence. With personalized workout plans, expert guidance, and the flexibility to train anywhere, anytime, it’s never been easier to achieve your goals. Don’t settle for average when you have the potential to be unstoppable. Take control of your training, focus on the details that others overlook, and unlock your true athletic potential.

Remember, strength and endurance aren’t built overnight—they’re developed through consistent effort, targeted training, and a relentless commitment to improvement. Start your journey today with Peak Strength and see how training the soleus can help you become a faster, more enduring athlete.

Until next time, keep training smart and pushing your limits. Your future self will thank you.

Later.