After doing slow calf exercises for six weeks, six young people got better at generating quick, powerful movements—like jumping or sprinting—because their muscles and nerves started working together faster at the very beginning of the movement.

We analyzed one assertion on slow-speed calf training and explosive force in young adults, and it supports the idea that this type of training may help improve quick, powerful movements like jumping or sprinting. The evidence shows that after six weeks of slow calf exercises, six young individuals showed faster muscle and nerve coordination at the start of explosive actions [1]. This single observation suggests that training calves slowly might train the body to activate muscles more quickly when power is needed, even though the movements themselves were done at a slow pace. The improvement appears to come from better communication between nerves and muscles right when the movement begins, not from increased muscle size or strength alone. However, this finding comes from a very small group—only six people—and there is no additional data from other studies to confirm or expand on this result. We have no information about how long the effects lasted, whether they applied to women or older adults, or if similar results occur with different training volumes or intensities. What we’ve found so far leans toward the possibility that slow-speed calf training could enhance explosive force production in young adults, but the evidence is extremely limited. Without more studies, we cannot say how reliable or generalizable this effect might be. If you’re a young adult looking to jump higher or sprint faster, trying slow calf raises as part of your routine may be worth exploring—but don’t expect dramatic results without more evidence to back it up.