Ankle Circles
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the calves.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Ankle Circles
- Use a sturdy object like a squat rack to hold yourself.
- Lift the right leg in the air (just around 2 inches from the floor) and perform a circular motion with the big toe. Pretend that you are drawing a big circle with it. Tip: One circle equals 1 repetition. Breathe normally as you perform the movement.
- When you are done with the right foot, then repeat with the left leg.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Ankle Circles
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Knee Circles
A beginner compound mobility exercise that works the calves, needing no equipment.
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2
Calf Stretch Elbows Against Wall
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the calves.
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3
Calf Stretch Hands Against Wall
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the calves.
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4
Seated Calf Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the calves.
-
5
Standing Gastrocnemius Calf Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the calves.
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6
Standing Soleus And Achilles Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the calves.
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7
Calves-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the calves, using a foam roller.
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8
Peroneals-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the calves, using a foam roller.
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9
Anterior Tibialis-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the calves.
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10
Foot-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the calves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do ankle circles work?
Ankle Circles primarily works the calves.
What equipment do I need for ankle circles?
The source dataset does not record equipment for ankle circles. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Ankle Circles: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Ankle Circles is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of ankle circles?
Knee Circles, Calf Stretch Elbows Against Wall, Calf Stretch Hands Against Wall train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log ankle circles in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the calves on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Ankle Circles with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.