Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose donkey calf raise

You want more load on the calves while they’re stretched
You want the calves to do the work, not other muscles
You want to keep adding weight in small steps

Good reasons to choose pogo hops

You have no equipment

Donkey Calf Raise

Pogo Hops

You need

Machine

Nothing but the floor

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Why they rank where they do

Donkey Calf Raise. Straight knees and a deep bottom position stretch the gastrocnemius well. Loading it needs a machine or a partner.

Questions

Which is better for calf growth, donkey calf raise or pogo hops?

For calf growth, donkey calf raise rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, more of the work on the calves.

Is donkey calf raise or pogo hops easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do donkey calf raise or pogo hops at home?

Donkey calf raise needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Pogo hops need no equipment, so you can do them anywhere.

Which is easier on the joints, donkey calf raise or pogo hops?

About the same: both rate Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

Donkey Calf Raise Pogo Hops All calves exercises

Donkey Calf Raise vs Pogo Hops

For calf growth, donkey calf raise rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, more of the work on the calves.

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose donkey calf raise

You want more load on the calves while they’re stretched
You want the calves to do the work, not other muscles
You want to keep adding weight in small steps

Good reasons to choose pogo hops

You have no equipment

Donkey Calf Raise

Pogo Hops

You need

Machine

Nothing but the floor

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Why they rank where they do

Donkey Calf Raise. Straight knees and a deep bottom position stretch the gastrocnemius well. Loading it needs a machine or a partner.

Questions

Which is better for calf growth, donkey calf raise or pogo hops?

For calf growth, donkey calf raise rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, more of the work on the calves.

Is donkey calf raise or pogo hops easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do donkey calf raise or pogo hops at home?

Donkey calf raise needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Pogo hops need no equipment, so you can do them anywhere.

Which is easier on the joints, donkey calf raise or pogo hops?

About the same: both rate Strong for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.