The tibialis raise trains the tibialis anterior — the muscle down the front of your shin, opposite the calf. It's a cornerstone "opposite muscle" movement in the ATG (knees over toes) approach. Here's how to do it with good form, the muscle it works, the mistakes to avoid, and how to program it.
The tibialis raise is an isolation dorsiflexion movement that primarily works the tibialis anterior — the muscle on the front of the shin that lifts the foot — with the ankle stabilizers assisting. You plant your heels out from a wall with your upper back leaned against it (or use a tib bar), pull your toes up toward your shins, pause, then lower under control. It's a simple, low-fatigue way to build the front of the lower leg, a muscle many coaches connect with ankle and knee resilience. It's one of the signature movements in the ATG / knees over toes method popularized by Ben Patrick.
The tibialis raise is an isolation move, so it targets one main muscle. The tibialis anterior does nearly all the work, with small stabilizers around the ankle helping to keep the foot tracking straight.
| Role | Muscles | What they do in the lift |
|---|---|---|
| Primary mover | Tibialis anterior | Pulls the foot up toward the shin (dorsiflexion) |
| Assisting | Extensor digitorum longus | Helps lift the toes and forefoot |
| Stabilizers | Ankle muscles | Keep the foot tracking straight through the range |
Step-by-step form for the wall tibialis raise. A tib bar version follows the same motion with added load.
If you want to train the same pattern with a different setup or load, these are the common swaps:
Pair it with related ATG lower-body work like the backward sled drag and the ATG split squat.
The tibialis raise fits as a warm-up or accessory on almost any leg or full-body day. General starting points:
| Goal | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shin resilience | 2–3 × 15–25 | Higher reps, controlled tempo, stop a rep or two short of a hard cramp |
| Strength (tib bar) | 3 × 8–15 | Add load gradually; keep full range and a top-end pause |
| Frequency | 2–4× / week | It recovers fast, so it can be trained often; progress by adding reps or a little load |
Some lifters chase ATG's own benchmark for the tibialis raise as a coach target — a number of controlled reps to aim toward — but treat it as a goal, not a universal standard. For the bigger picture, read the knees over toes pillar.
Log every set — reps, and load if you're using a tib bar — in LiftHero, and it charts your progressive overload and flags personal records so you can see the front of your shins getting stronger over the weeks. You can add warm-up sets, supersets and rest-timer holds, then drop the tibialis raise into a saved routine so it's ready the next time you train. LiftHero records what you log; it doesn't diagnose your form.
It primarily works the tibialis anterior — the muscle running down the front of the shin that lifts the foot (dorsiflexion). It sits opposite the calf, and the surrounding ankle stabilizers assist.
It builds the often-neglected front-of-shin muscle, which many coaches connect with ankle and knee resilience and shin health. It's a cornerstone "opposite muscle" movement in the ATG (knees over toes) approach popularized by Ben Patrick.
No. The wall version — heels out from a wall, back leaned against it, lifting the toes — needs no equipment. A tib bar simply lets you add load over time as you get stronger.
Because it's a small muscle that responds well to higher reps, many people train it for moderate-to-high reps across a few sets. Progress by adding reps or, with a tib bar, a little load over time.
A working burn in the front of the shin is normal, especially when the muscle is untrained. Start with easier ranges and lower volume and build gradually. Sharp or lasting pain is a reason to stop and consult a professional.
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This guide is educational and not medical advice. Consult a qualified coach or medical professional before starting or changing a training program, especially if you're new to lifting or returning from injury. LiftHero is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Ben Patrick, ATG, or Athletic Truth Group; names are used descriptively for identification only.
By Meitar Lazimi, founder of LiftHero · Last updated July 9, 2026.