Seated calf raises
LegsMachineBeginner
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About
Seated calf raises are performed with the knees bent, typically with a machine’s pad resting on the lower thighs and the balls of the feet placed on a platform. This exercise targets the soleus muscle, which lies beneath the visible bulge of the calf. Bending the knee shortens the gastrocnemius muscle—which spans both the knee and ankle joints—though it does not completely disengage it. Seated calf raises can help increase the size of the soleus, whereas there is stronger evidence supporting the use of exercises with straight knees for the growth of the gastrocnemius.
How to do it
- 1Keeping your knees stationary beneath the pad, lower your heels below the platform until you feel a stretch in your calves.
- 2Pause briefly—without bouncing—then press through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible.
- 3Hold at the top, then slowly lower your heels through the full range of motion.
- 4After your final repetition, lift the pad, return the safety lever to its position, and ensure it is securely locked before stepping away.
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner