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Seated Calf Raise
A bent-knee calf raise, which takes the gastrocnemius out and puts the soleus under direct load. High reps of 15-20 with a full pause at both ends.
- 01Sit with the balls of the feet on the platform and the knees under the pad.
- 02Adjust the pad so the thighs are snug with the knees at ninety degrees.
- 03Release the safety and let the heels drop into a full stretch.
- 04Press up onto the toes as high as the ankle allows.
- 05Pause at the top, then lower slowly back to the full stretch.
- 01All the way down, all the way up.
- 02Pause two seconds at the top.
- 03Do not bounce out of the stretch.
- 01Short quick reps — the soleus responds to time under tension, not to how many partial reps you count.
- 02Bouncing off the achilles at the bottom — the tendon takes the rebound instead of the muscle taking the work.
- 03Pushing the knees down with the hands — the pad does the pressing and the calf is left underloaded.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.