Exercise library
Seated Calf Raise
The seated calf raise targets the calves from a bent-knee position, placing extra emphasis on the soleus for fuller lower legs.
MachineCalvesBeginner
- Equipment
- Machine
- Focus
- Calves
- Level
- Beginner
- Suggested sets
- 3–5 sets of 12–20 reps.
- Muscles worked
- Calves
How to do it
- 1Sit on the machine with the balls of your feet on the platform and your knees under the pad.
- 2Lift the weight slightly to release the safety if your machine has one.
- 3Lower your heels under control to feel a stretch through the calves.
- 4Drive through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible.
- 5Pause at the top, then lower back down and repeat.
Tips & tricks
- Use a full stretch at the bottom and a real pause at the top.
- Keep the movement smooth instead of bouncing out of the bottom.
- Train calves with higher reps if you struggle to feel them working.
Common mistakes
- Only moving through a tiny range of motion.
- Dropping the heels too quickly and losing tension.
- Using body momentum instead of letting the calves do the work.
