Lever Seated Calf Raise
A seated machine calf exercise where you raise and lower your heels to train the soleus through ankle plantarflexion.
Secondary muscles
How to do it
- Adjust the seat so the thigh pad rests securely on your thighs with your knees bent about 90 degrees.
- Place the balls of your feet on the footplate with your heels hanging off the edge.
- Grip the handles or seat and lift your heels to take the weight onto your calves.
- Press through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as you can.
- Pause briefly at the top while keeping your toes planted.
- Lower your heels slowly until you feel a stretch in your calves, then repeat.
Form cues
- Drive through big toe
- Lift heels straight up
- Control the lowering
- Keep knees still
Common mistakes
- Bouncing out of the bottom instead of lowering under control.
- Letting the knees shift up and down during the rep.
- Rolling the feet outward or inward on the platform.
- Using only a short top-half range of motion.
Breathing
Inhale as you lower your heels, and exhale as you press up onto the balls of your feet.
