Seated Calf Raise

Setup

1. 01Sit in the machine and place the balls of both feet on the foot platform.
2. 02Position the knee pad snugly on the lower thighs just above the knees.
3. 03Set knees at roughly 90 degrees with heels free to travel below the platform.
4. 04Release the safety catch while holding the load with the calves.

Execution

1. 01Lower the heels slowly until you feel a deep stretch in the calves.
2. 02Pause briefly in the stretched position without relaxing.
3. 03Drive up through the balls of the feet as high as possible.
4. 04Squeeze at the top for a full second before the next rep.

Checkpoints

• -Full range every rep: deep heel drop to a tall top position.
• -Movement comes only from the ankles; hips stay planted on the seat.
• -Tempo stays controlled, around 2 to 3 seconds down.
• -Pressure stays through the balls of the feet, not the toes curling.

Common mistakes

• -Bouncing out of the bottom stretch.
• -Using tiny partial reps at the top of the range.
• -Rocking the torso or tugging the pad up with the hips.
• -Loading so heavy the pause at the top disappears.