Lower legs
Seated Calf Raise
Rising onto your toes while seated with bent knees: it trains the soleus, the deep calf muscle.
Also known as: seated calf machine
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Seated Calf Raise Machine
- Type
- Isolation
Muscles worked
How to do it
- Sit with the pad over your thighs near your knees and the balls of your feet on the step.
- Release the safety and lower your heels as far as you can.
- Rise onto your toes as high as you can.
- Hold for a second and lower slowly.
Form cues
- Full range: heels all the way down, all the way up on your toes.
- Pause 1-2 seconds at the bottom to remove the bounce.
- Push through the ball of your big toe.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing at the bottom: pause every rep.
- Pushing on the pad with your hands: let your legs do the work.
- Partial reps: go all the way up and down.
Sets and reps
3-4 sets of 10-20 reps with 60 seconds of rest.
FAQ
What's the difference between gastrocnemius and soleus?
The gastrocnemius crosses the knee and works more with a straight leg; the soleus works more with a bent knee, as here.
Do I need both?
For complete calves, yes: combine standing and seated.
Can I do it without a machine?
Yes, seated on a bench with dumbbells on your knees.
What muscles do seated calf raises work?
They mainly work the soleus, with help from the calves.
Train with Nuvana
Add seated calf raises to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
