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Standing calf raises or seated?

BrisVegasGhost

Elite Member
What's you prefered calf exercise?

Since training at home I have only been doing standing calf raises in a power rack.

However I felt like I could really squeeze my calves more on a seated press. Unfortunately I do not have one of these.

Do you train them and if so what is your exercise of choice for them?

Cheers
 
Honestly mate - prob not something to over-think to much - standing or seated - results are going to be pretty much the same.

If you can't "squeeze" as much with standing then maybe lighten the weight slightly and try and stay in that "stretched" position longer...
 
I use this horizontal leg press that doesn't go that heavy. Mainly because I'm trying to avoid spinal loading as much as possible though.
 
As someone who has done both i find i get better results with the seated calf raise, but only just.

I imagine a smith machine would be handy as for it
 
Sit on a bench, chuck a barbell across ya legs/knees. Put couple of plates under the balls of your feet. I think this is a do both type of thing
 
Training at home I'm currently doing standing calf raise with a squat pad on a smith machine while standing on a calf block, and also a calf press on a 45 degree leg press.
I much prefer the standing version.

Seated calf raise works more the soleus I believe.

This is the calf block I use, it gives a really good stretch at the bottom, unlike more traditional square faced blocks - http://www.bodysolid.com/Home/SCB26/Calf_Squat_Block
 
Each exercise work different parts of the calf. Doing both will get the best results.

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What's you prefered calf exercise?

Since training at home I have only been doing standing calf raises in a power rack.

However I felt like I could really squeeze my calves more on a seated press. Unfortunately I do not have one of these.

Do you train them and if so what is your exercise of choice for them?

Cheers

I'm guessing part of the reason you can squeeze your calves more on the seated press is that you can put all your focus on them while your body is fully supported with no risk.
When doing them standing on a block, barbell on your back, in a power rack, your body will be very concerned about balancing itself so you don't fall over, so I assume this would take some of your focus off the specific calf muscles you are targeting.
 
I'm guessing part of the reason you can squeeze your calves more on the seated press is that you can put all your focus on them while your body is fully supported with no risk.
When doing them standing on a block, barbell on your back, in a power rack, your body will be very concerned about balancing itself so you don't fall over, so I assume this would take some of your focus off the specific calf muscles you are targeting.

True true, as I was just going straight up and down and letting the bar slide along the frame of the power rack so some focus was shifted to balance.
 
In my opinion each exersize has a greater emphasis on the different part of the calf.

stand hit the gastroc more, whilst seated hit the souleus more.

Naturally you work both regions regardless of which exersize you do.
 
I usually do 2 calf exercises, one is donkey raises, so using the smith machine with the bar across my kness and the other is on the leg press , find it works different parts of the calf...
 
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