How to perform seated calf raises using a machine with an animated image showing the move. Click on the picture to see the full sized animation.
- Sit on the calf raise machine and adjust the pads so that you can fit your legs beneath them with your feet on the ledge. The pads should touch your legs; it is okay if it is a tight fit.
- The balls of your feet should be on the edge of the ledge. The pads should be on your thighs just above your knees.
- Press up from the balls of your feet onto your toes to lift the weight stack. Disengage the weight lock.
- Lower your heels as much as you can and pause at the bottom.
- Press up from the balls of your feet onto your toes as high as you can. You should feel a good stretch in your calf.
When doing a seated calf raise, be sure that you do not use momentum to swing the weight stack up or down. You should pause at the top and bottom for a moment before continuing.
There are other ways to do calf raises which will be illustrated at a future date.
Very nice. How are you doing the gif animation?
nice description and animation.
(doing them barefoot can sometimes help get a better peak contraction as many trainer shoes interfere with plantar flexion).
Thanks. The plan is to have a new one coming out each Tuesday morning. I’ve never done any lifting without my shoes on; maybe I will try that tomorrow morning.
For the animations, I edit the original jpegs down to the size I want, add in the text and convert it to a gif file. Then I use UnFREEz 2.1 to create the animated file. It’s a tiny freeware application that works very well.