Seated Single Leg Machine Calf Raise

How to Perform the Seated Single Leg Machine Calf Raise

Sit on the seated calf raise machine and place the ball of one foot on the foot platform with the heel hanging off the edge.
Position the knee pad on the thigh of the working leg and let the non-working leg rest to the side.
Release the safety bar and lower your heel as far as possible to achieve a deep stretch in the calf.
Press through the ball of your foot to raise your heel as high as possible, squeezing the calf at the top.
Hold the peak contraction for 1-2 seconds to maximize muscle activation.
Slowly lower your heel back to the fully stretched position over 2-3 seconds.
Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching to the other leg.

Using too much weight for single leg work

Use approximately half the weight you would use for the bilateral version to maintain proper form and full range of motion.

Bouncing at the bottom without pausing

Pause for a moment at the bottom of each rep to eliminate the stretch reflex and make the calf work harder.

Partial range of motion

Use the full range from a deep stretch at the bottom to a full contraction at the top for maximum benefit.

✓Corrects strength and size imbalances between the left and right calves.
✓Greater focus and intensity on each calf for improved muscle activation.
✓Same soleus-targeting benefits as the bilateral version with added unilateral benefits.

●Train the weaker or smaller calf first to help correct imbalances.
●Higher reps (15-25) tend to work best for calf training due to the high proportion of slow-twitch fibers.
●Vary your toe angle between sets to emphasize different portions of the soleus.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% 1RM

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75% 1RM

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 50-60% 1RM

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