Gastrocnemius & Soleus
Your calf muscle consists of two main muscles — the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Because these two muscles come together above your heel and attach to the Achilles tendon.
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Calf Raise
Dumbbell / Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 8 kg
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Novice - 20 kg
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Intermediate - 40 kg
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Advanced - 66 kg
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Elite - 97 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Position your toes and balls of your feet on a step or weight plates. The arches and heels of your feet should be extended off the step.
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If you are using a barbell, position the bar across your shoulders, on your trap muscles.
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Engage your core and keep your back flat while you raise your heels as high as you can.
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Pause at the top of the contraction for a count before slowly lowering yourself down. Your heels should drop below parallel but not touch the ground.
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Repeat
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Make sure you pause at the bottom and top ensuring your on your tiptoes and are stretching when at the bottom of the exercise.
Seated Calf Raise
Machine
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 24 kg
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Novice - 55 kg
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Intermediate - 102 kg
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Advanced - 164 kg
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Elite - 237 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Take a seat on the machine and place the balls of your feet on the platform with your toes pointed forward - your heels will naturally hang off. Position the base of quads under the knee pad and allow your hands to rest on top.
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Extend your ankles and release the safety bar.
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Lower the heels by dorsiflexing the ankles until the calves are fully stretched.
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Extend the ankles and exhale as you flex the calves.
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Repeat for the assigned number of repetitions.
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Keep the repetitions slow and controlled. Limit momentum and pause at the top to emphasize the contraction.
Standing Calf Raise
Smith Machine
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 31 kg
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Novice - 72 kg
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Intermediate - 132 kg
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Advanced - 210 kg
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Elite - 302 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Set the bar on the smith machine to around shoulder height and rack up the weight you want to use.
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Grab a step, calf block, or weight plate and put it below the bar.
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Step up on the block and position the balls of your feet on the edge.
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Grasp the smith bar with a wide grip and position it across the top of your back muscles (not across the back of your neck).
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Push up to take the weight off the rack and slowly let your heels drop down as far as possible. This is the starting position.
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Slowly raise your heels as far as you can off the floor.
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Squeeze the calf muscles, and then slowly lower your heels back to the starting position.
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Repeat
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Keep the repetitions slow and controlled. Limit momentum and pause at the top to emphasize the contraction.
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Standing on some weight plates can give you a slightly better stretch and make the exercise more difficult.
