Calf Training: Seated vs Standing

Smokes · 06-11-2007, 01:24 AM

I was wondering if seated or standing calf raises are better, I believe the machines are Hammer Strength ones at my gym. Should I do one or the other or maybe even both? I'm looking to increase size and explosiveness.

3doz · 06-11-2007, 01:34 AM

i do both. they feel different.

Uriel_da_man · 06-11-2007, 01:42 AM

Standing = gastrocnemius
Seated = soleus

Machvayne · 06-11-2007, 01:56 AM

Do them both, they are different.

I remember reading something awhile ago that said to effectively work the gastrocnemius you have to pre-fatigue the soleus first to eliminate it from the movement. Can anyone shed some light on the validity of this statement?

Earthtime · 06-11-2007, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uriel_da_man

Standing = gastrocnemius
Seated = soleus

Standing calf raises: attempt to keep knees straight, no bend.

And it's a good idea to pre-fatigue the soleus.

Smokes · 06-11-2007, 10:49 PM

Mmk, so doing both is a good idea since they work different parts. Thank your much everyone!

NMKeith74 · 06-11-2007, 11:02 PM

Yes I also recommend doing both. It's like working out with any other muscle group. If you want a bigger chest the first that comes to mind is the bench press, but incline flys work just as well. For biceps you think of dumbell curls, mix it up with preacher curls, and barbell curls. This type of training trickes the muscle fibers. Adds quicker strenght and mass IMO

Epilerik · 06-12-2007, 12:24 AM

Everyone forgets the front part. Forget what that's called. Do one-footed standing calf raises, but with heels hanging off instead. Or, simply walk on your heels, looking goofy as sh*t. But if you walk like that awhile, you'll feel it

Heatmiser · 06-12-2007, 01:03 AM

I try to Keep the knees locked (or as straight as possible) to better hit the gastrocs - when the knees are bent the soleus comes into play a bit.

Since the gastrocs attach above the knee they are streched most when the leg is straight. They slacken when the knee is bent and the soleus takes over more because it attaches below the knee and seated raises focus on the soleus.

TangerineRavine · 06-12-2007, 01:06 AM

my gym doesn't have a seated calf raise machine. how much does that suck eh?

QoorbaL · 06-12-2007, 01:32 AM

just do both and any exercises having to do with calves as they are amongst the hardest muscle if not THEE hardest muscle to train for size

superfunk · 06-12-2007, 01:39 AM

TangerineRavine: My last two gyms haven't had seated calf machines, it definitely sucks. I have done seated calf raises in the smith machine with a thick pad, but the amount of weight needed made the exercise take far too long loading and unloading the plates.

OP: If you can, definitely do both. I prefer doing seated first (soleus) then standing (gastroc + soleus).
Obviously if you're only going to do one exercise it should be standing raises.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machvayne

Do them both, they are different.

I remember reading something awhile ago that said to effectively work the gastrocnemius you have to pre-fatigue the soleus first to eliminate it from the movement. Can anyone shed some light on the validity of this statement?

Well my experience is that if i do standing first, i can't lift jack**** afterwards doing seated raises. I don't have the reverse problem, so you could be right.

papi93 · 06-12-2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epilerik

Everyone forgets the front part. Forget what that's called. Do one-footed standing calf raises, but with heels hanging off instead. Or, simply walk on your heels, looking goofy as sh*t. But if you walk like that awhile, you'll feel it

Tibialis anterior.

NitroNeil · 06-12-2007, 12:44 PM

Does anyone here do them on the leg press machine? Ive been doing 3 sets of 10 on every leg day and havnt seen much results, should I go to standing or up the sets? My gym doesnt have a seated calf raise machine either.

3doz · 06-12-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NitroNeil

Does anyone here do them on the leg press machine? Ive been doing 3 sets of 10 on every leg day and havnt seen much results, should I go to standing or up the sets? My gym doesnt have a seated calf raise machine either.

yes, they're okay. i like the standing up one better though. here's mine routine:

standing 3 sets
seating 3 sets
leg press 3 sets

NitroNeil · 06-12-2007, 01:00 PM

I need to get a new block in there, a 2x8 isnt giving me the travel I really want, Im thinking a 4x4 with braces on the ends so it doesnt roll around.

Vartuli · 01-21-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TangerineRavine

my gym doesn't have a seated calf raise machine. how much does that suck eh?

my gym doesnt have seated calf raises also...so i just sit on a bench with a towel over my knees and rest a barbell on my knees, and put a block under my toes.

Not exactly the same as a proper seated calf machine but it can help.

superfunk · 01-21-2009, 11:30 PM

^^^ strong bump

How much weight are you putting on your knees Vartuli? If you're only using a towel for padding i can't imagine the load is very heavy. When i do the same exercise i need more weight than i can deadlift (4 - 5 plates per side), so i do it in a smith machine with the safety catches set + really thick pads.

FWIW regular seated CR machines use leverage to make the weight stack a lot heavier (~3x heavier than the stack indicates).

Vartuli · 01-22-2009, 02:30 PM

Yeh not much weight unfortunately...good idea about the smith machine.

ad$ · 01-22-2009, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uriel_da_man

Standing = gastrocnemius
Seated = soleus

this

edit-just noticed this thread is from 2007 lol

kidkidneys · 01-22-2009, 02:40 PM

I like em both.... except my gym is cheap as hell and has shoddy equipment, and the seated calf raise has a foot platform thats maybe 1.5" wide and its REALLY hard to get my feet placed properly on the thing. so I just do standing, and if nobody is on the leg press I'll do some calf raises on that as well

RealMenDeadLift · 01-22-2009, 02:48 PM

Do both man, calves are extremely resiliant. Don't be afraid to absolutely drill them.

PowerTricks · 01-22-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Epilerik

Everyone forgets the front part. Forget what that's called. Do one-footed standing calf raises, but with heels hanging off instead. Or, simply walk on your heels, looking goofy as sh*t. But if you walk like that awhile, you'll feel it

Toe raises work too and look less goofy haha.

user23960508710788 · 01-22-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NitroNeil

Does anyone here do them on the leg press machine? Ive been doing 3 sets of 10 on every leg day and havnt seen much results, should I go to standing or up the sets? My gym doesnt have a seated calf raise machine either.

I hope that's not all you are doing? Three sets of 10 isn't much, i'm sure you wouldn't do so little for any other body part, so why for calves? Bump it up to 8 sets of 10 and keep the weight increasing as well, then tell me if you don't see results.