# Seated vs. Standing Calf Raises



## Phred (Aug 10, 2004)

Are there any advantages to the seated calf raise to the standing calf raise? Or the other way around?  I am guessing the seated calf raise isolates better.  However, it seems easier to position our feet on a standing calf raise (toes in or toes out).


Should these exercises be done in the same workout? or are they to similar to see any benefit?  If I do 3 sets of each, is that essentially the same as 6 sets of either one?


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## goal_500_bench (Aug 10, 2004)

When I was doing a vertical leap program it had me doing calf raises on one leg *standing up, *so I suppose standing is better because you are supporting your body.


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## Riverdragon (Aug 10, 2004)

The only reason I don't do standing calf raises is because I get those damn red marks on my shoulders. So I do seated ones and I do calves on the leg press machine as well.


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## Big Smoothy (Aug 10, 2004)

^ P-funk, da mods, and others with more experience can expand more on this but P-funk posted in the past, that doing the standing calf exercises hits the Gastro more and that the seated calf raises focus more on the Soleus.   Both are important to developing the calves.  I do both standing and seated on the same day.  I do them about 5 days apart.  I recently overtrained them.


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## P-funk (Aug 10, 2004)

big difference between seated and standing calf raises:

The two parts you are working when doing calf raises are the gastrocnemius and the soleus.  The gastrocnemius crosses two joints, the knee and the ankle.  The Soleus crosses one, the ankle.  The gastroc helps assist the soleus in plantar flexion of the foot and aids the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimebrinosis and semitendinosis) flex the knee.  That is one reason that you feel your calves burn so much when doing leg curls (more on that later).  Now, when you are standing up your gastroc is pulled tight and completely stretched becasue you knee is fully extended so when you perform the eccentric portion of the standing calf raises (lowering yourself down...aka dorsiflexion) your gastroc slacks and then contracts fully to plantar flex (aka raise up on your toes).  If you do your calf raises seated then your knees are bent, causing your gastroc to slack copmpletely.  When it is slacking like this it is unable to apply force so your soleus carries the burden of the calf raises in this position.  Both are needed to fully strengthen and develop your calves.  Now, if you want to get rid of the burning in your calves when you are doing leg curls, simple, just make your gastroc slack.  How?  Point your toes.  Now, it will be slacking enough and you can concentrate on making your hammies work to their fullest potential.


see, I am not a jack ass all the time  

patrick


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## Phred (Aug 10, 2004)

Thanks for the input.  I will incorporate seated calf raises in my routine along with my standing calf raises.


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## MaxMirkin (Aug 10, 2004)

P-funk said:
			
		

> big difference between seated and standing calf raises:
> 
> The two parts you are working when doing calf raises are the gastrocnemius and the soleus.  The gastrocnemius crosses two joints, the knee and the ankle.  The Soleus crosses one, the ankle.  The gastroc helps assist the soleus in plantar flexion of the foot and aids the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimebrinosis and semitendinosis) flex the knee.  That is one reason that you feel your calves burn so much when doing leg curls (more on that later).  Now, when you are standing up your gastroc is pulled tight and completely stretched becasue you knee is fully extended so when you perform the eccentric portion of the standing calf raises (lowering yourself down...aka dorsiflexion) your gastroc slacks and then contracts fully to plantar flex (aka raise up on your toes).  If you do your calf raises seated then your knees are bent, causing your gastroc to slack copmpletely.  When it is slacking like this it is unable to apply force so your soleus carries the burden of the calf raises in this position.  Both are needed to fully strengthen and develop your calves.  Now, if you want to get rid of the burning in your calves when you are doing leg curls, simple, just make your gastroc slack.  How?  Point your toes.  Now, it will be slacking enough and you can concentrate on making your hammies work to their fullest potential.
> 
> ...


That's some good info!  I've only recently started doing both, every time I work calves.


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## Var (Aug 10, 2004)

P-funk said:
			
		

> big difference between seated and standing calf raises:
> 
> The two parts you are working when doing calf raises are the gastrocnemius and the soleus.  The gastrocnemius crosses two joints, the knee and the ankle.  The Soleus crosses one, the ankle.  The gastroc helps assist the soleus in plantar flexion of the foot and aids the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semimebrinosis and semitendinosis) flex the knee.  That is one reason that you feel your calves burn so much when doing leg curls (more on that later).  Now, when you are standing up your gastroc is pulled tight and completely stretched becasue you knee is fully extended so when you perform the eccentric portion of the standing calf raises (lowering yourself down...aka dorsiflexion) your gastroc slacks and then contracts fully to plantar flex (aka raise up on your toes).  If you do your calf raises seated then your knees are bent, causing your gastroc to slack copmpletely.  When it is slacking like this it is unable to apply force so your soleus carries the burden of the calf raises in this position.  Both are needed to fully strengthen and develop your calves.  Now, if you want to get rid of the burning in your calves when you are doing leg curls, simple, just make your gastroc slack.  How?  Point your toes.  Now, it will be slacking enough and you can concentrate on making your hammies work to their fullest potential.
> 
> ...



Doesnt get any better than that!


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## Johnnny (Aug 11, 2004)

Seated calf raises I've found mostly work the outside of your calves & create that long line down the outside of your calves that show the definition.
But they do work some part of the main calf muscle.

For me personally I love toe presses either on the leg press machine or the hack squat machine. These work the over all calves.

I see ppl in my gym loading the seated calf machine with 5, 6, & even 7 45lb weights on it & they have sh!t calves.

Some of the big bodybuilders with excellent calves don't do more than 3 45lb weights on the seated calf machine & they have big, lean calves while the guys who put 7 45lb weights on the seated calf machine have virtually no calves at all.

Doesn't make sense to me.


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## P-funk (Aug 11, 2004)

Johnnny said:
			
		

> Seated calf raises I've found mostly work the outside of your calves & create that long line down the outside of your calves that show the definition.
> But they do work some part of the main calf muscle.
> 
> For me personally I love toe presses either on the leg press machine or the hack squat machine. These work the over all calves.
> ...



calves, the muscle attachment, for the most part are genetic.


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## Johnnny (Aug 11, 2004)

P-Funk



> calves, the muscle attachment, for the most part are genetic.



You missed my point though.

I've seen guys with really small crappy calves putting on 7 45lb weights on the seated calf raise machine & not even doing the exercise properly or going all the way down & going all the way up holding it for a full contraction.

There's no point to doing seated calf raises in such a manner.

As for calf genetics, I've been able to build not a bad set of  calves through hard work & eating as I had no calves when I 1st started training.

Then again I have a football buddy with huge, lean calves & all he does is plyometrics & once in awhile some toe presses.


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