Standing Calf Raises

Works: Calves

How to do it: Face the machine. Position your feet on the platform with the heels hanging. Stick your shoulders under the shoulder pads. Lift the weights. Stay straight with your calves completely stretched and your knees just slightly bent. Contract the calves as you raise your body up as high as you can. Flex there for a peak contraction and slowly return back to starting position. Keep the slight angle in your knees throughout the range of motion. Don’t use momentum!

Seated Calf Raises

Works: Calves

How to do it: Sit at the seated calf machine and place your feet on the foot pads with your heels hanging. Stick your thighs under the thigh pads. The thigh pads should be close to your knees. Release the weights and start lifting. Stop in the upper position for a peak contraction. Return back to full extension. Make sure you don’t use momentum. Use only calves to lift the weights.

Donkey Calf Raises

Works: Calves

How to do it: Put your toes on the feet pad and your forearms on the forearm rest pad. Position the weights pad on your lower back as close to the gluts as possible. Your knees slightly bent. Begin by lowering your heels as much as you can. Once in a stretched position start going up by contracting the calves. Squeeze for a moment at the end and carefully return back to completely stretched position.

If you don’t have a Donkey Machine in your local gym you can do this exercise with a partner. Have him sit on your lower back close to your gluts. Use a wooden block or a few plates for a footpad.

One Led Dumbbell Calf Raises

Works: Calves

How to do it: Step with one of your feet on a wooden block, several plates or on a stair. Your heel is in the air. The knee is slightly bent. The other foot is resting behind the calf of the trained leg. Hold a dumbbell in one of your arms. With the other one hold a nearby machine or a rail for support. Lower your heel to a stretched position and start going up. Flex the calf in upper position for a peak contraction. Slowly return back. Finish the set and switch legs.

Leg Press Calf Raises

Works: Calves

How to do it: Sit in the Leg Press machine the way you do if you were going to train the quads. Place your toes on the lower edge of the footpad. Release the weights. Stretch completely. Start contracting from there. Once in an upper position squeeze the calves for a moment. Make sure your knees are slightly bent throughout the range of motion.