Calf-Raise Knee & Technique Cautions

Calf-training technique cautions:

• Standing calf: (a) Don't bend the knees to help with the movement; (b) Don't lock out the knees.
• Donkey calf: (a) Ensure the user moves in a vertical motion and does not pivot around the axis; (b) The balls of the feet must be on the foot plate.

The gastrocnemius crosses both the knee and ankle joints, while the soleus crosses only the ankle. The gastrocnemius becomes ineffective when the knee is flexed (check its origin), so for standing calf raises the knees must be straight or nearly so.

• Standing calf: don't bend the knees to assist; don't lock out the knees; keep knees straight or nearly so.
• Donkey calf: move vertically (don't pivot around the axis); balls of the feet on the plate.
• Gastrocnemius is ineffective with the knee flexed (crosses both knee and ankle).

• gastrocnemius / soleus — the calf muscles trained.
• locking-out — don't lock out the knees on the standing calf.
• calves-overview — calf training overview.