Seated Barbell Calf Raise

Seated with the bar over your knees: the bent knee emphasises the soleus (slow-twitch fibres).

• Isolation
• Barbell
• Beginner

How to do it

• Bar over your knees, forefoot elevated
• Rise onto your toes and squeeze
• Lower slowly chasing the stretch

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 10–15 reps with a pause at the top and a stretch at the bottom · 0–2 RIR

Tempo: Lift and squeeze 1 s at the top, lower for 2–3 s chasing a maximal stretch

Common mistakes

• A partial range
• Bouncing without a pause

Muscles worked

Primary

• Calves

Alternatives

• Seated Calf Raise
• Calf Press on Leg Press