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Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Calves

Leg Press Calf Raise

MachineIsolationEasy to learn
Front
Back
Primary

Works

Calves

You need

Leg press

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
Platform
1Stretch
Platform
2Top
Main muscles
  1. 1Balls of the feet at the bottom edge
  2. 2Knees straight but not locked
  3. 3Let the platform push your toes back to a stretch

Most common mistake

Releasing the safety handles. Keep them locked.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Ranked #1 for calves
  • Keeps the work on the target muscle
  • Loads the muscle while it’s stretched
  • Easy to keep adding weight

Compare with

vs Standing Calf Raisevs Smith Machine Calf Raisevs Donkey Calf Raise
S
For calves
#1 of 9
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Research
95
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 951 study
Target tensionExcellent
Loaded stretchExcellent
ProgressionExcellent
Low costStrong

Same stretch advantage, and the setup used in that study.

  • Kassiano et al., 2023 · Trial: Calf raises in the stretched (bottom) range grew the medial gastrocnemius more than full or top-range reps (+15.2% vs +6.7% and +3.4%). (42 young women; 8 weeks.)

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SSingle-Leg Calf RaiseDumbbell
  • ADumbbell Calf RaiseDumbbell
  • BTibialis RaiseBodyweight
  • SStanding Calf RaiseMachine

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