Which calf raise exercise best targets each muscle?
Muscle Swelling of the Triceps Surae in Response to Straight-Leg and Bent-Leg Calf Raise Exercises in Young Women
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Bent-leg calf raises actually DECREASED gastrocnemius medial thickness
Most fitness advice suggests bent-leg calf raises work the whole calf - this shows they may actually cause the upper calf to shrink in some conditions
Practical Takeaways
Want bigger gastrocnemius (upper calf)? Do straight-leg calf raises. Want bigger soleus (lower calf)? Do bent-leg calf raises.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Bent-leg calf raises actually DECREASED gastrocnemius medial thickness
Most fitness advice suggests bent-leg calf raises work the whole calf - this shows they may actually cause the upper calf to shrink in some conditions
Practical Takeaways
Want bigger gastrocnemius (upper calf)? Do straight-leg calf raises. Want bigger soleus (lower calf)? Do bent-leg calf raises.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Year
2023
Authors
Witalo Kassiano, Bruna Costa, Gabriel Kunevaliki, Danrlei Soares, Natã Stavinski, Jarlisson Francsuel, Marcelo A. S. Carneiro, Ian Tricoli, J. Nunes, A. Ribeiro, E. Cyrino
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Claims (5)
When young women do calf raises until they can't do any more, doing them with straight legs makes the outer calf muscle grow about twice as much as doing them with bent knees.
When young women do calf raise exercises until they can't do any more, doing them with bent legs makes the calf muscle grow about twice as much as doing them with straight legs.
When young women want to strengthen their soleus muscle (the lower calf muscle), doing calf raises with bent knees works better than doing them with straight legs.
When young women do calf raises until they can't do any more, doing them with straight legs makes the upper calf muscle grow way more than doing them with bent knees (+8.8% vs -0.9%).
For young women who want to work all three muscles in their calf (the two parts of the gastrocnemius and the soleus), doing calf raises with straight legs works better than doing them with bent knees.