When it comes to calf training, many people wonder whether standing calf raises or seated calf raises are more effective. While both exercises target the calf muscles, the standing calf raise offers a unique advantage in stimulating the gastrocnemius muscle, which gives your calves their characteristic shape. In this article, we’ll explore the differences between the standing and seated calf raise, the anatomy involved, and why the standing calf raise is superior for most lifters.

The Two Main Muscles in Your Calves

The calf muscles are made up of two primary muscles: the gastrocnemius and the soleus.

• Gastrocnemius: This muscle sits on top of the soleus and is responsible for the classic, visible calf shape. It’s a powerful, fast-twitch muscle that is heavily involved in explosive movements like jumping or sprinting. Importantly, the gastrocnemius also crosses the knee joint, which makes it active when the leg is straight.
• Soleus: Located beneath the gastrocnemius, the soleus is a larger, slower-twitch muscle responsible for endurance activities such as standing and walking. It primarily activates when the knee is bent.

Both of these muscles contribute to plantarflexion (the movement that allows you to push off the ground), but the engagement of each depends on the position of your knee. This distinction is crucial when comparing the standing and seated calf raise.

Standing Calf Raise: Superior for the Gastrocnemius

The standing calf raise is an exercise where the knees are fully extended. This position emphasizes the gastrocnemius because the muscle is both stretched and contracted during the movement. Since the gastrocnemius crosses both the knee and ankle joints, it is more engaged when the knees are straight, which is why standing calf raises target it more effectively.

Moreover, because the gastrocnemius is a knee flexor, it gets fully stretched when your knees are extended in a standing position. This stretch is important because, as research shows, training muscles in their lengthened position results in better muscle activation and growth potential. According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, muscles experience greater hypertrophic adaptations when exercised in a stretched position compared to a shortened one. This supports the idea that exercises like the standing calf raise, which put the gastrocnemius in a lengthened position, provide a better stimulus-to-fatigue ratio and therefore lead to greater muscle growth (Maarten et al., 2021).

Seated Calf Raise: Focus on the Soleus

In contrast, the seated calf raise is performed with the knees bent, which largely removes the gastrocnemius from the movement. When the knees are flexed, the soleus takes over as the primary muscle worked, because it doesn’t cross the knee joint. The soleus is an endurance muscle with more slow-twitch fibers, and while it’s important for overall calf strength and stability, it doesn’t contribute as much to the visible shape and size of your calves as the gastrocnemius does.

While the seated calf raise can certainly help with calf strength and endurance, it is not the best exercise if your primary goal is to build bigger, more defined calves. Since the gastrocnemius is less engaged in seated calf raises, you miss out on the hypertrophy benefits that come from working the muscle in a stretched position.

The Science of Stretch and Muscle Growth

As mentioned earlier, muscles grow better when trained in their stretched position. This concept, known as stretch-mediated hypertrophy, has been supported by various studies, including one that found that training muscles in a lengthened position resulted in greater muscle growth compared to training in a shortened position. In exercises like the standing calf raise, where the gastrocnemius is fully stretched and loaded, the muscle experiences a more potent stimulus for growth. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37015016/)

Stimulus-to-Fatigue Ratio: Standing vs. Seated Calf Raises

The stimulus-to-fatigue ratio refers to how much muscle activation you get relative to the amount of fatigue an exercise induces. Exercises with a higher stimulus-to-fatigue ratio are generally more efficient for building muscle. Since the gastrocnemius is both stretched and fully activated during standing calf raises, the muscle gets more stimulus with less overall fatigue compared to the soleus-focused seated calf raise. In seated calf raises, you’re primarily working the soleus in a shortened position, which doesn’t offer the same hypertrophic potential.

While both exercises have their place in a well-rounded program, the standing calf raise clearly offers a better stimulus-to-fatigue ratio for developing the gastrocnemius, making it the more efficient choice if your goal is to build bigger, stronger calves.

Why Standing Calf Raises Are Superior

To recap, the standing calf raise is superior to the seated calf raise for several reasons:

1. Emphasis on the Gastrocnemius: The standing calf raise engages the gastrocnemius more effectively because the muscle is in a stretched position when the knee is extended.
2. Stretch-Mediated Hypertrophy: Studies show that muscles grow better when trained in their stretched position. The standing calf raise places the gastrocnemius in this advantageous position, while the seated calf raise does not.
3. Better Stimulus-to-Fatigue Ratio: The standing calf raise provides more muscle activation with less fatigue, making it a more efficient exercise for hypertrophy.

Conclusion: Prioritize Standing Calf Raises for Superior Results

While both standing and seated calf raises have their benefits, if your goal is to develop bigger, stronger, and more defined calves, the standing calf raise is the superior option. By engaging the gastrocnemius in a stretched position, you can take advantage of the muscle’s full potential for growth. Seated calf raises, while useful for targeting the soleus, don’t offer the same hypertrophic benefits. If you’re serious about calf development, standing calf raises should be a staple in your routine.