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Seated Calf Raise Machines

You've heard that you need to stay on your toes in sports? Well it's not quite that simple. Your body's kinetic chain needs to be in good shape to give you the stability and balance to perform well and perform safely. A well-functioning kinetic chain often starts with the foot and ankle. The Seated Calf Raise Exercise is an important exercise for developing strength and stability to the foot and ankle and on up the kinetic chain via the legs.

Most sports (football, baseball, tennis) involve a ready stance with the knees bent. There are two main muscles that lift your heel to keep you on your toes in the ready stance: the gastrocnemius and the soleus. But there is a big difference between these two muscles. They both attach at the heel via the achilles tendon, but the gastrocnemius muscle rises up and crosses the back of the knee joint and attaches to the femur or thigh bone. The soleus stops at the tibia -- below the knee joint. The result from this difference is that the gastrocnemius has more slack and can't generate as much force when the knees are bent -- as in the ready stance. The soleus is NOT affected, except that it has to take more load because the gastrocnemius is not taking as much load. The Seated Calf Raise Exercise focuses on developing the soleus muscles because you are training the calf muscle in a bent knee position. The position puts more work on soleus. It is more specific to the type of forces you need in the ready position. This doesn't mean that straight calf raises aren't useful. You need to do both. You want a well-functioning soleus and a well-functioning gastrocnemius.

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*Some products may not be appropriate for certain individuals. Always check with your physician before starting an exercise program. Not all products have been reviewed by the personal training staff at CoolFitnessGifts.com. Products that have proven themselves in the gym or in the field are indicated in the product detail.

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