equipment

Machine

sets

3

reps

12-20

rest

45-60 sec

1. Sit in the machine with the pad across your lower thighs.
2. Place the balls of your feet on the platform, heels hanging free.
3. Set the pad snug but not painful.
4. Release the safety catch and take the load.
5. Sit tall with your feet about hip width apart.

1. Let the heels drop below the platform for a full stretch.
2. Press through the balls of the feet to lift the heels as high as possible.
3. Pause briefly at the top with the calves contracted.
4. Lower slowly back into the stretch.
5. Keep the knees pointing straight ahead throughout.

Exhale as you press up, inhale as the heels lower.

• Pause at the bottom as well as the top.
• Push through the big toe rather than rolling to the outside.
• Use a full stretch before every rep.
• Slow the lowering phase down.
• Higher reps suit calves better than heavy singles.

• Bouncing out of the stretch on every rep.
• Cutting the range short at the top.
• Letting the feet roll outwards under load.
• Setting the thigh pad too far up the leg.
• Loading so heavy that the range collapses.

From heels dropped below the platform to a full contraction on the balls of the feet.