How to Do Calf Raises on Leg Press Machines

Many of us wish that our calves had a little less flab and a little more fab. You can get fab legs by doing calf raises with a cool machine known as a leg press.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Leg press machine

1. Find gym leg press machines to use for your exercise routine. You can find a local fitness club or gym by visiting GymTicket.com. You can find your local YMCA by visiting their website and typing in your zip code (see Resources below). Call the phone number provided and ask whether their gym features leg press machines. Also ask about membership options and fees.
2. Purchase a leg press machine so you can exercise in your home. Visit BigFitness.com or RockSolidFitness.com, which offer a variety of leg press machines (see Resources below). Read the descriptions and reviews and have your choice shipped to your home. You can choose from either a vertical or seated leg press machine. For the best support of your neck, pick a machine that features a head cradle.
3. Sit down on a seated leg press machine with correct posture. Press your back against the backrest with your shoulders relaxed and spine straight and keep it in this position through the exercise. On a vertical leg press machine, lie down on the backrest, with your head comfortably positioned in the head cradle.
4. Place the balls of your feet on the bottom edge of the footrest about shoulder width apart and grasp the handles on each side of the seat. Keep your knees either stiff (but not locked) or bend them only slightly. Keep your abdominal muscles tight and your hips down.
5. Press forward or up on the foot platform with the balls of your feet. Extend your feet while at the same time contracting and pushing with your calf muscles to do the calf raises.
6. Hold the footrest in the extended position for as long as you can hold it, and then slowly release the weight and lower your legs to their original position.
7. Do 15 more reps or lift until your calf muscles can no longer budge the footrest. If you are using weights that are correct for your strength and fitness level, you should be able to do 13 to 15 calf raises. Weights should be either added or removed according to this model.

Tips & Warnings

• If you really want to trim down your legs, alternate time in the gym with other great leg toning activities such as walking, cycling and swimming.
• Combine a healthy diet with daily exercise to really blast away that problematic flab on your legs.
• While using the leg press machines to do calf raises, make sure you are lifting with your calf muscles instead of your neck, to avoid potential injury.
• Start using the leg press machine with the lowest weights available and add more gradually. Using weights that are too heavy for you can cause muscle strain or serious injury.