Standing Raises

How to Do Standing Calf Raises

According to the University of South Carolina, your calf muscles include the gastrocnemius and the soleus. Your calf muscles enable you to press off the ground and bend your knees while walking, running or jumping. Strengthening your calves enable...

Alternatives to Standing Calf Raises

The standing calf raise strengthens and tones the muscles in the back of your calf called the gastrocnemius and soleus. Other calf exercises also target and tone these muscles so you can easily replace the standing calf raise in your workout....

How to Do Leg Standing Heel Raises

Movements such as running or walking in sports are usually sufficient to build strong calf muscles. If you wish to develop your calves further, some method of a heel raise is usually the way to go. Though you could do heel raises while lying,...

Alternative Exercises to Standing Calf Raises

The standing calf raise exercise primarily targets the gastrocnemius muscle. The gastrocnemius muscle is the diamond-shaped muscle on the back of the lower leg and consists of two muscles heads: medial head and lateral head. This muscle becomes...

Standing & Seated Calf Raises

The calf muscles are located on the back part of the lower legs below the knees. They are involved with a motion known as plantar flexion. You will know you are plantar flexing your foot when you stand on your tiptoes to reach into the back of a...

Standing Calf Raise Machines

You have two major calf muscles, the soleus and gastrocnemius, which both attach to your Achilles tendon. Calf raise machines allow you to work these muscles against resistance, through a set range of motion. The guided range of motion makes using...

How to Do Standing Machine Calf Raises

Standing machine calf raises work both the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in your calf. Any motion that gets you up on your toes will make use of these muscles; whether you are dancing, playing football or standing on your tiptoes to reach a...

The Dos & Don'ts of Standing Dumbbell Front Raises

Standing dumbbell front raises work your deltoid, or shoulder, muscles. If you do this basic, single-joint exercise with improper form, you increase your risk of shoulder impingement, which is a painful condition of the shoulder joint. Follow the...

How to Do Rear Lateral Raises When Standing Bent Over

The rear lateral raise, or bent-over back fly, involves moving your arms away from the center of your body to your sides while your arms are slightly bent and you are holding a dumbbell in each hand. It works primarily your shoulders, rhomboids,...

The Standing Lateral Raise Works With Which Muscle Group?

The standing lateral raise is an isolation exercise that gives your shoulders a round, wider appearance. This is beneficial if you are trying to make your waist appear smaller. The standing lateral raise can be performed using dumbbells,...

Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise

The calves, located on the back of your lower leg, are an oft-neglected muscle group that is overshadowed by the larger thigh muscles. However, your calves are integral in many activities and sports movements, including walking, running and...

Exercises for a Flat Stomach

Working the abdominals will build muscle and firm the core for that sexy flat stomach. A good abdominal program for a flat stomach includes exercises to work all the abdominal muscles. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends...

Isometric Calf Exercises

Isometric exercises, also known as static exercises, are performed without continuous joint movements. Muscle contractions are held for several seconds to several minutes then released. This is beneficial for people who have joint problems, but it...

Calf Exercise

The calves are the muscles in the backs of your lower legs. Working your calf muscles involves movement at the ankle joint, lifting up onto your toes. Doing the calf raise exercise in a standing versus seated position targets different muscles....

Calf Exercises at the Gym

Gyms offer more training variety than you can get at home. With the large selection of machines and free weights, most gyms have a variety of exercise options for working your calf muscles. Although not all gyms have the same equipment, most offer...

Calf Raises and Leg Exercises

Calf raises work the muscles of your calf, the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, as well as the Achilles tendon. They can be part of a comprehensive set of leg exercises, and some varieties work the entire leg. Weight training, including basic...

Exercises That Reduce Ankle Swelling

Swollen ankles are caused by fluid building up around the foot and ankle. Common causes of ankle swelling include injury, age, pregnancy, extended standing and long drives or flights. Exercising the swollen ankles can help pump the excess fluid...

How to Do Calf Raises With Resistance Bands

Your calf muscles don’t contribute much to exercises like pullups, leg presses or chest presses. However, your calf muscles are an integral part of every step you take. The larger of the two major calf muscles, the gastrocnemius, also helps...

Exercises to Strengthen Calf Muscles

When looking for exercises that will target the calf muscles, first determine what type of equipment you plan on using. You can use your body weight, free weights or exercise machines. Each method has appropriate exercises available and each can...

Aggressive Exercises for Scoliosis

Scoliosis refers to the abnormal lateral curving of the spinal column. According to iScoliosis.com, scoliosis affects 2 percent of women and 0.5 percent of men in the general population The goal of a spinal exercise program is to add strength and...

Calf Workouts for Standing Calf Mass

There are a range of calf exercises, but not all of them target the area you need for massive calves when standing up. The gastrocnemius is the large muscle on the rear of the lower leg. This is the muscle that gives the calves their shape. There...

Ways to Build Calf Muscles

When looking to build calf muscles, first determine what type of equipment you're going to use. Free weights, body weight and exercise machines can all provide appropriate exercises to sufficiently train calf muscles.

Exercises to Tone Calf Muscles

Your calf muscle consists of the gastrocnemius, a large muscle that makes up the bulk of your calf, and the soleus, a smaller muscle located underneath the gastrocnemius. Both muscles function to raise your heel during leg movement, explains the...

Squat & Calf Machines

Bone-loading exercises and a proper diet are essential components of a prevention plan for osteoporosis. The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a top authority on fitness, recommends lower body strength training exercises to start building...

How to Make the Calves of Your Legs Bigger

Your calves are made up from three main muscles: tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius and soleus. These muscles work together to point your foot away from you -- an action called plantarflexion. Gastrocnemius is also involved in flexion of your knee...

Kettle Bell Calf Raise Exercises

Kettlebells are free weights that are used as resistance during strength-training exercises. Kettlebells can be used to target any of the muscle groups in your body, including the calf muscles of the lower leg. Calf raises are a classic exercise...

Exercises to Strengthen the Lower Legs

The lower leg is made up of three distinct muscles that can be strengthen with the appropriate exercises. The tibialis anterior is located on the front of your lower leg, more commonly referred to as the shin. The gastrocnemius and soleus, most...

How to Gain Weight in the Calves

The calves are the muscles that run down the back of the lower legs between the knees and ankles. They consist of the gastrocnemius, which is the upper portion, and the soleus, which is the lower portion. If you are currently walking around with...

At-Home Calf Exercises

Your calf actually consists of three separate muscles--the gastrocnemius, soleus and plantaris. Unlike most other muscle groups, your calf muscles require a greater number of repetitions for each exercise to adequately stress the tissue and...

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