Calf Press (Machine)
Trains the calves. You need a machine. One of our free programs uses it.
Free to use. The app works out every weight and times your rest.
In the programs
How our programs run the Calf Press (Machine)
These numbers are counted from the programs themselves, not averaged off the internet.
1of our 50 programs use it
3×8–12the shape they run most (1 session)
| Program | Session | Sets × Reps | Progression |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHUL | Lower Hypertrophy | 3×8–12 | Double: reach rep ceiling on all sets → +2.5 kg, deload 10% after 2 misses |
Where a program carries a progression rule, Durata moves the weight for you.
See it in action
Watch the Calf Press (Machine) progress week by week
A full run of a program built around it, session by session, in the real app.
Muscles worked
What Calf Press (Machine) trains
Technique
How to do the Calf Press (Machine)
- Sit on the leg press machine and place the balls of your feet on the lower edge of the platform, hip-width apart, with your heels hanging off. Keep your legs extended with a slight bend in your knees.
- Press the platform away by extending your ankles, pushing through the balls of your feet as far as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your calves.
- Slowly let your heels come back toward you, feeling a stretch in your calves. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Form cues
Getting it right
- Keep a slight bend in your knees throughout; never lock them under load.
- Move through a full range of motion, from a deep stretch to a full contraction.
- Avoid bouncing at the bottom of the movement to protect your Achilles tendons.
- Exhale as you press and inhale as you return to the stretched position.
Substitutes
Swap Calf Press (Machine) for
The app's swap picker ranks these the same way: same muscles, similar movement, similar equipment.
Let the app run the Calf Press (Machine) for you
Durata picks the weight, times your rest and adds load when you earn it. That works on any of our 50 free programs, or on a session you put together yourself.