Calf question (knees)

[Meso_z]

I was wondering whats the best way to do standing calf raises or at a leg press, with slightly bend or locked knees? 

[smaul]

I feel that keeping the legs slightly bent works my calves better.  Keeping them straight hurts the tendons at the back of my knee.

[YoungBlood]

For effect or more bang for your buck, I think it's best to lock the knees. But you will have to reduce weight, because it's certainly safer to use less weight and slightly bend your knees.
Also, when you bend your knees the soleus takes a bit more of the load off your gastrocnemius. So you will have more development for the two- but again for more bang for your buck, you should try to work each muscle as independently as possible. Why use standing calf raises to work your soleus when you can just do std. raises? 

[mass 04]

I use a slight bend. If i straighten my legs, it kils my tendons.

[smaul]

I use a slight bend. If i straighten my legs, it kils my tendons.

exactly.  strange that it seems to affect the tendons so much instead of the joint.  in my case at least

[jpm101]

Would not you want to stretch the tendon, as well as the calf muscles, to insure a better all around stretch to the calves themselves? Though some guy's like the bent knee version (and for the most part, use way too much weigh and bad performance to do the calves justice), you can deflect some of the direct calf motion that way (muscle stretch/flex...ROM). Might also want to work the calves one leg at a time, as you would ham curls. Good Luck.

Side Bar: might want to try 40 yard sprints as part of training to really blast the calves, from time to time..

[wes]

I do both versions at times !!

[mrhighintensity]

Keep your legs locked out - if you bent em you most likely are not going to put enough stress to the gastro - here is a workout that I currently use which works great...

Standing calf raises 1x6-15 (fail at 6 then include some static holds plus a few negative reps till I reach 15 - ouch!)

Seated calf raises 1x10-15 (same here but not as low in reps)

Donkey calf raises 1x20-30 (high reps here but still to failure )

This workout has produced some insane growth in my calves - currently measure around 19.5 inches...need another inch to match my arms - lol

MR
www.markusreinhardt.com
Check out new High Intensity Training clips now in my member section!

[Kegdrainer]

I agree, if you are going to bend the knee you may as well just do seated raises.  I dont do standing raises just because the pads leave marks on my traps when im done so I do the straight leg calf raise on the hack squat machine, the pads are bigger and it spreads out the surface area of contact so i dont get marked up.  Sometimes I will do them one leg at a time standing while holding a dumbell. 

When i do seated calf raise i change my foot position during the set and go all out until my calves are burning.

[Meso_z]

Keep your legs locked out - if you bent em you most likely are not going to put enough stress to the gastro - here is a workout that I currently use which works great...

Standing calf raises 1x6-15 (fail at 6 then include some static holds plus a few negative reps till I reach 15 - ouch!)

Seated calf raises 1x10-15 (same here but not as low in reps)

Donkey calf raises 1x20-30 (high reps here but still to failure )

This workout has produced some insane growth in my calves - currently measure around 19.5 inches...need another inch to match my arms - lol

MR
www.markusreinhardt.com
Check out new High Intensity Training clips now in my member section!

Hey thanks Marcus, and other guys as well.