10/15/2026
CALF RAISES: CHANGE THE EMPHASIS
Straighter knees allow more gastrocnemius (“gastroc”) contribution. Seated, bent-knee raises are relatively more soleus-focused. Both muscles still work.
Why? The gastroc crosses the knee and ankle. Bending the knee shortens it and generally reduces its contribution; the soleus does not cross the knee. That is a change in relative emphasis—not soleus isolation, a promise of higher soleus activation in every situation, or evidence of greater soleus growth.
Keep the front of your feet down, raise and lower your heels slowly, and stop if painful or unsteady. Use a stable support for standing raises and a stable seat for the seated version. The unloaded illustrations explain positions, not a matched-load research test.
Full guide and sources: https://www.tiptopfitness-live.com/exercises?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=weekly-guides&utm_content=calf-raise-knee-position -raise-knee-position
Explore the Tip Top Fitness app: https://www.tiptopfitness-live.com/app
Primary sources: Kovács et al., Biology Open (2024), https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.061810; Kinosh*ta et al., Frontiers in Physiology (2023), https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1272106. Exercise guidance: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-exercises/
AI-generated educational illustration. Sources and study conditions are explained in the full guide; the drawing is not a measured activation map. No personal expert review or individual result is claimed.
