Standing Calf-Raise vs Seated Calf-Raise
Which exercise is better for building calf muscles?
The study, "Triceps surae muscle hypertrophy is greater after standing versus seated calf-raise training," investigates the effects of different calf-raise training modalities on the hypertrophy of the triceps surae muscle, which includes the lateral gastrocnemius (LG), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and soleus (SOL). A team from Ritsumeikan University conducted the research, which was published in Frontiers in Physiology.
Key Points
Objective: To compare the hypertrophic effects of standing versus seated calf-raise exercises on the triceps surae muscle.
Participants: Fourteen untrained healthy adults (7 males and 7 females, average age 23.3 years) participated in the study.
Training Protocol:
Participants performed unilateral calf raises for 12 weeks, with one leg trained in a standing position (knee extended) and the other in a seated position (knee flexed).
Each session included 10 repetitions per set, 5 sets per session, at 70% of their one-repetition maximum (1RM), conducted twice a week.
Methods
Measurements:
Muscle volume was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before and after the training intervention.
The study focused on changes in muscle volume for each component of the triceps surae and the whole muscle group.
Statistical Analysis:
A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze differences in muscle volume pre- and post-training.
Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s dd values.
Results
Hypertrophy Outcomes:
Significant increases in muscle volume were observed for both training conditions, but hypertrophy was notably greater for the standing condition:
Lateral gastrocnemius: 12.4% increase (standing) vs. 1.7% (seated)
Medial gastrocnemius: 9.2% increase (standing) vs. 0.6% (seated)
Whole triceps surae: 5.6% increase (standing) vs. 2.1% (seated)
Statistical Significance:
The differences between conditions were statistically significant for LG (p = 0.001), MG (p = 0.002), and Whole-TS (p = 0.011), indicating that standing calf raises are superior for inducing hypertrophy compared to seated calf raises.
Key Takeaways
Training Recommendations: The findings suggest that individuals aiming to enhance triceps surae hypertrophy should prioritise standing calf raises over seated variations, as they promote greater muscle growth due to training at longer muscle lengths.
Implications for Training Programs: This research provides valuable insights for athletes, trainers, and rehabilitation professionals to design effective resistance training programs targeting the triceps surae.
Broader Context: Understanding that training at long muscle lengths can enhance hypertrophy may influence how resistance training can be approached across various muscle groups, potentially leading to more effective training strategies overall.
This study highlights the importance of joint positions in resistance training outcomes and suggests practical applications for optimising training programs aimed at building muscle.
Reference
Kinoshita, M., Maeo, S., Kobayashi, Y., Eihara, Y., Ono, M., Sato, M., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps surae muscle hypertrophy is greater after standing versus seated calf-raise training. Frontiers in Physiology, 14, 1272106. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2023.1272106