How to Do Hack Squat Machine Calf Raises
Master the hack squat calf raise with our expert guide. Learn proper form, avoid common mistakes, and build stronger calves with this stable machine exercise.
How to Perform
- Position yourself in the hack squat machine with your back flat against the pad and shoulders firmly under the rests.
- Place the balls of your feet on the bottom edge of the platform so your heels hang off the end.
- Disengage the safety handles and fully extend your legs without locking your knees.
- Lower your heels as far as possible until you feel a deep stretch in the calf muscles.
- Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible, pausing for a moment at the top contraction.
- Lower the weight in a controlled motion to return to the starting stretched position.
- Engage the safety locks once you have completed your final repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Bouncing at the bottom of the movement to use momentum.
- Locking the knees completely which shifts tension away from the calves.
- Using a range of motion that is too short to fully engage the muscle fibers.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Calves
Stabilizers
- Gastrocnemius
- Soleus
Related Guides
- 1 Leg Box Squat — Legs
- Abductor Machine — Legs
- Adductor Machine — Legs
Calves · Legs