Full Foot Leg Press Calf Raise
Also known as: calf press, 45 degree calf press
In SetGrip: Leg Press Calf Raise (Full Foot)
- Primary muscleCalves
- EquipmentSled Machine
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeCompound · Push
- Secondary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Body part
- Lower Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Keeping your whole foot on the sled platform means no hanging-heel stretch at the bottom, which makes this the simplest calf option on the 45-degree leg press: just ankle extension against a heavy sled. Since the machine loads safely without a bar on your back, work sets of 12 to 20 with a hard one-second squeeze at the top.
How to do the Full Foot Leg Press Calf Raise
- Adjust the sled machine to a 45-degree angle.
- Place your feet on the sled platform with your toes pointing forward.
- Push the sled platform away from you by extending your ankles and calves.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the sled platform back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Squeeze the bar hard and keep the wrists straight over the elbows through the whole rep.
Muscles worked
Primary
Calves · Legs
On push press variations the calves add drive from the legs at the start of the press.
Secondary
Common mistakes
- Elbows flaring wide — on horizontal presses keep the elbows at roughly 45 degrees from the torso; pressing overhead, keep them under the weight instead.
- Losing the shoulder blade position — on bench-style presses set the shoulder blades back and down and keep them there; overhead, let the shoulder blades rotate up naturally with the arms.
- Bouncing or rushing the bottom — control the bar down and pause for a beat before driving up, especially on decline and close grip variations.
- Not committing to a variation — Bradford presses, skull presses and the like are hybrids; pick a fixed range and stick with it for the whole set.
Where it fits in a workout
Presses are the main movement in a push session and should go first or second. Superset them with a row or pulldown for a push and pull pair.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without sled machine
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.