Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Seated Calf Raise
How to do the smith seated calf raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit on a bench inside a Smith machine with the balls of your feet on a block or plate and the bar resting across your lower thighs near your knees. Unrack the bar, then push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels as high as possible. Lower slowly until you feel a stretch and repeat.
- 1Calves contracting hard as you press your heels up
- 2A pause and squeeze at the top, then a slow stretch at the bottom
- 3Even pressure across the balls of both feet
Common mistakes
- Bouncing or using momentum to complete the reps
- Letting your knees drift or hips shift
- Allowing your ankles to roll inward or outward
Muscles worked
The smith seated calf raise mainly works the calves.
- CalvesPrimary
- QuadsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
Kovo programs the smith seated calf raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More calves & shins exercises
- How to do the ankle cars
- How to do the ankle circles
- How to do the ankle rocks
- How to do the resistance band ankle mobilization
- How to do the calf press
- How to do the calf raises with hold
Last reviewed June 2026.