|
Overview
The donkey calf machine was designed to mimic the movement and angle of donkey calf raises, which are somewhat awkward to perform. The exercise involved putting your feet on a block and bending your upper body over a bench or table. Weight was added by having a person sit on your back and hold weight as needed.
The donkey calf machine, fortunately, was created to work the calf muscles from the same angle without having people climb on your back. The machine sets you in a chair that is angled downward and your feet are placed against a foot plate. Depending on the type of machine, either the seat slides away from the foot plate or the seat stays still and the foot moves away as you press it.
This exercise works the calves from a different angle than the seated and standing calf machines. It is particularly useful for making the calves look thick and full when viewed from the side.
Setup
Set the proper weight on the donkey calf machine and adjust the seat as needed so that you can begin the exercise with your calves stretched and the heels down further than the toes. Sit down with your upper body erect and take the handles at either side of the machine. Place the ball of each foot and toes against the foot plate and allow the calves to stretch.
Movement
Press against the foot plate with your toes as far as possible until your toes and calf muscles are fully extended. Hold this position at the peak of your contraction for a moment before reversing the movement and allowing your toes to come back up to the starting position.
Tips From the Trainer
Allowing your heels to drop all the way down and go lower than your toes is important so that your calves are fully worked throughout the full range of the movement. Stretching before your calf exercises will also go a long way in helping you to develop well carved, diamond shaped calves.
You can add variation to this exercise by varying the width between your feet and by pointing your toes either slightly inward or slightly outward. Each variation will help to work your calves from a different angle.
|