I read a Frederic Delavier’s book « Strength Training Anatomy » and I learned good stuff.
Sitting on the machine with the bottom of your thighs under the pads. Your forefoot on the step with your ankles in passive flexion :
-
Do an extension of your feet
This exercise mainly works soleus (this muscle named like that because it looks like flat fish, the sole). This muscle inserted above the knee joint, on the tibia and fibula. And it’s also attached to the calcaneus by the Achilles tendon. The soleus has the function of extending the ankles.
The flexed position of the knees relax gastrocnemius who are attached above the knee joints and below the Achilles tendon. In this position, they participate weakly in the extension of the feet.
Variant
It’s possible to do this movement sitting on a bench with a step under your feet and a barbell on the bottom of your thighs. Use a towel or a barbell pad to have less pain on your thighs while performing the exercise.
Share this article if you think it can help someone you know. Thank you.
-Steph