Lately it's been a modified calf raise on a lying leg curl. So I sit at the edge if the bench and out the roller pad over my quad/knee area. I stack 2, 45 lb plates on each other on the floor and put my toes on them. I slide my quads under the pad for lower legs on a lying hamstring curl and I do seated calf raises on a lying leg curl machine. Sort of something I made up (at least I think I did but someone else has probably figured it out also) NOW, here is the difference for me....
Although this is a pin loaded machine that maxes out about 180 lbs and feels easy enough, the motion on the machine is up and back towards you, not up and away. It's honestly a really different feel in my calves and I can really crunch them and squeeze them at the top. Most sets are 50-80 reps/set and I limp for a few seconds as I crawl off it. Usually 3 sets of 50-80 reps with the stack is what I'll do on seated calf raises. This angle/motion created an extreme mind muscle connection for me and feels so natural compared to other seated calf raise machines. I wish I could stack more weight on it though, but even the 180 x insanely high reps has made the calves explode!!! I tend to like anything that feels like the best mind muscle connection and natural plane of motion. Some machines just feel more set up for the way your body is designed/limb length etc.
Also, lately I've gotten a lot more into hoist equipment. The hoist pivot machines create an insane mind/muscle connection and pivot in a natural plane of motion and really keep the tension on the muscles and not the joints. I joined a specific gym just for that line of equipment. The seated cable bicep curl with pivot seatback fucking insane. I know many ppl think hoist is too light of a workload, old man type equipment but it works great for me!!!
and it wasn’t until someone mentioned it elsewhere that I realized I had that gem at my gym lol.
