If untrained guys keep doing partial calf raises after they can't do full ones anymore, their calf muscles get slightly thicker — about 0.6 mm more on average — compared to stopping completely.

If you keep doing partial calf raises after you can't do full ones anymore, you might boost muscle growth in your calf because you're doing way more work—about 87% more—than stopping completely.

If you're doing calf raises and keep going with smaller movements after you're too tired to do full ones, you might build more calf muscle—especially if you do those extra reps when your foot is pointed up.

If you're a guy new to calf workouts, doing extra partial reps after hitting failure on full calf raises doesn’t give you more muscle growth — it’s just as good as sticking to full reps, and both methods boost calf size by about 8% in 10 weeks.

If you're someone who lifts weights and trains your calves twice a week, doing partial reps starting from your toes pulled all the way up to neutral might grow your calf muscles a tiny bit more than doing full reps plus extra partials at the top — but the difference is super small and not very certain.

If you're someone who lifts weights and does calf raises, doing partial reps that stretch the muscle might make your calf grow just a bit more than doing full reps and then finishing with partials after you're too tired to do full ones.