A statistical analysis found only very weak evidence that doing partial reps at the start of a workout might build slightly more calf muscle than doing them after you're exhausted — but the data doesn't strongly support either way.

We analyzed the available evidence on whether starting calf exercises with partial reps builds more muscle than doing them after reaching failure, and what we’ve found so far is very limited. Only one assertion was reviewed, and while it suggests a possible slight advantage to doing partial reps at the start of a workout, the evidence is extremely weak and doesn’t clearly favor one approach over the other [1]. There are no studies that contradict this, but there’s also no strong data to confirm it. The analysis shows no meaningful difference in muscle growth between the two methods, and the numbers don’t support a confident conclusion either way. We don’t have enough high-quality research to say whether timing partial reps — before or after fatigue — makes a practical difference for calf development. The current evidence is too thin to suggest one strategy is better than the other. If you’re training calves, it may matter more that you’re consistent, challenging your muscles regularly, and using a range of movements than whether you start or end with partial reps.