The Study
Resistance training beyond momentary failure: the effects of past-failure partials on muscle hypertrophy in the gastrocnemius
This study is like a controlled experiment where each person trained one leg one way and the other leg another way to see which made the muscle grow more. It gives us good proof that this specific training trick works for building calf muscles in people who don't usually exercise, but we can't assume it works the same way for everyone or for other body parts.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Researchers tested if doing extra half-reps after you can't do a full calf raise builds more muscle than stopping when you fail.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 560 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this is a meaningful increase for beginners looking to maximize calf growth, though it may cause more discomfort.
- 2Over 10 weeks, the extra-rep group grew 9.6% more muscle compared to 6.7% for the standard group, lifting 87% more total weight per set.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Psychology
Year
2025
Authors
Stian Larsen, P. Swinton, N. Ø. Sandberg, B. S. Kristiansen, A. B. Fredriksen, H. Falch, Roland van den Tillaar, Milo Wolf
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.