Link: https://youtu.be/9X2izRH5HY8

Duration: 25 min

Short Summary

Dr. Mike discusses a 2026 study by Amir Ali Goli and Sajad Ahma Dizad regarding muscle hypertrophy in untrained men. The research investigates whether performing partial repetitions beyond momentary failure enhances calf growth compared to full range of motion training alone.

Key Quotes

1. "Training past failure with partials will absolutely make any given set more anabolic. It linearly increases the growth, which is sweet, but it exponentially increases the fatigue, which is not sweet." (00:00:15)
2. "When volume load was matched and it was full ROM only versus full ROM plus post failure partials were statistically equivalent for growing the gastrock that big part of the calf muscle. There were no meaningful differences found." (00:00:10)
3. "The overall hypertrophy, the muscle growth between the two different conditions, fram versus floram plus partials was between eight and 9% or about 8% rather over the course of the 10 weeks. 8% gains on size is pretty dope." (00:00:10)
4. "The design of the study is one of the best study designs you can have in physiology, which is a within subject unilateral study design, which means what? Every person trained both of their calves. One calf would be trained only with full range of motion to failure. The other calf would be trained with full range to failure plus partials to failure." (00:00:06)
5. "It's likely just the extra work that's doing the work. Yes, the length and partials can be an advantage. Yes, working close to or around failure is a big advantage, but it costs a ton of fatigue. So, it's really the extra work that you're doing that's mostly giving you the extra growth in studies like this." (00:00:22)

Detailed Summary

Episode Summary: Partial Repetitions and Muscle Hypertrophy

Overview

This episode features Dr. Mike analyzing a 2026 study titled 'Does performing partial repetitions beyond momentary failure enhance muscle hypertrophy in volume load equated calf raise resistance training?' published in the International Journal of Exercise Science. The discussion centers on whether training past failure with partials provides superior hypertrophy benefits compared to standard full range of motion (ROM) protocols.

Study Methodology

• Participants: The study included 16 untrained 25-year-old men who had not performed resistance training for at least the previous 6 months.
• Design: A within-subject unilateral design was utilized where every participant trained both calves to serve as their own control.
• Protocol: The training duration was 10 weeks with two sessions per week conducted on non-consecutive days, focusing on unilateral standing calf raises.
• Volume Matching: One calf was trained with full ROM to failure, while the other included full ROM to failure plus partials to a second failure point, ensuring total rep counts were identical between legs.
• Tempo: Sets included a 1-second concentric phase, a 2-second eccentric phase, 2 minutes of rest between sets, and 5 minutes of rest between legs.

Key Findings

• Growth Outcomes: Overall hypertrophy between full ROM and full ROM plus partials resulted in an 8 to 9% increase in calf thickness over the 10-week period.
• Statistical Equivalence: Full ROM plus post-failure partials were found to be statistically equivalent to full ROM alone when volume load was matched.
• Efficiency: Per-set efficiency and per-workout efficiency were higher for the full ROM plus partials condition compared to full ROM alone.
• Adherence: Study adherence was perfect with zero dropouts and no reported injuries among the participants.
• Individual Variance: Individual responses varied significantly, with some participants showing minimal growth while others experienced substantial development.

Theoretical Implications

• Work vs. Intensity: Researchers concluded that the additional work performed drove the results rather than just the intensity or proximity to failure, contrasting with earlier high-intensity training theories.
• Mechanical Work: Partial reps covered approximately half the distance of full ROM reps yet achieved the same amount of growth, suggesting workload is a primary driver.
• Fatigue Dynamics: Training past failure linearly increases growth but exponentially increases fatigue, making the stimulus-to-fatigue ratio a critical factor.

Practical Recommendations

• Target Audience: The partials strategy is recommended for individuals training 2 to 4 times per week for an hour or less who are not constrained by recovery resources.
• Exercise Selection: Exercises well-suited for post-failure lengthened partials include calf raises, bicep curls, push downs, wrist curls, lateral raises, leg curls, and leg extensions.
• Exclusions: Squats and deadlifts are not suitable for post-failure partials due to the difficulty of performing partials after full ROM failure.
• Fatigue Management: For maximum muscularity under recovery constraints, users should consider stopping sets one to two reps shy of failure (RIR 1-2).
• Scheduling: If post-failure partials are highly fatiguing, they should be reserved for the last set of an exercise, the last session for a muscle group, or designated 'rainy days'.
• Tracking: Users of the RP hypertrophy app are advised to note lengthened post-failure partials next to every set to accurately track volume and fatigue.