Bigger Calves from Doing Higher Resistance Training Volume?

Abstract

We compared the effects of different weekly calf training sets on muscle size changes. Sixty-one untrained young women performed a calf training program for 6 weeks, 3 d·wk^-1, with differences in resistance training volume. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups: 6-SET, 9-SET, and 12-SET weekly calf training sets. The calf raise exercise was performed in sets of 15-20 repetitions maximum. The muscle thickness measurements of medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), and soleus (SOL) were taken via B-mode ultrasound. We used the sum of the three-muscle thickness as a proxy for the triceps surae (TS_SUM). The 12-SET group elicited greater increases than the 6-SET in LG (6-SET=+ 8.1% vs. 12-SET=+ 14.3%; P=0.017), SOL (6-SET=+ 6.7% vs. 12-SET=+ 12.7%; P=0.024), and TS_SUM (6-SET=+ 6.9% vs. 12-SET=+ 12.0%; P=0.005), but there was no significant difference in MG changes (6-SET=+ 6.6% vs. 12-SET=+ 9.9%; P=0.067). There were no significant differences when comparing 9-SET vs. 6-SET and 12-SET (P≥0.099). Although all groups experienced calf muscle hypertrophy, our results suggest that the higher dose range may optimize triceps surae muscle size gains.