Mixed
Low-load resistance training (20-30 RM) produces hypertrophic and strength adaptations in predominantly slow-twitch muscles (soleus) that are equivalent to heavy-load training (6-10 RM), refuting the hypothesis that fiber type composition dictates optimal loading strategy.
You do not need to lift heavy weights to build calf muscle. If you can perform 20-30 repetitions to failure, you will gain muscle and strength just as effectively as if you were lifting 6-10 repetitions. Focus on reaching failure with controlled form, regardless of the weight used.
Results showed that changes in muscle thickness were similar for the soleus and the gastrocnemius regardless of the magnitude of load used in training... Both HEAVY and LIGHT training programs elicited similar hypertrophic increases in the triceps surae.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled trial with within-subject design, blinding, and rigorous protocol, though limited to untrained young men.
Source
Do the anatomical and physiological properties of a muscle determine its adaptive response to different loading protocols?
Brad J. Schöenfeld et al. · Physiological Reports · 2020
DOI 10.14814/phy2.14427
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