The Claim

High-load overhead press training to failure increases scapular dyskinesis, as measured by scapular balance angle and lateral scapular slide distance, in recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24, compared to non-failure training.

Source: Acute Effects of High-Load Training to Failure vs. Non-Failure on Posture and Core Endurance in Collegiate Weightlifters: A Crossover Study

What the research says

Supports is higher

Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.

Supports
51score
Challenges
0score

These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.

Cause and effect
1 study reviewed
In plain English

In recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24, performing overhead presses to muscular failure results in greater scapular dyskinesis, measured by scapular balance angle and lateral scapular slide distance, than performing the same exercise without reaching failure.

See the scientific wording

High-load overhead press training to failure increases scapular dyskinesis, measured as scapular balance angle and lateral scapular slide distance, in recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24, while non-failure training does not, suggesting that failure training may disrupt shoulder girdle stability.

Why this might work

Lifting heavy weights until exhaustion exhausts the muscles around the shoulder and core, which blunts their ability to sense position and coordinate movement. This causes the shoulder blade to move abnormally because the brain can no longer control it precisely, leading to instability and misalignment.

Verified mechanismbased on 1 study

What the research says

1 study
  1. Study: Acute Effects of High-Load Training to Failure vs. Non-Failure on Posture and Core Endurance in Collegiate Weightlifters: A Crossover Study

    Lifting heavy weights until you can't do another rep made people's shoulder blades move in an unstable, abnormal way, but stopping before exhaustion kept them stable. So going all the way to failure might hurt your shoulder posture.

Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies

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