The Study
Acute Effects of High-Load Training to Failure vs. Non-Failure on Posture and Core Endurance in Collegiate Weightlifters: A Crossover Study
This study is like a fair race between two ways of lifting weights: one where you push until you can't anymore, and one where you stop before you're totally tired. It found that pushing to failure made people's posture worse and their core weaker right after lifting — but only for a short time. It doesn't prove that one way is always better or causes injuries later.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Lifting heavy weights until you can't do another rep makes your head jut forward, your upper back round, and your core tired — but stopping a few reps early keeps you strong and aligned.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 551 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — these changes mean your spine and shoulders are less stable right after lifting, which could increase injury risk during workouts.
- 2Training to failure made people hold a plank 20–30% shorter, increased upper back curve by over 5 degrees, and dropped head angle below 48° — all signs of poor posture.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Year
2026
Authors
O. Abdelraouf, A. Abdel-aziem, Nouf H. Alkhamees, Zizi M. Ibrahim, Ehab M. Aboelela, Reem S Dawood, A. A. Ashour
Related Content
Claims (6)
When people train to muscular failure, their bodies take longer to recover than when they train without reaching failure, even if the total amount of work done is the same.
In recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24, performing overhead presses to muscular failure increases the curvature of the upper back by more than 5 degrees and reduces the angle between the head and neck below 48 degrees, whereas training without reaching failure does not alter these postural measurements.
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.
In recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24, performing high-load dumbbell overhead presses to muscular failure causes an immediate increase in thoracic kyphosis angle, scapular dyskinesis, and forward head posture, and a reduction in core endurance; performing the same exercise but stopping 3–4 repetitions before failure does not cause these changes.
Recreational collegiate weightlifters aged 18–24 who perform high-load dumbbell overhead presses to muscular failure experience a 20–30% reduction in how long they can hold a prone plank immediately after exercise, whereas those who stop 3–4 repetitions before failure maintain their plank endurance.
Among college weightlifters aged 18–24, stopping overhead presses 3–4 repetitions before failure maintains better posture and core endurance during training than pushing to complete muscle failure.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.