Research

Mixed

High antagonist muscle activation in elderly men limits movement efficiency and may contribute to reduced power output.

Older adults often have higher antagonist muscle activity, which can reduce movement efficiency. Training that focuses on smooth, controlled movements and reducing unnecessary tension in opposing muscles may help improve power output and functional performance.

GoodQualifiesHIGH confidence
High antagonist muscle activity may limit the full movement efficiency depending on the type of muscle action, testing conditions and the velocity and/or the time duration of the action, especially in the elderly.
Míkel Izquierdo et al. · Acta Physiologica Scandinavica · 1999

Why this rating

EMG data clearly shows higher antagonist activation in elderly groups with statistical significance.

Source

Maximal strength and power characteristics in isometric and dynamic actions of the upper and lower extremities in middle‐aged and older men

Míkel Izquierdo et al. · Acta Physiologica Scandinavica · 1999

DOI 10.1046/j.1365-201x.1999.00590.x

cross_sectional · n=47Cited 340×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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