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Posted on 02/07/2022 6:54:56 AM PST by ConservativeMind
Lifting weights for as little as three seconds a day can have a positive impact on muscle strength.
A collaboration had 39 healthy university students perform one muscle contraction at maximum effort for three seconds per day, for five days a week over four weeks.
The participants performed either an isometric, concentric or eccentric bicep curl (see definitions below) at maximum effort, while researchers measured the muscles' maximum voluntary contraction strength before and after the four-week period.
Muscle strength increased more than 10 percent for the group who performed the eccentric bicep curl after the four weeks, but less increase in muscle strength was found for the other two exercise groups.
The no exercise group saw no increase.
Lead researcher Professor Ken Nosaka said the results showed people didn't need to spend vast amounts of time exercising to improve their muscle strength.
"The study results suggest that a very small amount of exercise stimulus—even 60 seconds in four weeks—can increase muscle strength," he said.
Isometric vs concentric vs eccentric
These three classifications relate to what the muscle is doing when being activated.
An isometric contraction is when the muscle is stationary under load, concentric is when the muscle is shortening and eccentric when the muscle is lengthening.
Lifting the weight sees the bicep in concentric contraction, lowering the weight sees it in eccentric contraction, while holding the weight parallel to the ground is isometric.
So which is best?
The study shows all three lifting methods had some benefit to muscle strength, however eccentric contraction easily produced the best results.
"Although the mechanisms underpinning eccentric contraction's potent effects are not clear yet, the fact only a three-second maximal eccentric contraction a day improves muscle strength in a relatively short period is important for health and fitness," Professor Nosaka said.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
“maximum effort?” It takes me 20 minutes to work up to where I can give that much effort!
The 3 second workout. Oh yeah thats gotta work. And you can eat whatever you want, right?
> The no exercise group saw no increase. <
Well, that’s disappointing.
Just kidding. Thanks for posting this article, CM.
Now if they can combine this with a study showing dieting for as little as 3 seconds a day make one lose weight they’ll become billionaires.
single rep sets are better than 0, I suppose
“And you can eat whatever you want, right?”
NOPE! Must diet for 3 seconds a day too for maximum results.
Yeah, how is it safe the lift any max out of the blue? Did they skip the 20 minute warmup?
I just laughed so hard I almost choked on my coffee.
That is the first thing thought of when I read the story too.
Exactly. If I don’t stretch some I’ll hurt my shoulders. Had surgery on both a few years ago.
I get that workout putting on my yoga pants!
Still going to be weak as a kitten, though.
There is an old Dragnet episode where Bill Gannon was trying to convince Joe Friday the benefits of isometric exercise.
I exercise my rights.
I can do better, how about 30 seconds?
They tell us that in rr to be hea,thy, one must walk a minimum of 10,000 steps per day (some vary the number)- now we find out that all we had to do was flex for 3 seconds? Lol
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