In a new study from Edith Cowan University, researchers found lifting weights for as little as three seconds a day can have a positive impact on muscle strength.
They 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.
Another 13 students performed no exercise over the same period and were also measured before and after the four weeks.
The team found muscle strength increased more than 10% 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 results showed people didn’t need to spend vast amounts of time exercising to improve their muscle strength.
They suggest that a very small amount of exercise stimulus—even 60 seconds in four weeks—can increase muscle strength.
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.
For a bicep curl, a dumbbell is held with an arm by one’s side, before lifting the weight upwards towards the chest and then lowering it back down via the elbow.
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.
The study shows all three lifting methods had some benefit to muscle strength, however, eccentric contraction easily produced the best results.
The findings were exciting for promoting physical fitness and health, such as prevention of sarcopenia—a decrease in muscle mass and strength with aging.
The team says if they find the three-second rule also applies to other muscles then people might be able to do a whole-body exercise in less than 30 seconds.
Also, performing only one maximal contraction per day means people don’t get sore afterward.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about 5-minute workout that could lower blood pressure as much as exercise, drugs, and nutrient supplement that could help you live longer like exercise.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about two health issues that may double your dementia risk, and results showing this daily nutrient is critical to health in older people.
The study is published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and was conducted by Professor Ken Nosaka et al.
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