Want to reap the health benefits of regular exercise, but not up to high-intensity workouts or long runs daily?
Researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) may have the answer to how often you should exercise weekly for effective results.
Their study, titled “Weekly minimum frequency of one maximal eccentric contraction to increase muscle strength of the elbow flexors,” has been published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
The Experiment
Earlier ECU studies showed significant improvements in muscle strength from performing a single three-second, maximum-effort eccentric bicep contraction (similar to slowly lowering a heavy dumbbell from a bent arm to a straight arm) five days a week for four weeks.
The new research had participants divided into two groups, one performing the same exercise two days a week and the other, three days a week.
Outcomes and Insights
After four weeks, the study revealed no substantial change in the two-day group, whereas the three-day group recorded small but significant increases in concentric (2.5%) and eccentric (3.9%) strength.
The study leader, Professor Ken Nosaka, noted that the findings shed light on the threshold where minimal exercise starts to deliver tangible benefits, with three days a week being the sweet spot for such a short exercise regimen.
Interestingly, participants in an earlier study who performed the same exercise five days a week saw more than a 10% increase in strength compared to the three-day group.
However, Professor Nosaka emphasized that exercising every day might not necessarily boost the benefits further, as muscles require rest for adaptation and strength improvement.
With the exercise duration being only three seconds, the resting time in the study was nearly 28,800 times longer.
Findings May Extend to Other Exercises
Further research is needed to ascertain whether these findings apply to other types and volumes of exercise.
Although muscles seem to benefit from more frequent, smaller exercise volumes, this may not hold for more substantial aerobic exercise intended to improve cardiovascular function or muscle-strengthening workouts like gym sessions.
Professor Nosaka hypothesizes that a daily 20-minute workout may be more effective than a single two-hour session per week.
Even five minutes daily could make a significant difference for fitness and health, pending more research.
Conclusion
The study emphasizes the importance of accumulating small amounts of exercise as frequently as possible in a week, highlighting that even minimal exercise, when performed regularly, can make a difference in our body.
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The study was published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
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