(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists have found that lifting weights for just 3 seconds a day has a positive effect on muscle strength.
In a study published in the Scandanavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports , scientists from Japan and Austria asked 50 students who had never been to a gym or played sports before to perform one muscle contraction with maximum effort for three seconds a day. This happened five days a week for four weeks.
The scientists measured the strength of the volunteers’ arm muscles before the start of the training and four weeks later. The results showed that these exercises were enough to increase the strength and thickness of the muscles.
“The results of the study show that a very small amount of exercise — even 60 seconds for four weeks — can increase muscle strength. Many people think that you need to spend a lot of time on training, but this is not so. Good quality short exercise can be good for your body, and every muscle contraction counts,” the scientists write.
Volunteers performed three types of exercises: one did concentric lifts (lifting the weight to the chest), others did isometric exercises (holding the weight still), and the third did eccentric exercises (exercises in which tense muscles lengthen under load).
In all three groups, muscle gains were observed, but the third one achieved the best result. The eccentric exercises resulted in an increase in overall muscle strength of the volunteers by almost 12%.
Earlier, we answered the question of why muscles weaken with age and whether this can be avoided. The answer can be found in our material .
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.