People interested in fitness often have certain goals in mind for their exercise “end game.” Whether the goal is to burn fat or work the muscle in a given area, it’s easy to jump right in and start an aggressive training program. Hey, the more you exercise, the more the faster you will see results, Correct? Think again. Are shorter workouts more effective? Yes! When it comes to exerciseIt’s about quality, not quantity, according to recent research. Don’t hate the messenger, because science says so! Read on to learn more.
Are shorter workouts more effective? Well, according to a new studio conducted by Edith Cowan University in association with Niigata University and Nishi Kyushu University in Japan (via daily science), is much more productive exercise for short periods of time each day instead of doing long workouts scattered throughout your weekly schedule. This is especially true when it comes to strengthening muscles. Now, let’s delve into the investigation.
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During the four-week study, scientists observed, measured and compared changes in muscle thickness and strength in three groups of participants who completed a resistance movement of the arm. Specifically, they did “maximal voluntary eccentric biceps contractions” using a machine. An eccentric contraction is similar to the descending part of a biceps curl with a heavy dumbbell. The machine recorded the muscle force of each muscle contraction. Research participants were asked to perform at the highest level in an exercise. Now, let’s go over the specific workouts.
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Group #1 performed 30 contractions each week; six a day for five days a week. The results after four weeks? This group revealed an increase of more than 10% in muscle strength, along with an increase of about 5.8% in muscle thickness.
Group #2 performed 30 contractions per week, completing all prescribed contractions on one day per week. After the four-week period ended, this group did not experience an increase in muscle strength. However, their muscle thickness increased by 5.8%.
Group #3 performed six contractions, completing all prescribed contractions on one day per week. After four weeks, there was no change for these participants in either muscle thickness or strength.
Based on research, Ken Nosaka, Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences at ECU, explains that exercise performed routinely with an easily maintainable program can have a positive impact on one’s strength. He notes, “People think you have to do a long resistance-training session at the gym, but that’s not the case. Slowly lowering a heavy dumbbell once or six times a day is enough,” adding, “We just use the biceps curl in this study, but we believe this would also be the case for other muscles, at least to some extent.Muscular strength is important to our health.This could help prevent a decline in muscle mass and strength with [aging].”
It is not yet understood why the body reacts more positively to resistance training of eccentric contractions in smaller sessions than to larger training sessions less frequently. Professor Nosaka explains that it may have something to do with how often the brain has to make a muscle act in a certain way. He stresses the importance of taking breaks in any exercise routine. “Muscles need rest to improve their strength and muscle mass, but muscles seem to like to be stimulated more often.”
Professor Nosaka also points out that if someone was unable to exercise for a certain period of time, it’s basically a moot point to try to “make up” for that lost time by exercising more after the fact. “If someone is sick and can’t exercise for a week, that’s fine, but it’s better to go back to a regular exercise routine when they feel better.” he advises.
It’s important to make exercise part of your daily routine rather than sticking to a certain amount of time each week. “If you only go to the gym once a week, it’s not as effective as doing a little bit of exercise every day at home,” he says, adding, “This research, along with our previous study, suggests the importance of building up a small amount of exercise a week than just spending hours exercising once a week.
alexa mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Associate Editor for Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel, and providing readers with engaging topics on fitness, wellness, and personal care. Read more about Alexa
