Get ready for a game-changing workout routine that only takes a few seconds a week but delivers impressive results. Recent research has revealed a surprisingly efficient move that can significantly improve both concentric and eccentric strength when performed just three days a week. That’s right, we’re talking about a workout that only requires nine seconds of your time each week, or a mere 36 seconds a month. It’s safe to say this is one of the shortest workouts that can actually help you build muscle.
Now, we know you’re dying to know what this mystery move is. Brace yourself, because it’s a maximum-effort eccentric biceps contraction. In simpler terms, it involves lowering a heavy dumbbell from a bent arm to a straight arm. Sounds simple, right?
Previous research from Edith Cowan University has shown that performing this exercise five days a week for four weeks can improve muscle strength. However, the latest findings suggest that just three days a week might be enough to see some benefit. According to study lead Professor Ken Nosaka, “Our previous work has shown regular, shorter exercise is more beneficial than one or two big training sessions in a week. Now, we have a clearer idea of where the tipping point is where you start to see meaningful benefits from such a minimal exercise. These new results suggest at least three days a week are required, at least for the single three-second eccentric contraction training.”
In the study, 26 healthy young adults were recruited, with half performing three-second eccentric biceps contractions two days a week and the other half doing the same but for three days. After four weeks, the team compared their biceps strength. The results showed that the two-day group experienced no significant change, while the three-day group saw a 2.5 percent increase in concentric strength and a 3.9 percent increase in eccentric strength – a small but meaningful improvement.
Although these results may seem less impressive compared to the previous study that involved five days of workouts, which resulted in over 10 percent increases in muscle strength, the authors suggest that adding a couple more days of workouts could yield even better results. The secret to these super-short workouts may lie in the extensive rest periods between them. With just three seconds of exercise, the recovery time is 28,800 times longer than the exercise time itself.
“Muscle adaptations occur when we are resting, so muscles need rest to improve their strength and muscle mass,” explained Nosaka.
While further research is needed to determine if these findings apply to other types and volumes of exercise, it’s clear that even the most rapid workout, like eccentric biceps contractions, can help us build muscle. As Nosaka emphasized, “It is important to note that even a very small amount of exercise can make a difference to our body if it is performed regularly.”
So, if you’re looking for a quick and effective way to boost your muscle strength, give this nine-second workout a try. Your body will thank you.
The study is published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
