The study discovered that those who only decreased a weight experienced the exact same muscle strength and size enhancements as those who raised and decreased weights, despite performing half the variety of repetitions.
A recent research study has actually revealed that a particular kind of contraction is the most reliable at constructing muscle strength and size. This indicates that we might have the ability to achieve the same outcomes by lowering our weightlifting regular by half.
Excellent news for those with busy schedules who discover it difficult to fit in a gym exercise: a brand-new study from Edith Cowan University suggests that you may have the ability to lower your weightlifting regular by half and still achieve the very same outcomes.
The research study found that a person type of contraction is most efficient at developing muscle strength and size which the focus should be on lowering weights instead of raising them. The study involved groups of individuals performing three various types of dumbbell curl workouts and measuring the results. The research study group likewise consisted of scientists from Niigata University and Nishi Kyushu University in Japan, in addition to Londrina State University in Brazil.
It found those who only lowered a weight saw the very same enhancements as those who raised and reduced weights– in spite of just carrying out half the number of repeatings.
Teacher Ken Nosaka. Credit: Edith Cowan University
ECUs Professor Ken Nosaka stated the outcomes strengthened previous research study indicating a concentrate on “eccentric” contraction– in which triggered muscles are lengthened– is more crucial to increasing the strength and size of muscles, instead of the volume.
” We currently know only one eccentric muscle contraction a day can increase muscle strength if it is performed 5 days a week– even if its just 3 seconds a day– but concentric (lifting a weight) or isometric contraction (holding a weight) does not provide such an effect,” Professor Nosaka said.
” This most current study shows we can be much more effective in the time we invest exercising and still see substantial outcomes by focusing on eccentric contraction. In the case of a dumbbell curl, lots of people might think the lifting action supplies the a lot of benefit or a minimum of some benefit, but we found concentric muscle contractions contributed little to the training results.”
Crunching the numbers
The research study included three groups who carried out dumbbell curls twice a week for 5 weeks, plus a control group who did absolutely nothing.
Of the training groups, one performed eccentric-only contraction (reducing weight), another concentric-only contraction (lifting weight) and another carried out both eccentric and concentric contraction (lifting and lowering weight alternatively).
All 3 saw enhancements in concentric strength, but this was the only improvement for the concentric-only group.
The eccentric-only and concentric-eccentric groups also saw significant enhancements in isometric (static) strength and eccentric strength.
A lot of remarkably, in spite of the eccentric-only group doing half as numerous associates as those lifting and reducing weights, the gains in strength were extremely similar and the eccentric-only group also saw a higher enhancement in muscle thickness, an indicator of muscle hypertrophy: 7.2 percent compared to the concentric-eccentric groups 5.4 percent.
” Understanding the advantages of eccentric-focused training can allow people to spend their time working out more efficiently,” Professor Nosaka stated.
” With the percentage of everyday exercise required to see outcomes, individuals dont always even need to go to the gym– they can integrate eccentric exercise into their everyday routine.”
Putting it into practice
So how can we put this understanding to utilize in the health club?
Utilizing a dumbbell, Professor Nosaka recommends using two hands to aid with the concentric (lifting weight) stage, before utilizing one arm for the eccentric stage (reducing weight), when performing:
Bicep curls
Overhead extension
Front raise
Shoulder press
Utilizing leg weight makers, Professor Nosaka recommends using the very same concentric/eccentric strategy when carrying out:
Caring for house bodies
Gladly, Professor Nosaka says you do not require gym weights to apply the same principles to an exercise and has actually come up with a number of easy workouts one can do in the house.
In the workouts, feel that the contracting muscles are gradually extended from the start to the end of the variety of movement.
After each eccentric muscle contraction, minimize the effort to return to the starting position (i.e., concentric contraction).
Repeat 10 times for each exercise.
Chair sit: From a half-squatting position, sit down slowly on a chair in three seconds, (narrower and wider stances will produce various results). If this is easy, attempt to sit down with one leg.
Chair recline: Sit on the front of a chair to make an area in between your back and the back-rest, recline back gradually in three seconds (arms can be crossed at the chest or hold at the back of a head).
Irregular squat: Stand behind a chair, lean to one side to put more weight on one leg, then squat down in 3 seconds.
Heel down: Still behind a chair, lean forward and raise your heels. Then, lift one leg off the ground and lower the heel of the other leg in 3 seconds.
Wall kiss: Lean against a wall with both arms totally extended. Bend the elbow joint slowly over 3 seconds until your face gets close to the wall.
Front lunge: Place one leg in front of the other and flex the knees much deeper over 3 seconds.
Reference: “Comparison between concentric-only, eccentric-only, and concentric– eccentric resistance training of the elbow flexors for their impacts on muscle strength and hypertrophy” by Shigeru Sato, Riku Yoshida, Fu Murakoshi, Yuto Sasaki, Kaoru Yahata, Kazuki Kasahara, João Pedro Nunes, Kazunori Nosaka and Masatoshi Nakamura, 15 September 2022, European Journal of Applied Physiology.DOI: 10.1007/ s00421-022-05035-w.
Knee extensions
Leg curls
Calf raises
