In the fitness world, biceps curls have long been considered the best exercise for strengthening arm muscles. However, groundbreaking research conducted by scientists from Australia’s Edith Cowan University and collaborating Japanese institutions has uncovered a new technique that promises impressive results in just three seconds of performing the exercise three times a week. This discovery challenges traditional ideas about muscle training and opens up exciting possibilities for time-saving workouts.
The study builds on previous work that emphasized the effectiveness of eccentric exercises designed to lengthen muscles compared to concentric exercises that involve shortening them. It is well known that resistance training aimed at lengthening muscles is more effective at strengthening fibrous tissue bands. Simply put, it turns out that the reverse movement of lifting a heavy dumbbell from chest to waist may be more beneficial for muscle training than the conventional movement. While the former burns more calories, the latter not only strengthens muscles, but also triggers changes in the brain that increase muscle response.
To investigate this further, the researchers divided 26 young and healthy adults into two groups. One group performed three-second biceps curls twice a week, while the other group performed three times a week. After four weeks, the researchers assessed the force acting on the elbow flexors and measured the thickness of the biceps brachii and brachialis muscles.
The results were compared to a previous study conducted by the same scientists in which similar exercises were performed five days a week. In that study, it was found that three-second workouts that lengthen the biceps muscles produced better results than those that shortened them. Remarkably, after just one minute of total exercise for four weeks, participants in the eccentric training group improved muscle strength by 11.5%.
Exercise and sports scientist Ken Kazunori Nosaka, one of the researchers involved in the work, expressed excitement about the potential implications of these results. “We haven’t investigated other muscles yet, but if we find that the three-second rule applies to other muscles as well, you might be able to perform full-body exercises in less than 30 seconds,” he said.
It’s important to note that such short workouts primarily promote muscle strength, not cardiovascular strength. Nevertheless, the study shows that three-second eccentric biceps contractions can produce impressive physical results with as little as three workouts per week. After four weeks, participants who trained three times a week had an average increase in concentric strength of 2.5% and eccentric strength of 3.9%. On the other hand, those who trained twice a week showed no significant improvements.
The researchers believe that these ultra-short workouts are more effective because they allow the muscles to recover more easily. The rest time between exercises is about 28,800 times longer than the workout itself, giving ample time for muscle recovery and growth.
In conclusion, this groundbreaking study challenges conventional wisdom about exercise by demonstrating that just three seconds of exercise performed three times a week can significantly strengthen arm muscles. While further research is needed to explore the applicability of this technique to other muscle groups, these results offer hope to those who are time-pressed and looking for effective and efficient ways to increase their fitness levels.
