A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has discovered something very curious about phisical exercises that we practice in the gym: lowering the weights generates the same results as lifting them – and they are also equivalent to activities that involve both practices, even if it represents only, apparently, half the effort.
Posted in scientific magazine European Journal of Applied Physiologythe research follows on the heels of other results from the same university, which have shown that a few repetitions of regular eccentric muscle contractions – i.e. when we extend the limbs – are better for increasing the size and strength of the muscles, compared to concentric or isometric movements – when you lift or hold weights.
Lift weights, lower weights, or both?
According to ECU professor and study co-author Ken Nosaka, we already knew that just one eccentric muscle contraction movement per day (a weight “drop”), even if performed by just 3 secondsalready increases the muscle strengthas long as it is done 5 times a week. Now, we find that concentric or isometric contraction movements, or weight lifting, No generate the same effect.
To arrive at the discovery, the researchers divided the volunteers into 4 groups of 14 people: 3 of them should do exercises with dumbbells 2 times a week for a period of 5 weeks, but with some variations. One group just lowered the weights, another simply lifted them, and a third did both. activities🇧🇷 The last group should not practice any of the exercises.
Although all groups of participants who practiced received some muscle benefitthe group that lifted only weights had an improvement in concentric strength only: both the group that lifted and lowered weights and the group that only lowered dumbbells increased their concentric, eccentric and isometric strength.
Interestingly, the groups who performed both movements and who lowered the weights saw improvements, but the team who only lowered them had better results in post-workout muscle swelling: Participants saw gains of 7. 2% versus 5.4% of the team that performed both moves.
And now?
The result is counterintuitive, also because we call the phisical exercises with “weight lifting” dumbbells, and success is usually measured by how many pounds an individual can hold in the air. Current research disproves this belief. To maximize muscle gains — and save time and energy — therefore, the recommendation is to do fewer reps, focusing your training on lowering movements.
Nosaka also comments that eccentric exercises are easy to do at home: as few movements are needed per day to see muscle results with this type of movement, it is not even necessary to go to the gym – we can include eccentric movements in our routine and enjoy the same benefits as heavy training by lifting weights.
Source: Edith Cowan University, European Journal of Applied Physiology
