A recent study from Edith Cowan University reveals that dedicating just five minutes daily to eccentric exercise can lead to notable improvements in both physical and mental health. Eccentric exercises, which involve controlled muscle elongation during movements like chair squats or wall push-ups, have been shown to enhance muscle strength, flexibility, and mood. This finding underscores the potential of brief, consistent workouts to contribute to overall well-being.
The study, led by Dr Benjamin Kirk and Professor Ken Nosaka in ECU's School of Medical and Health Sciences, evaluated the effects of a five-minute-a-day, home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals.
The research has been published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Over a four-week period, the participants completed daily exercise consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, focusing on eccentric muscle-lengthening contractions by slowly stretching contracting muscles, such as sitting in a chair slowly, in which the front thigh muscles are lengthened while supporting the body weight.
"We saw significant improvements in muscle strength, flexibility, strength endurance and mental health, suggesting that even small amounts of daily exercise can provide sustainable and detectable benefits in sedentary individuals," Professor Ken Nosaka said.
"The results highlighted that eccentric exercises are very effective in improving fitness. This type of exercise is also more accessible to most people, as it makes use of body weight and eliminates the need to go to a gym.
"The eccentric exercises can also be spread out during the day, which makes it more achievable to those who are time poor."
