Three days is the magic number when it comes to making “meaningful” gains from lifting weights in the gym, Australian researchers say.
The scientists said the results show the importance of regular and frequent exercise when it comes to building muscle.
People who exercised at least three days a week saw their strength increase by up to 4 percent, while those who only exercised twice saw no significant improvement.
The experts behind the research said it shows that even small amounts of regular exercise add up compared to infrequent bursts.
In the experiment, the scientists put 26 young men through a four-week training regimen in which they performed a single, three-second exercise on their biceps.
People who exercised at least three days a week saw their strength increase by up to four percent, while those who only exercised twice did not improve. The experts behind the research said it shows that even small amounts of regular exercise add up compared to infrequent bursts.
One million patients, who were of a healthy weight with a body mass index (BMI) of 18 to 25, were estimated to cost the NHS an average of £638 each in 2019, the final year of the study. By comparison, severely obese patients with a BMI of 40 or more cost more than twice as much: £1,375 a year. Meanwhile, the NHS spent £979 a year on obese patients with a BMI of 30 to 35, which rose to £1,178 a year for those with a BMI of 35 to 40.
Half of the group did the exercise three days a week and the rest only did it twice a week.
At the end of the four weeks, experts from Edith Cowan University compared muscle strength to readings taken before the experiment began.
post your results on he European Journal of Applied Physiology they found those who did the exercises three days a week saw their biceps strength increase by 2.5 percent when lifting weights and 3.9 percent when lowering weights.
By comparison, those who only did the exercise twice a week saw no significant changes in strength.
Study leader Professor Ken Nosaka, a sports science expert, said the results show where the “tipping point” was for getting results from his training.
“We have a better idea of where the tipping point is where you start to see significant benefits from such minimal exercise,” he said.
‘These new results suggest that at least three days a week are required, at least for three second single eccentric contraction training.
“Muscles seem to like to be stimulated more frequently, especially for the small volume of muscle-strengthening exercise.”
However, he added that while logic might suggest that even more frequent exercise, say five days a week, would give better results, this was not necessarily true.
“Muscular adaptations occur when we’re resting, so muscles need to rest to improve their strength and muscle mass,” he said.
Professor Nosaka said that while more research was needed to see if similar tipping points applied to other exercises, the results were encouraging for people who struggle to find time for a full workout.
“It may be that exercising once a week for 2 hours is less effective than exercising every day for 20 minutes,” he said.
‘If it’s not possible to have 20 minutes a day to exercise, even 5 minutes a day makes all the difference for fitness and health.’
NHS guidelines suggest that adults should get 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week spread over four to five days.
The health benefits of regular exercise have been well established for decades.
Staying in shape can prevent obesity and its side effects on health, such as type 2 diabetes and cancer. It can also improve bone strength and mental well-being.
However, a study by Essex researchers last year suggested that only one in 20 adults in England get the recommended amount of exercise per week.
Lack of exercise, combined with unhealthy diets, has been blamed for the growing obesity epidemic in the UK.
The most recent NHS data shows that 26 percent of adults in England are obese and another 38 percent are overweight but not obese.
One third of Americans are overweight, while four in 10 are obese.
A landmark study published in May also revealed that the UK’s bulging waistline is stripping billions of pounds from the cash-strapped NHS every year, spending twice as much on obese patients than those of a healthy weight.
Costs per patient rise dramatically the more people weigh, as they “collect obesity-related conditions” such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease, according to research involving nearly 2.5 million people.
