Lifting Weights for Just 3 Seconds a Day Can Improve Your Strength

Time to pump that iron.

Photo: Getty Images

Want to build muscle? Well, do you have three seconds?

In a new study, researchers in Australia and Japan say they've found that performing a single bicep curl, at maximum effort, can lead to a 10% increase in muscle strength within just one month. Yes, just one.

So that's three seconds a day, or less than two minutes, total, per month.

Now, a couple of caveats: They're not saying that three seconds of exercise is sufficient, only that you can build muscle strength with a single curl every day. And there's a specific motion that you should include to get the best results.

A curl can be broken down into three motions: A concentric curl, an isometric contraction, and an eccentric contraction. The concentric curl is lifting a weight in toward your chest, the classic image of a bicep curl.

An isometric contraction is HOLDING the weight while your muscle is in a fixed position. And an eccentric contraction is lowering the weight back down away from your body. And THAT is the movement that can be the most beneficial. But hey, you can probably handle doing all three motions. Once.


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