Best way to boost workout results in half the time

Think you don’t have time to work out? Think again – experts have discovered a simple way to make the same gains in less time. Here’s how.

If you’ve been putting regular gym sessions on the back burner because there aren’t enough hours in the day, you just ran out of excuses.

It may sound too good to be true, but new research has revealed an easy way to just about halve your exercise time – and still get the same bang for your buck.

This easy hack will help you turbocharge your workout.

• Time savers: More ideas for short bursts of effective exercise

The best exercise to save time at the gym

The co-study by Western Australia’s Edith Cowan University, Niigata and Nishi Kyushu universities in Japan, and Brazil’s State University of Londrina divided participants into three groups, each performing dumbbell curls differently over five weeks.

One group just raised the dumbbell, one raised and lowered it, and one only lowered the weight.

The results showed the group that only lowered the dumbbell had the same improvement in muscle strength and size as those who raised and lowered it – despite performing only half the number of muscle contractions.

ECU’s Professor Ken Nosaka says the findings prove focusing effort on eccentric contractions, where activated muscles are lengthened, is far more beneficial than the concentric, or shortening, contractions.

“By saving your energy and effort for the most beneficial action, you can save significant time and exercise more efficiently,” Prof Nosaka says. 

• Going strong: Why strength training is good for you 

How to be time efficient with your strength training

“Most people put more effort into lifting a weight, but our research shows that has little benefit compared to lowering it,” Prof Nosaka says.

To put the principle into practice, he recommends spending your time and energy on the lengthening phase of each exercise.

“So, for example, use both hands to raise a weight, then lower it with one arm for things like arm curls, shoulder presses and overhead extensions,” he says.

According to Prof Nosaka, you can use the same concentric-eccentric technique when performing knee extensions, leg curls and calf raises on the leg machine.

Australian Fitness Academy managing director Steve Hore says the findings are supported by plenty of other research.

“Studies have shown you can achieve even greater strength gains if you use spotters to assist with the lift – this is called eccentric overloading,” Steve says.

CreateFit Southbank director Simon Savage recommends combining eccentric techniques with short, intense bursts of five to 20 minutes, which has the same benefit as more sustained exercise.

“You’ll get the same results as you would doing much longer, steady workouts,” Simon says.

• In the know: How to choose the right gym for you

How to save exercise time at home

Prof Nosaka says it’s easy to do eccentric exercises at home.

“Some people say no pain, no gain; but we don’t need pain – we need more effective exercise,” he says.

Try these quick, simple exercises in repetitions of 10, taking three seconds for each move:

• Chair sit: From a half-squat, sit down slowly on a chair.
• Chair recline: Sit on the front of a chair and recline back slowly.
• Uneven squat: Holding the back of a chair, put weight on one leg, then squat down. 
• Heel down: Holding the back of a chair, lean forward and raise your heels, lift one leg off the ground and lower the heel of the other leg.
• Wall kiss: Lean against a wall with arms extended, then lower yourself until your face is close to the wall.
• Front lunge: Place one leg in front of the other and bend the knees.

Written by Dimity Barber.