Key To Getting The Most Out Of Your Workouts

When it comes to building muscle, a growing body of evidence suggests that in many aspects, slow and steady wins the race. A new study backs up this approach, finding that working out a little bit almost every day is better than going all in on a long, intense workout every once in a while.

Many recent studies have looked at the effects of small, frequent strength workouts compared to those of more traditional workout schedules. University-aged young adults in one study, performing one set of six bicep curls five days a week for a month led to a more significant increase in muscle mass than performing five sets of curls one day a week for the same period of time. While those looking to build serious muscle probably won’t be satisfied with the results of such a minute routine, it’s pretty strong evidence for the importance of everyday movement for baseline muscle maintenance.

Still, it matters how you engage in that weightlifting movement. This is the most important caveat of many research findings. Any repetitive motion you make involves two key types of muscle contractions. The first is called a concentric contraction, and is characterized by the shortening of your muscle fibers as you move — think movements such as a crunch or bicep curl. An eccentric contraction, the second type, is the opposite. In an eccentric contraction, your muscle fibers lengthen, sometimes against resistance from gravity or a weight; this would be the portion of a bicep curl where your arm straightens back out or your core straightens out doing sit-ups.

The most important element of any movement when building muscle is the eccentric contraction. “The important message here is that when you’re lifting weight, you have to lower your weight slowly,”

Eccentric contractions are the best way to look at the question of minimum exercise. But make sure to keep it regular — even lifting eccentrically.

There are plenty of ways to incorporate eccentric contractions into your daily routine that don’t even involve free weights. I sit in my chair and very slowly every time, its is great proof that you can get a fitness boost from even the most everyday movements. And that’s crucial for busy parents who might might not have enough time to workout as they’d like.

One particularly great tool you might already have on hand? An infant or small toddler. Lowering your small child into their crib very, very slowly can officially count as your workout for the day — and I fully endorses using your baby to get buff.