Get Ripped With Just 3 Seconds Of Exercise Per Day

Goodbye long gruelling hours at the gym?

Get Ripped With Just 3 Seconds Of Exercise Per Day

An Edith Cowan University study found that performing one muscle contraction for just three seconds per day increased muscle strength…


The idea of being in perfect shape with bulging biceps, defined abs and monster calves is a nice one… Until you get to the gym and realise that you have to work extremely hard to achieve it.

Not to mention, how ‘clean’ you have to eat – if you want a ripped body, you can practically kiss burgers and tacos goodbye. And it’s because of these reasons, that there are not too many of us who look like Chris Hemsworth or Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

But to those of you who are a little lazy and couldn’t imagine a happy life without fried foods, there’s finally hope for you to get jacked with minimal effort. Perhaps you can actually have your cake and eat it too…

Scientists at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia have revealed that just three seconds of exercise per day will build muscle. Seriously.

A study conducted by ECU, led by Professor Ken Nosaka and in collaboration with researchers from Japan’s Niigata University of Health and Welfare, oversaw 39 participants who were asked to perform one muscle contraction (a bicep curl) at maximum effort for three seconds per day, for five days a week over a month.

Of these 39 participants, one third were asked to perform isometric bicep curls (which is focusing on holding the weight parallel to the ground), one third were asked to perform concentric bicep curls (focusing on lifting the weight) and the last third were asked to perform eccentric bicep curls (focusing on lowering the weight). And a further 13 participants who were also monitored as a part of the study, were asked to do no exercise at all over the month.

Doing a bicep curl for just three seconds a day can increase muscle strength… Image Credit: Getty Images

And the results showed that in just a month all 39 participants who did some form of bicep curl for three seconds, five times a week, had improved muscle strength. While the group who did no exercise over the month had no increase in their muscle strength.

The eccentric bicep curl group received the most benefit; overall muscle strength improved by 11.5 per cent. Professor Nosaka was delighted by the results and said it suggests that long hours at the gym aren’t necessary.

“The study results suggest that a very small amount of exercise stimulus – even 60 seconds in four weeks – can increase muscle strength. Many people think you have to spend a lot of time exercising, but it’s not the case. Short, good quality exercise can still be good for your body and every muscle contraction counts.”

Professor Nosaka

Professor Nosaka also said that he plans to investigate other muscle groups and hopes those studies produce similar results – because then, that would mean that beneficial total body workouts could be done in an incredibly short amount of time.

“We haven’t investigated other muscles yet, but if we find the three-second rule also applies to other muscles then you might be able to do a whole-body exercise in less than 30 seconds.”

Professor Nosaka

If you’ve been thinking about cancelling your gym membership because you never go, this could be your sign to do so. Just get a heavy dumbbell and do eccentric bicep curls for three seconds per day and say hello to improved muscle strength. That’s not to say it will get your whole body ripped but hey: it’s got to be worth a try…

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