Dear men, here's why you should train harder, for less time

Previous research has suggested that 45 minutes of resistance training may increase insulin sensitivity, muscle size and strength, but no study has tested the effectiveness of shorter resistance training programs.

Positive health effects of short training and high intensity in humans

Washington DC .: A new study published in Experimental Physiology by researchers at the University of Glasgow has highlighted several of the positive health effects of a short resistance exercise training program duration and high intensity in overweight men.

According to the study, a six-week program consisting of three 15-minute sessions a week greatly improves insulin sensitivity, as well as muscle size and strength of the man.

The authors hope to demonstrate that these findings apply to people with type II diabetes, 90% of whom are overweight or obese.

According to the study, short-term exercises until exhaustion are equally effective in improving insulin sensitivity (body's sensitivity to the effects of hormone, insulin). ) that the long-term resistance sessions (45 minutes). Such short sessions could be more attractive and achievable in a world where time is a frequently mentioned obstacle to physical activity.

In particular, when the sensitivity to insulin decreases (as in type II diabetes), blood sugar levels increase, which in the short term can lead to a feeling of fatigue, but it is linked in the long term to complications, including heart disease and stroke.

Previous research had suggested that 45 minutes of resistance training with multiple sets of each exercise could increase insulin sensitivity, muscle size and strength, but no study had tested the effectiveness of training programs shorter resistance.

The research team recruited ten overweight men (based on a body mbad index of 25-30), who trained three times a week for six weeks.

Each training session included a unique set of nine standard resistance exercises, such as leg strains and bicep curls, performed at 80% of their maximum repetition until voluntary failure (ie that is, when an extra repetition could not be completed).

Height, muscle strength and insulin sensitivity were measured before and after the training period. Comparisons of these measures revealed that insulin sensitivity increased by 16% after the exercise regimen.

Stuart Gray, who led the research group, is already thinking of other ways to strengthen the work of his team.

"In addition to these results, we know that the gym is not for everyone so we also need to see if we can get people to do similar exercises at home without gym equipment, for achieve similar beneficial effects, "he said.