Resistance Training Study May Aid Weight Loss

Newswise — Could explosive concentric muscle contractions be the key to optimizing the capacity for weight loss through resistance training?

According to findings recently published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise by Dr. Scott Mazzetti, Health, Physical Education and Human Performance faculty at Salisbury University, it could.

The article, co-authored with faculty from Anderson and Ball State Universities, explored the effects of explosive verses slow contractions and exercise intensity on energy expenditure.

Mazzetti's study provided evidence that explosive-or more rapid-muscle contractions used more energy than slow contractions, even when the amount of weight lifted was identical, increasing the benefits of the exercise for weight loss. It also found that explosive contractions were more effective in increasing energy expenditure when using moderate weight loads instead of heavy loads.