Can short workouts help your muscles and blood sugar?
The effect of short‐duration resistance training on insulin sensitivity and muscle adaptations in overweight men
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Significant muscle growth and strength gains occurred with only one set per exercise.
Common belief holds that multiple sets are required for hypertrophy and strength — this challenges that assumption with measurable gains using minimal volume.
Practical Takeaways
Try doing one set of 9 resistance exercises at 80% effort, 3 times a week for 6 weeks, to improve strength and blood sugar control.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Significant muscle growth and strength gains occurred with only one set per exercise.
Common belief holds that multiple sets are required for hypertrophy and strength — this challenges that assumption with measurable gains using minimal volume.
Practical Takeaways
Try doing one set of 9 resistance exercises at 80% effort, 3 times a week for 6 weeks, to improve strength and blood sugar control.
Publication
Journal
Experimental Physiology
Year
2019
Authors
A. D. Ismail, Faris F. Aba Alkhayl, John Wilson, L. Johnston, J. Gill, S. Gray
Related Content
Claims (4)
Lifting weights to build muscle can help your body store more sugar and improve blood sugar control over time, leading to lower fasting blood sugar and better insulin sensitivity.
Doing short, intense strength workouts just three times a week for six weeks can boost how well your body uses insulin—by about 16%—in overweight men in their mid-30s.
Doing quick strength workouts just once per exercise, three times a week for six weeks, can noticeably build leg muscle—even if you don’t do a lot of sets—especially in overweight men in their mid-30s.
If overweight guys in their mid-30s do a short but intense weight training routine three times a week for six weeks, they can boost their leg strength by nearly 27%—showing you don’t need long workouts to get stronger fast.