Eccentric Exercise: Get Stronger in Minutes a Day

Gain Without the Pain Move Smarter not Harder: How Less Exercise is More

2026-04-25 Source: Edith Cowan University 2 min Reading Time

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Exercise does not have to be exhausting to be effective. New research from Edith Cowan University shows that eccentric exercises — such as slowly sitting down, walking downstairs or lowering a weight — can improve muscle strength, size and performance with less effort and in just a few minutes a day.

“The idea that exercise must be exhausting or painful is holding people back,” ECU’s Director of Exercise and Sports Science, Professor Ken Nosaka, said. (Source: free licensed / Pixabay) — “The idea that exercise must be exhausting or painful is holding people back,” ECU’s Director of Exercise and Sports Science, Professor Ken Nosaka, said.
(Source: free licensed / Pixabay)

If you think you need to ‘go hard’ at the gym to make your muscles stronger, think again! New research at ECU has revealed strenuous exercise and soreness is not needed to improve muscle size, strength, or performance. “The idea that exercise must be exhausting or painful is holding people back,” ECU’s Director of Exercise and Sports Science, Professor Ken Nosaka, said. “Instead, we should be focussing on eccentric exercises which can deliver stronger results with far less effort than traditional exercise — and you don’t even need a gym!”

Eccentric exercise is when muscles work as they lengthen, usually during the ‘lowering’ part of the movement such as lowering a dumbbell, walking downstairs or slowly sitting down in a chair.

The study showed muscles generate more force during these movements — while using less energy than they would by lifting or pulling an object and walking upstairs.

“You can gain strength without feeling as exhausted. So, you get more benefit for less effort. That makes eccentric exercise appealing for a wide range of people,” Professor Nosaka said.

While eccentric exercises might leave you sore the next day, especially if they’re not done regularly, you definitely don’t need any pain to get the gain.

Simple home‑based eccentric exercises, such as chair squats, heel drops, and wall push‑ups, have been shown to deliver meaningful health improvements in as little as five minutes a day.

And because eccentric exercise places less strain on the heart and lungs, it is ideal for older people and those with chronic health conditions.

“These movements mirror what we already do in daily life. That makes them practical, realistic and easier to stick with,” Professor Nosaka said.

“When exercise feels achievable, people keep doing it.”

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