Rapid muscle contractions up weight loss

SALISBURY, Md., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers found the benefits of exercise for weight loss could be increased by using rapid -- or explosive -- muscle contractions.

Scott Mazzetti, of Salisbury University in Maryland and researchers from Anderson and Ball State universities, compared the effects of explosive verses slow contractions on energy expenditure and thus, weight loss.

The study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found explosive concentric muscle contractions as the key to weight loss because the explosive muscle contractions used more energy than slow contractions -- even if the amount of weight lifted was identical.

The study also found that explosive contractions were more effective in increasing energy expenditure when using moderate weight loads instead of heavy loads.