Just five minutes of eccentric exercise a day can help your health, study finds

Key Points:

• Just five minutes a day of slow, controlled bodyweight exercises improves strength, flexibility, and mental health.

• The home-based program is ideal for sedentary people and requires no equipment or gym access.

• The study suggests starting small helps people build confidence and stay consistent.

A new study from Australia's Edith Cowan University (ECU) has found that just five minutes a day of eccentric bodyweight exercises can lead to significant improvements in physical and mental health, especially for people living sedentary lifestyles.

What's an eccentric exercise? It's one in which your muscles stretch while working, like when you lower a weight or sit down slowly into a chair. (see more below).

Led by Dr. Benjamin Kirk and Professor Ken Nosaka, researchers evaluated a simple home-based program that included daily movements like chair squats, wall push-ups, and heel drops. Over four weeks, participants showed noticeable gains in muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, and even mental well-being.

Eccentric exercises were key to the program’s success. For example, sitting slowly into a chair helps the front thigh muscles stretch and strengthen at the same time.

“We saw significant improvements, even with just five minutes a day,” said Professor Nosaka. “Eccentric exercises are simple, accessible, and can be spread out during the day, making them easy for people with limited time.”

Small steps, big benefits

The results are especially promising in countries where few adults meet both strength and aerobic activity guidelines. The problem gets worse with age.

“As you get older, your fitness level declines about 1–2% a year,” Nosaka explained. “But with regular movement, even in small doses, people can slow that decline and lower their risk of chronic disease, injury, and depression.”

A starting point for a healthier life

While the study focused on a short, manageable routine, the researchers stress that building up gradually can unlock even greater health benefits. The recommended target remains 150 minutes of weekly exercise, but for beginners, five minutes is a practical and encouraging start.

“Every muscle contraction counts,” Nosaka said. “You don’t need a gym membership. You just need ten slow reps a day — and a commitment to keep going.”

The study was published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.

More about ecentric exercise

Eccentric exercise refers to a type of strength training where the muscle lengthens under tension — basically, you're resisting a force as you slowly return to a starting position or lower a weight.

💪 Examples:

• Lowering a dumbbell during a bicep curl (the "down" part)

• Going down slowly in a squat

• Walking downhill

• Lowering yourself from a push-up

🧠 Why It Matters:

Eccentric movements:

• Cause more muscle strengthening than the upward (concentric) part

• Lead to less fatigue and lower risk of injury

• Are great for rehab, seniors, and beginners

• Can improve mobility, balance, and flexibility